Bradley Beach

International Space Station 80 mm Photograph

Image credit: Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center (http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov)

The link is to the Wikipedia page for Bradley Beach.

MICA RICH SAMPLE	BOUNDARY LINE
FINE GRAINED SAND	WATER'S EDGE

MICA RICH SAMPLE

Stacked against the wall at the head of the beach amongst litter and debris was a very fine sand. When I dug the collecting tube into the sand it came up loaded with mica crystals!


ZERO MAGNIFICATION IMAGE	REFLECTANCE SPECTRUM


1X* MAGNIFICATION (YELLOW LINE = 2MM)	*3X MAGNIFICATION (YELLOW LINE = 1MM)**

BOUNDARY LINE

This was something I hadn't seen before. There was a definite boundary where the fine ended, and the coarse began. This sample came from that line.


ZERO MAGNIFICATION IMAGE	REFLECTANCE SPECTRUM


1X* MAGNIFICATION (YELLOW LINE = 2MM)	*1X MAGNIFICATION (YELLOW LINE = 2MM)**

The sand on either side of the boundary line was fine grained. Mixed in with the fine sand were "Cape May Diamonds!"

Finally at the water's edge the sand turns to almost pure black. I have no idea what the little disk is. It could be natural, it could be something dropped by a person. It is a perfect circle. It has the consistency of wax. Material is embedded in it.