Continental shelf sediments in the vicinity of Newport, Oregon

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Frequently-anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title: Continental shelf sediments in the vicinity of Newport, Oregon
Abstract:
"Samples of bottoms sediments were collected for analysis from 121 different positions on the continental shelf and upper continental slope off Oregon between latitudes 44 20'N and 44 48'N. The nature of the sediments suggests that they have been contributed by the geologically varied physiographic provinces of the Pacific Northwest which drain to the Pacific Ocean via the coasts of Oregon and Washington. Well-sorted, fine-grained sub angular sands cover the continental shelf to a depth of 52 fathoms. Below this depth the sediments grade uniformly to clay-silts on the upper continental slope. Rock outcrops, gravel, and coarse sand are present in the vicinity of Stonewall Bank, along the shelf break, and on the shoals rising from the upper part of the continental slope. Mineralogical immaturity characterizes the nearshore sands and the sand fraction of the finer-grained offshore sediment. Glauconite, calcium carbonate, and organic matter are essentially absent from the sands, but may be abundant in the offshore sediment; glauconite up to 91 percent of the sample; calcium carbonate, 14 percent; and organic matter, 6 percent. Small quantities of organic silica, maily sponge spicules and radiolaria, are irregularly distributed in the fine sediments. Textural considerations suggest that the nearshore sands were deposited in a high-energy littoral environment and may be a late Pleistocene transgressive deposit. Although the glauconite-rich sediments on the offshore shoals and at the edge of the continental shelf attest to little or no deposition, shallow depressions and sea valleys of the upper continental slope may be actively receiving sediment."
Supplemental_Information:
Office of Naval Research contract NONR 1926(02); Data digitized by the USGS for inclusion into usSEABED. (<http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/usseabed>)
  1. How should this data set be cited?

    Bushnell, David Clifford , 1963, Continental shelf sediments in the vicinity of Newport, Oregon: Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR.

    Other_Citation_Details: Masters thesis

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -124.755
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -124.050
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 44.935
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 44.377

  3. What does it look like?

    Bushnell_MS_1963 (JPG)
    Screen grab of sample distribution, with coastline and bathymetry for reference.

  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

    Calendar_Date: 1961
    Currentness_Reference: Publication date

  5. What is the general form of this data set?

    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Paper

  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?

    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

      This is a Vector data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):

      • Point (126)

    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

      Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes are given to the nearest 0.00167. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.00167. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees.

  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

    Point
    SDTS point (Source: Source report)

    Sample number
    Sample number (Source: Oregon State University)

    Alpha numeric code based on year, month, sample number

    Gravel
    Amount of gravel in sample (Source: Wentworth 1938)

    No gravel sediment recorded but mentioned in text (pgs 23 and 27).

    Sand
    Amount of sand in sample (Source: Wentworth 1938)

    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:100
    Units:Percent
    Resolution:1

    Silt
    Amount of silt in sample (Source: Wentworth 1938)

    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:52
    Units:Percent
    Resolution:1

    Clay
    Amount of clay in sample (Source: Wentworth 1938)

    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:61
    Units:percent
    Resolution:1

    Median
    Median grainsize (Source: Inman 1952)

    Range of values
    Minimum:-2.94
    Maximum:8.53
    Units:Phi
    Resolution:0.01

    Mean
    Mean grainsize (Source: Inman 1952)

    Range of values
    Minimum:-2.7
    Maximum:9.7
    Units:Phi
    Resolution:0.01

    Standard deviation
    Standard deviation of grainsize (Source: Inman 1952)

    Range of values
    Minimum:-1.94
    Maximum:5.9
    Units:Phi
    Resolution:0.01

    First skewness
    First skewness of grainsize (Source: Inman 1952)

    Range of values
    Minimum:-0.74
    Maximum:2.17
    Units:Unitless
    Resolution:0.01

    Second skewness
    Second skewness of grainsize (Source: Inman 1952)

    Range of values
    Minimum:-1.45
    Maximum:6.96
    Units:Unitless
    Resolution:0.01

    Kurtosis
    Kurtosis of grainsize (Source: Inman 1952)

    Range of values
    Minimum:0.22
    Maximum:12.72
    Units:Unitless
    Resolution:0.01

    Comment
    Lithology (Source: Source report)

    Lithologic description of sample sites where no sediment could be sampled

    Terrigenous sand
    Terrigenous (non biogenic) sand (Source: Source report)

    Range of values
    Minimum:1
    Maximum:100
    Units:Percent
    Resolution:1

    Organic matter
    Organic matter (Source: Source report)

