National Geophysical Data Center Coastal Relief Model

Frequently-anticipated questions:

• What does this data set describe?
  1. How should this data set be cited?
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
• Who produced the data set?
  1. Who are the originators of the data set?
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
• Why was the data set created?
• How was the data set created?
  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
  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?
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the data, including topology?
• How can someone get a copy of the data set?
  1. Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
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  3. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?
  4. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
  5. How can I download or order the data?
• Who wrote the metadata?

Title: National Geophysical Data Center Coastal Relief Model

Abstract:

This data set includes sea floor topography of the area offshore of New York and New Jersey from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Coastal Relief Model. The data set is derived from historical measurements of sea floor depth and is gridded at 90 m spatial resolution.

1. How should this data set be cited?

   National Oceanographic and Atmo, National Geophysical Data Center, 2000, National Geophysical Data Center Coastal Relief Model:.

    

   Other_Citation_Details:

   A fundamental database for GIS/LIS applications is gridded elevations, upon which digital maps of rivers, infrastructure and other geographic information can be overlain. While digital elevation models (DEMs) of the coastal states are available through the US Geological Survey (USGS), until now there has been no comparable product for offshore elevations aside from custom grids generated by individual investigators. Our team at NGDC is taking advantage of the recently restructured NOS Hydrographic Database, and the maturation of software for constructing, managing, accessing and viewing gridded hydrographic data, to assemble a gridded database of coastal zone elevations that complements and enhances the USGS 3-arc-second DEMs. This Coastal Relief Gridded database provides the first comprehensive view of the US Coastal Zone; one that extends from the coastal state boundaries to as far offshore as the NOS hydrographic data will support a continuous view of the seafloor. In many cases, this seaward limit reaches out to, and in places even beyond the continental slope. Data sources include the US National Ocean Service and the US Geological Survey. Volumes 3 through 5 also include bathymetric contours from the International Bathymetric Chart of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico project.

   This is part of the following larger work.

   Schwab, William C., Denny, Jane F., Foster, David S., Lotto, Linda L., Allison, Mead A., Uchupi, Elazar, Swift, B. Ann, Danforth, William W., Thieler, Robert E., and Butman, Bradford, 2002, High-Resolution Quaternary seismic stratigraphy of the New York Bight Continental Shelf: Open-File Report OFR02-152, U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole, MA.

   Online Links:

   • <http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/newyork>

2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

   West_Bounding_Coordinate: -74.5666614

   East_Bounding_Coordinate: -70.998985

   North_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.873091

   South_Bounding_Coordinate: 39.001819

3. What does it look like?

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

   Beginning_Date: 1996

   Ending_Date: 2000

   Currentness_Reference: ground condition

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

   Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: raster digital data

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

      This is a Raster data set. It contains the following raster data types:

      • Dimensions 4178 x 4248, type Raster

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

      Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: Universal Transverse Mercator

      Universal_Transverse_Mercator:

      UTM_Zone_Number: 18

      Transverse_Mercator:

      Scale_Factor_at_Central_Meridian: 0.999600

      Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -075.000000

      Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: +00.000000

      False_Easting: 500000

      False_Northing: 0

      Planar coordinates are encoded using coordinate pair
      Abscissae (x-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 200
      Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 200
      Planar coordinates are specified in Meters

      The horizontal datum used is WGS84.
      The ellipsoid used is WGS84.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.0000000.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.26.
      

      Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:

      Altitude_System_Definition:

      Altitude_Datum_Name: North American Vertical Datum of 1988

      Altitude_Resolution: 1

      Altitude_Distance_Units: Meters

      Altitude_Encoding_Method:

      Explicit elevation coordinate included with horizontal coordinates

      Depth_System_Definition:

      Depth_Datum_Name: Mean sea level

      Depth_Resolution: 0.1

      Depth_Distance_Units: Meters

      Depth_Encoding_Method: Explicit depth coordinate included with horizontal coordinates

7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
   • National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, National Geophysical Data Center

2. Who also contributed to the data set?

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

   Jane F. Denny
   US Geological Survey
   Geologist
   384 Woods Hole Road
   Woods Hole, MA 02543
   USA
   

   508-457-2311 (voice)
   508-457-2310 (FAX)
   jdenny@usgs.gov
   

In 1995, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), began a program to generate reconnaissance maps of the sea floor offshore of the New York - New Jersey metropolitan area and within the southern Long Island nearshoe area. Our methods include high-resolution sidescan sonar and subbottom profiling techniques, along with surface grab and vibracore sampling to verify the geophysical interpretations. The goal of the investigation is to provide a regional synthesis of the sea-floor environment, to determine regional-scale availability of sand as a resource for beach nourishment programs, and to investigate the role that inner-shelf morphology and geologic framework have in the evolution of the coastal region within the New York Bight Apex and southern Long Island. Maps derived from interpretation of the subbottom profiles show information on the geometry and distribution of the Quaternary sediments and the underlying coastal-plain unconformity. This seismic stratigraphy yields a regional framework on which explanations of present (and past) sediment movement, dispersal, and erosion processes are based.

