STETSON38: Samples collected along transects off the Eastern U.S.

Metadata also available as: OUTLINE - TEXT

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?
• 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?
  2. Who distributes the data?
  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:

STETSON38: Samples collected along transects off the Eastern U.S.

Abstract:

This study was undertaken to provide information on the characteristics and distribution of surficial sediments off the eastern United States. Accordingly, long traverses were run across the continental shelf and in most case carrying over the shelf break. This data set includes data from those 9 traverses which were conducted north of Virginia. These data constitute the first systematic sampling of the U.S. Atlantic margin to show the effects of environmental factors (e.g. increasing distance from shore, water depth) on the sediment distribution. Sampling was performed with a primitive grab sampler; navigational methods were not discussed in this report.

1. How should this data set be cited?

   Poppe, Lawrence J. , 2003, STETSON38: Samples collected along transects off the Eastern U.S.:, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Field Center, Woods Hole, MA.

   Online Links:

   • <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2003/of03-001/data/seddata/stetson38/stetson38.zip>
   • <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2003/of03-001/data/seddata/stetson38/stetson38.zip>

   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:

   • <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2003/of03-001>
   • <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2003/of03-001>

   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: -75.033330

   East_Bounding_Coordinate: -69.636670

   North_Bounding_Coordinate: 42.811170

   South_Bounding_Coordinate: 37.816670

3. What does it look like?

   stetson38 (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: 1938

   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 (225)

   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?

   stetson.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.

   PROJECT_ID

   Project id assigned to the dataset for future identification. (Source: Compiler)

   Value	Definition
   STETSON1938	Scientist and year of data publication.

   SERIES_ID

   Number assigned to a transect along which samples were collected. (Source: H.C. Stetson)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	1
   Maximum:	9
   Units:	integer count
   Resolution:	1

   SAMPLE_ID

   Number assigned sequentially to each sample along a transect. (Source: H.C. Stetson)

   Character string containing numeric identifier and sub-identifier

   LATITUDE

   Latitude coordinate of sample location (Source: Scientist)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	37.81667
   Maximum:	42.81117
   Units:	decimal degrees
   Resolution:	.00001

   LONGITUDE

   Longitude of sample location (Source: Scientist)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	-75.03337
   Maximum:	-69.63667
   Units:	decimal degrees
   Resolution:	.00001

   DEPTH

   Water depth in meters at sample location. (Source: Scientist)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	5.0
   Maximum:	680.0
   Units:	meters
   Resolution:	0.1

   GRAVEL

   Percent gravel in the sample (Source: Scientist)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	0.0
   Maximum:	77.0
   Units:	percent
   Resolution:	0.1

   SAND

   Percent sand in the sample. (Source: Scientist)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	2.0
   Maximum:	100.0
   Units:	percent
   Resolution:	0.1

   SILT

   Percent of silt in the sample. (Source: Scientist)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	0.0
   Maximum:	70.0
   Units:	percent
   Resolution:	0.1

   CLAYX

   Percent of clay fraction coarser than 0.1 micrometers. (Source: Scientist)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	0.0
   Maximum:	25.0
   Units:	percent
   Resolution:	0.1

   COLLOID

   Percent of the clay fraction that is colloidal (less than 0.1 micrometers) (Source: Scientist)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	0.0
   Maximum:	26.0
   Units:	percent
   Resolution:	0.1

   CLAY

   Percent of the entire clay fraction. (Source: Scientist)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	0.0
   Maximum:	51.0
   Units:	percent
   Resolution:	0.1

   TOTAL

   Total of the gravel, sand, silt, and clay percentages (used to check that all material was accounted for). (Source: Compiler)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	100.0
   Maximum:	100.0
   Units:	percent
   Resolution:	0.1

   CLASSIFICA

   Sediment classification according to the scheme devised by Shepard (1954) (Source: L.J. Poppe)

   Value	Definition
   CLAYEY SAND	clayey sand content
   CLAYEY SILT	clayey silt content
   GRAVEL	gravel content
   GRAVELLY SEDIMENT	gravelly sediment content
   SAND	sand content
   SAND SILT CLAY	sand silt clay content
   SANDY SILT	sandy silt content
   SILTY CLAY	silty clay content
   SILTY SAND	silty sand content

   Character string containing the verbal equivalents of the classification scheme.

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

2. Who also contributed to the data set?

   Please view the cross reference information for the original data set credit to H.C. Stetson. Larry Poppe for entering the data from the source report and 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
   

The purpose of this data layer is to release a digital version of the textural data generated from sediments collected as part of Stetson's research during the 1930's. This digital version comprises part of a USGS sand and gravel assessment of the NY Bight, Gulf of Maine, and Georges Bank.

1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

   stetson.txt (source 1 of 1)

   Stetson, H.C., 1938, The sediments of the continental shelf off the eastern coast of the United States: Papers in Physical Oceanography and Meteorology v. 5, no. 4, MIT and WHOI, Cambridge and Woods Hole.

   Type_of_Source_Media: paper

   Source_Contribution:

   Summarized tabular data from the report were converted to an ASCII text file.

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

   Date: 28-Aug-2002 (process 1 of 1)

   The source information was manually entered into digital form and was imported from an ASCII text file 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:

   • stetson.txt

   Data sources produced in this process:

   • stetson38.shp
   • stetson38.dbf
   • stetson38.shx

1. How well have the observations been checked?

   All attributes were entered and checked by the compilers in a consistent manner.

2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

   No navigational methods are provided in the original publication. Horizontal accuracy is unknown.

3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

   Tides are less than 2 m.

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

   Sample locations, grain-size data, and verbal classifications are provided for 225 stations.

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

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

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, stetson38.shp

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 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?
   • Availability in digital form:

     Data format:	Five files (stetson38.dbf, stetson38.shp, stetson38.shx, stetson38.sbn, stetson38.shx) comprising the ArcView point shapefile components, 'prj' and 'avl' files, metadata text file and browse graphic. in format ArcView shapefile (version 3.2) ESRI point shapefile Size: 0.168
     Media you can order:	CD-ROM (Density 650 Mbytes) Note: The user must have a computer system with a CD-ROM available. To browse the information contained on this CD-ROM, the user must have a current WWW browser available. The user must also have software installed on their computer to unzip the archived file.

   • Cost to order the data: None

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 ESRI's ArcView 3.0 or later software to read and process this data file. In lieu of ArcView, the user may utilize another GIS application package capable of importing data.

Dates:

Last modified: 26-Mar-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)

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