    Range of values
    Minimum:0.1
    Maximum:5.9
    Units:Percent
    Resolution:0.1

    Glauconite
    Glauconite (Source: Source report)

    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:91
    Units:Percent
    Resolution:1.0

    CaCO3
    CaCO3 (Source: Source report)

    Range of values
    Minimum:0.22
    Maximum:12.72
    Units:Percent
    Resolution:0.01

    % heavies in sand fraction
    Percent heavy minerals in sand fraction (Source: Source report)

    Range of values
    Minimum:0.25
    Maximum:10.1
    Units:Percent
    Resolution:0.01

    % heavies in terrigenous sand fraction
    Percent heavy minerals in sand fraction (Source: Source report)

    Range of values
    Minimum:0.25
    Maximum:13.6
    Units:Percent
    Resolution:0.01

    Heavy mineralogy of selected samples
    Percent of selected minerals (out of 100 % heavy minerals). (Source: Source report)

    Percents of actinolite, apatite, augite, basaltic hornblende, biotite, chlorite, diopside, enstatite, epidote, pink garnet, salmon garnet, glaucophane, hematite, hornblende, hypersthene, kyanite, leucoxene, limonite, monazite, muscovite, olivine, opaque minerals, serpentine, sillimanite, sphene, staurolite, tourmaline, tremolite, zircon, zoisite, rock fragments, weathered grains, and unknown minerals. Measurements probably of sand fraction.

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)

  2. Who also contributed to the data set?

    David Clifford Bushnell at Oregon State University for the collection and analysis of data. For inclusion into usSEABED: Digitization: Jane Reid (USGS); Formatting corrections: Jane Reid (USGS) and Chris Jenkins (University of Colorado)

  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?

    College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University
    104 COAS Admin Bldg
    Corvallis, OR 97331-5503

    541-737-3504 (voice)

Why was the data set created?

"The purpose ... is twofold: first, to describe in detail the texture and composition of the sediments found in this area; second, to relate the pattern sedimentation to the physical and chemical forces which formed it."

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

    Date: Unknown (process 1 of 1)
    A settling tube was used for the mechanical size analysis of the sand samples. Those samples contining pebbles or very coarse sand were sieved, using Tyler standard screens. Samples which contained a noticeable amount of material finer than sand were wet-sieved through a 62 micron screen with a 0.2 percent Calgon dispersing solution. Size analyses were then made by the hydrometer method with the pipette method being used to check selected samples. Total carbon content was determined by total combustion in a Leco induction furnace, couple with a Leco gasoline carbon analyzer. Carbonate carbon was also analyzed gasometrically. Heavy minerals were separated from the total samples by the gravity-funnel technique, with bromoform used as the heavy liquid.

    Person who carried out this activity:

    College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University
    104 COAS Admin Bldg
    Corvallis, OR 97331-5503

    541-737-3504 (voice)

    Data sources produced in this process:
    • Bushnell_MS_1963

  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?

    No estimate made for the accuracy of the data in the original report. Data digitized by the USGS and partners were visually compared to the source data, and corrected. Where appropriate, data were tested for completeness using MS Excel. Locations checked using GIS.

  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

    No navigational techniques given in report. Positions given to tenths of minutes.

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

    Depth determination technique not given in report. Water depths recorded to nearest fathom.

  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

    Digitized data include locations and depths from table 4; textural parameters and statistics from table 5; percent heavy minerals in sand and terrigenous sand fractions from table 6; heavy mineralogy of [selected] samples from table 7. Percents terrigenous sand, organic matter, glauconite, and CaCO3 were read from figures 12, 17, 18, 19 respectively.

  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

    Data fall within normal ranges for the given parameters.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints: Thesis is available at libraries.
Use_Constraints:
Cite D.C. Bushnell and Oregon State University as originators of the data.

  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)

    College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University
    104 COAS Admin Bldg
    Corvallis, OR 97331-5503

    541-737-3504 (voice)

  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

    Varies by library

  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

    Although this dataset has been used by the USGS, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the USGS as to the accuracy of the data. Users of the data should be aware of limitations of the data due to possible imprecision due to navigational inaccuracies and limitations of the statistical data.

  4. How can I download or order the data?

  5. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?

    None

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 2005
Metadata author:
U.S. Geological Survey
c/o Jane A. Reid
Geologist
400 Natural Bridges Drive
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

831-427-4727 (voice)
jareid@usgs.gov

Contact_Instructions: Email preferred
Metadata standard:
CSDGM Version 2 (FGDC-STD-001-1998)

Generated by mp version 2.8.17 on Tue May 16 20:24:16 2006