1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

   NOAA (source 1 of 1)

   National Oceanographic and Atmo, National Geophysical Data Center, 1999, Coastline Extractor: NGDC National Coastal Relief Model Volumes 1 and 2, NESDIS National Geophysical Data Center, Boulder, CO.

   Online Links:

   • <http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/coastal/coastal.html>

   Other_Citation_Details:

   The first elevation grids constructed for the database formed volumes one and two of the NGDC Coastal Relief Model DVD-ROM series. These volumes collectively covered an area of the US coastal zone that extends from 48° N to 31° N latitude, encompassing the land areas and surveyed offshore areas of the coastal states from Maine to Georgia. In October, 2001, volumes three, four, and five were released covering the coast of Florida and the US Gulf of Mexico coastal zone (see illustration at upper left). The gridded database will eventually encompass the coastal zone of the continental US, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. However, the US coastal zone is being gridded in sections due to the immense volume of data involved in this project. The grids of the eastern US coastal zone (excluding Florida) are the first in a series of gridded data sets that are being compiled for the US coastal zone. The data sets are being systematically assembled proceeding clockwise around the continental US. The next datasets to be released will be of the western US coastal zone, encompassing California, Oregon and Washington, of the Great Lakes and their bordering states, and then of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. Data sets of Hawaii and Puerto Rico will be included amongst these as well.

   Type_of_Source_Media: DVD_ROM

   Source_Contribution:

   The source contributed the database from which we extracted data for the section of coastline we were interested in.

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

   Date: 2000 (process 1 of 1)

   The data for these data layers were extracted from the Geodas DVDROM Volumes 1 and 2. These DVD's are produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Geophysical Data Center in Boulder, CO. Spatially referenced depth values were exported into an ASCII raster file, which was then imported into Arcview Spatial Analyst to create gridded bathymetry with a cell size of 90 by 90 meters. The grid was then contoured at 20 meter intervals from 20 to 200 meters.

   The bathymetric and topographic data were then converted from a grid to image files. The purpose of this process step was to enable ArcView users with no access to the ESRI Spatial Analyst extension the ability to view these data.

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

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

Access_Constraints:

None

Use_Constraints:

These data are not to be used for navigation.

1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 2)

   Jane F. Denny
   US Geological Survey
   Geologist
   384 Woods Hole Road
   Woods Hole, MA 02543
   USA
   

   508-457-2311 (voice)
   508-457-2310 (FAX)
   jdenny@usgs.gov
   

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

   ngdc

3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

   Altough this data set and its lineage have been used by the USGS, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the USGS as to the accuracy of the data and/or it's related materials. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by the USGS in the use of these data or related items. Users must assume responsibility for the proper use of this data. This data should not be used at resolutions for which it is not intended. This data has no been reviewed for conformity with US Geological Survey editorial standards, or the North American Strigraphic code. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the US Government.

4. How can I download or order the data?

   ---

1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 2 of 2)

   U.S. Geological Survey Information Services
   Box 25286 Denver Federal Center
   Denver, Colorado 80225-0046
   USA
   

   303.202.4700 (voice)
   303.202.4188 (FAX)
   

   Hours_of_Service: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mountain Time

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

3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

   These data were prepared by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, make any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed in this report, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference therein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. Any views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Although all data have been used by the USGS, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the USGS as to the accuracy of the data and/or related materials. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by the USGS in the use of these data or related materials.

4. How can I download or order the data?

Dates:

Last modified: 19-Jan-2002
Last Reviewed: 2002

Metadata author:

Jane F. Denny
US Geological Survey
Geologist
384 Woods Hole Road
Woods Hole, MA 02543
USA

508-457-2311 (voice)
508-457-2310 (FAX)
jdenny@usgs.gov

Metadata standard:

FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)