Coastal observation, research & modeling in Florida.
Led by Dr. Gary Zarillo at Florida Tech, our group maintains a long-term monitoring program at Sebastian Inlet and builds the numerical models that interpret it — serving researchers, coastal managers, and the public.
Live from the field
Current conditions · Sebastian Inlet
Data collected with the Sebastian Inlet District. Open the full data dashboard →
Research areas
Nearshore hydrodynamics & sediment transport
Waves, currents, and sand movement around tidal inlets and structures
Coastal circulation & morphodynamic modeling
Real-time and forecast 3-D models of inlet and shoreline evolution
Coastal resiliency & sea-level change
Adaptive management and long-term barrier-island response
Long-term coastal monitoring
Continuous instrumented observation at Sebastian Inlet
The field site
North Jetty weather station
Wind, air temperature, and barometric pressure recorded at the end of the north jetty.
Offshore ADCP
An acoustic Doppler current profiler ~1,000 ft offshore measuring waves, currents, and water level.
Principal investigator
Dr. Gary A. Zarillo
Professor of Ocean Engineering & Marine Sciences with 40+ years in coastal and estuarine processes, numerical modeling, tidal inlets, and coastal resiliency. He directs the group's monitoring and real-time forecast modeling program.
Selected publications
Zarillo, G. A. — Inter-annual sea level change and transgression along a barrier Island coast
Frontiers in Environmental Science · 2023
Habib, M. A. & Zarillo, G. A. — Construction of a Real-Time Forecast Model for Coastal Engineering and Processes Nested in a Basin Scale Model
J. Marine Science & Engineering · 2023
Habib, M. A. & Zarillo, G. A. — Construction of a Real-Time Forecast Model with Deep Learning Techniques for Coastal Engineering and Processes: Nested in a Basin Scale Suite of Models
J. Marine Science & Engineering · 2024
Rosario-Llantín, J. A. & Zarillo, G. A. — Flushing rates and hydrodynamical characteristics of Mosquito Lagoon (Florida, USA)
Environmental Science & Pollution Research · 2021
Zarillo, G. A. et al. — Evaluating Cross-Shore Sediment Grain Size Distribution, Sediment Transport, and Morphological Evolution of a Nearshore Berm at Fort Myers Beach, Florida
USACE ERDC/CHL TR-22-5 · 2022
In partnership with
Sebastian Inlet District · SECOORA
Coastal Processes Research GroupFlorida Institute of Technology
150 W. University Blvd, Melbourne, FL 32901
coastal.fit.edu