Asbury H. Sallenger Jr., a leader in the nation’s research on the causes and effects of sea level rise, storms and other coastal hazards, collapsed and died on Tuesday at his home in Oldsmar, Fla. He was 63.

His death was announced by the United States Geological Survey, for which Dr. Sallenger worked for decades, most recently from its center in St. Petersburg, Fla. No cause was given.

Dr. Sallenger was the architect of the agency’s program on coastal and marine geology. Its coordinator, John Haines, called him “our most effective advocate” for the application of science to coastal policy.

Dr. Sallenger, known as Abby, had headed the U.S.G.S. National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards and led pioneering efforts to measure coastal topography before and after storms. The images that resulted offered striking evidence of storms’ power and also provided clues about why some buildings, beaches and dunes survived while others did not.