GOMCSDB: Gulf of Maine Contaminated Sediments Database

Metadata also available as: OUTLINE - TEXT

Frequently-anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?
    Title: GOMCSDB: Gulf of Maine Contaminated Sediments Database
    Abstract:
    The Contaminated Sediments Database for the Gulf of Maine provides a compilation and synthesis of existing data to help establish the environmental status of our coastal sediments and the transport paths and fate of contaminants in this region. This information, in turn, forms one of the essential bases for developing successful remediation and resource management policies. The Contaminated Sediments Database for the Gulf of Maine provides a compilation and synthesis of existing data to help establish the environmental status of our coastal sediments and the transport paths and fate of contaminants in this region. This information, in turn, forms one of the essential bases for developing successful remediation and resource management policies This product is the result of a collaborative effort of principal investigators from the U.S. Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the University of New Hampshire, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, the University of Massachusetts, and active participation from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and other federal and state agencies. Funding was provided by participating institutions and the Gulf of Maine Regional Marine Research Program.

  1. How should this data set be cited?

    Poppe, Lawrence J. , 2003, GOMCSDB: Gulf of Maine Contaminated Sediments Database: U. S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Field Center, Woods Hole, MA.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Poppe, L.J., Paskevich, V.F., Williams, S.J., Hastings, M.E., Kelley, J.T., Belknap, D.F., Ward, L.G., FitzGerald, D.M., and Larsen, P.F., 2003, Surficial Sediment Data from the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and vicinity: a GIS Compilation: Open-File Report 03-001, U. S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Field Center, Woods Hole, MA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Data are released via CD-ROM media. This digital publication may also be available via the web at pubs.usgs.gov

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -71.100000
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -67.335000
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 44.678000
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 40.400000

  3. What does it look like?

    gomcsdb (GIF)
    Image map showing extent and distribution of data layer coverage.

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

    Calendar_Date: 2002
    Currentness_Reference: publication date

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

    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data

  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):

      • Entity point (852)

    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 0.00001. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.00001. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees.

      The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1927.
      The ellipsoid used is Clarke 1866.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378206.400000.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/294.978698.

  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

    gomcsdb.dbf
    Shapefile Attribute Table (Source: ESRI)

    FID
    Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI)

    Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

    Shape
    Feature geometry. (Source: ESRI)

    Coordinates defining the features.

    USGSDB_ID
    Characters and numerics assigned to identify individual samples (Source: Database Compilers)

    Sample identifiers

    FIELD_ID
    Names assigned in the field to identify samples (Source: Scientist)

    Sample identifiers

    LATITUDE
    Latitude coordinate of sample location (Source: Scientist)

    Range of values
    Minimum:40.40000
    Maximum:44.67800
    Units:Decimal degrees
    Resolution:0.00001

    LONGITUDE
    Longitude coordinate of sample location (Source: Scientist)

    Range of values
    Minimum:-71.10000
    Maximum:-67.33500
    Units:Decimal degrees
    Resolution:0.00001

    SOURCE
    Source citation (Source: Database compiler)

    Authors, year published, and ancillary information

    YEAR
    Year samples were collected (Source: Scientist)

    Range of values
    Minimum:1970
    Maximum:1993
    Units:years
    Resolution:1

    DEVICE
    Equipment used to collect samples (Source: Scientist)

    Equipment used to collect samples

    DPTH_CODE
    Description of the depth interval of sample below the sediment - water interface (Source: Database compiler)

    Descriptions of the sampling interval

    LITHOLOGY
    Description of the bottom sediments (Source: Scientists)

    Verbal description of the bottom sediments

    GRAVEL
    Percentage of gravel in sample (Source: Scientist)

    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:86.44
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.00

    SAND
    Percentage of sand in sample (Source: Scientist)

    Range of values
    Minimum:1
    Maximum:100
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.00

    SILT
    Percentage of silt in sample

    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:72
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.00

    CLAY
    Percentage of clay in sample (Source: Scientist)

    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:69.3
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.00

    FINES
    Percentage of fines in sample (Source: Scientist)

    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:99
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.00

    CLASS
    Textural classification based on a scheme devised by Shepard (1954) (Source: Compiler)

    Verbal description of the sediment texture

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?

    Please review the cross reference information for the original data set credit to Buchholtz ten Brink and others (2002), and Larry Poppe for creating this ArcView shapefile.

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

    Lawrence J. Poppe
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
    USA

    508-548-8700 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    lpoppe@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?
The purpose of this data layer is to release a subset of the Gulf of Maine Contaminated Sediments Database that can be used to interpret surficial sediment distribution off the northeastern U.S.

How was the data set created?
  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

    (source 1 of 1)
    M.R. Buchholtz ten Brink, Manheim, F.T., Mecray, E.L., Hastings, M.E., Currence, J.M., Farrington, J., Jones, S., Tripp, B., Wallace, G., Ward, L., Freddette, T., Liebman, M., and Leo, W. Smith , 2002, Contaminated Sediments Database for the Gulf of Maine: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 02-403, U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole, MA.

    Type_of_Source_Media: CD-ROM

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

    Date: 04-Dec-2002 (process 1 of 1)
    Textural and lithologic data from the Gulf of Maine were clipped from the whole Gulf of Maine Contaminated Sediments Database in Excel and exported to an ASCII file. Stations and sediment data were imported from the ASCII text file to an ArcView table. The table was later converted to an event theme and saved as the final shapefile.

    Person who carried out this activity:

    Lawrence J. Poppe
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2314 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    lpoppe@usgs.gov

    Data sources used in this process:
    • gomcsdb.txt

    Data sources produced in this process:

    • gomcsdb.shp
    • gomcsdb.shx
    • gomcsdb.shp

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?
  1. How well have the observations been checked?

    All attributes were checked by compilers in a consistent manner.

  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

    Navigation was by several methods; navigational accuracy unknown.

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

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

    Sample locations, grain-size data, textural classifications, and sample identifiers are provided for 852 stations.

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

    No additional checks for topological consistency were performed on this data.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?
Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints: None
Use_Constraints: None

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

    Lawrence J. Poppe
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2314 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    lpoppe@usgs.gov

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

    Regional Mapping of Surficial Sediments: Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank, Aggregates and Habitats Projects, gomcsdb.shp

  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

    Although this data set has been used by the U.S. Geological Survey, 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?

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

    The data is available in ArcView shapefile format. The user must have ArcView 3.0 or greater software to read and process the data file. In lieu of ArcView, the user may utilize another GIS application package capable of importing data.

Who wrote the metadata?
Dates:
Last modified: 16-Feb-2003

Metadata author:
Lawrence J. Poppe
U.S. Geological Survey
Geologist
384 Woods Hole Road
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
USA

508-548-8700 x2314 (voice)
508-457-2310 (FAX)
lpoppe@usgs.gov

Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
Generated by mp version 2.7.3 on Sun Feb 16 12:00:24 2003

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