NOSGOM: NOS Cartographic Codes for Bottom Character

Metadata also available as: OUTLINE - TEXT

Frequently-anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?
    Title: NOSGOM: NOS Cartographic Codes for Bottom Character
    Abstract:
    These data were collected by the National Ocean Service (NOS, formerly the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey) for the purpose of charting the coastal waters and navigable waterways of the United States. Data collected prior to 1965 were digitized from the final survey plots. All other data were digitized in the field during the surveys. These data were supplied by the National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC). This data set contains fields that are only a subset of those fields available in the NOS Hydrographic Database, but included in this data set are the NOS cartographic codes for bottom characteristics. Although included here, these codes are no longer customarily supplied by NGDC with the NOS Hydrographic Database. As such, this data layer provides important information that is no longer readily available.

  1. How should this data set be cited?

    Poppe, Larwrence J. , 2003, NOSGOM: NOS Cartographic Codes for Bottom Character:, 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 is 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: -73.947360
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -66.049140
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 44.703360
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 40.002150

  3. What does it look like?

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

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

    Beginning_Date:
    Ending_Date: 1985
    Currentness_Reference: ground condition

  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 (26129)

    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 0.000000. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.000000. 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?

    nosgom.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.

    PROJECTID
    Name assigned to this data set for future identification. (Source: Compiler)

    ValueDefinition
    NOS HYDROGRAPHIC DATABASE 

    LONGITUDE
    Longitude coordinate of station locations. (Source: NOS)

    Range of values
    Minimum:40.00215
    Maximum:44.70336
    Units:Decimal Degrees
    Resolution:0.00001

    LATITUDE
    Latitude coordinate of station location (Source: NOS)

    Range of values
    Minimum:-73.94736
    Maximum:-66.04914
    Units:Decimal Degrees
    Resolution:0.00001

    SURVEY
    Number assigned to identify the survey during which the data was generated. (Source: NOS)

    Range of values
    Minimum:253
    Maximum:10198
    Units:integer count
    Resolution:1

    YEAR
    Year during which the survey was conducted. (Source: NOS)

    Range of values
    Minimum:1930
    Maximum:1985
    Units:years
    Resolution:1

    CODE
    Numeric cartographic code for bottom character (Source: NOS)

    Formal codeset
    Codeset Name:NOS Hydrographic Database Cartographic Codes
    Codeset Source:NOS

    DESCRIPTIO
    Verbal equivalent of the numeric cartographic codes. (Source: NOS)

    Verbal equivalents of cartographic codes

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?

    National Geophysical Data Center for supplying the original National Ocean Service Hydrographic Database. Larry Poppe for creating the 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 x2314 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    lpoppe@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?
The purpose of this data layer is to provide the NOS cartographic codes for bottom character in a form that can be used to interpret surficial sediment distributions off the northeastern United States.

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

    (source 1 of 1)
    Survey, National Ocean , and National Geophysical Data Center, Unpublished Material, NOS Hydrographic Database.

    Type_of_Source_Media: magnetic tape

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

    Date: 12-Sep-2002 (process 1 of 1)
    Cartographic codes were matched with their verbal equivalents in Microsoft Excel and, together with navigation and survey identifiers, were saved as an ASCII text file. The ASCII text file was imported to an ArcView table. The table was later converted to an event theme in ArcView 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:
    • nosgom.txt

    Data sources produced in this process:

    • nosgom.shp
    • nosgom.dbf
    • nosgom.shx

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 the compilers in a consistent manner.

  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

    No information on navigational methods was provided with this data set. Based on the long period of data collection, navigation must have been by several methods. Navigational accuracy is unknown.

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

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

    This data set contains fields that are only a subset of those fields available in the NOS Hydrographic Database. This data set contains station locations, survey year, the original cartographic codes, and their verbal equivalents for 26129 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, nosgom.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 11:37:10 2003

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