The coring penetrated as much as 310 meters below the sea floor at 19 sites along the continental margin from Georgia to Georges Bank off New England in water depths ranging from 20 to 300 meters; 1,020 meters of material were recovered in 380 cores, ranging in age from Late Cretaceous to Holocene.
One of the major findings of the program was the discovery of relatively fresh water (salinities less than 3 parts per thousand) extending beneath the Continental Shelf as much as 60 nautical miles seaward from the New Jersey coast. Water of about 1 part per thousand salinity was found beneath the shelf more than 7 nautical miles off Ocean City, Maryland and Barnegat Inlet, New Jersey.
Analyses for light hydrocarbons in the cores show the highest concentrations (as much as 412,000 ppm) at sites in water depth greater than 200 meters ( the shelf-slope break), principally in Pleistocene sediments, although methane concentrations greater than 400,000 ppm were also found in Miocene sediments at one site near the shelf edge.
U.S. Geological Survey, 1976 and 1981, Atlantic Margin Coring Project (AMCOR):, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.Online Links:
This is a Vector data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):
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.
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
Coordinates defining the features.
The following dbSEABED themes and fields were used for grain size analyses: SFS data: Site Name;Latitude [dec]; Longitude [dec]; Water Depth [m] #;Sampling Device;Sampler Penetration [m]; Site Date
TXR data: Top [m]; Bot [m]; Gravel [%]; Sand [%]; Silt [%] ; Clay [%]; Median Grainsize [phi]; MOMENT Mean Grainsize [phi]; MOMENT Standard Deviation [phi]; Mode/s (phiM1 [%] ...); MOMENT Skewness [phi]; MOMENT Kurtosis [phi]
GRZ data: Top (m);Bot (m);Coarse Grainsize Limit (phi);Fine Grainsize Limit (phi);Abundance of Fraction (%)
The following dbSEABED themes and fields were used for lithological descriptions: SFS data: Site Name;Latitude (deg);Longitude (deg);Water Depth (m);Core Penetration (m);Site Date;Province;Operator
LTH data: Top (m);Bot (m);Field Lithology Description;Field Consolidation Description;Field Texture Description;Mesoscale Structure;Geological Age;Colour Description;Sorting;Free Form Lithology Description
OCE data: Salinity (ppt) ppt
U.S. Geological Survey
384 Woods Hole Road
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
USA
(508) 548-8700 (voice)
(5080 457-2310 (FAX)
The U.S. Geological Survey Atlantic Margin Coring Project, 1976, a 60-day expedition to obtain core samples by drilling beneath the floor of the Continental Shelf and Slope of the eastern United States, was carried out in July, August, and September 1976.The purpose of the program was to obtain reliable data for appraisals of environmental conditions and offshore resources. Objectives included measuring geotechnical and engineering properties of the shelf sediments, defining freshwater aquifers offshore, and collecting information on possible resources such as phosphates, sand and gravel deposits, and calibrating existing geophysical data. Additional information was sought on the regional extent of geologic units, the stratigraphic column, characteristics and ages of the sediments, variance of the geochemical baseline, and zones of slope stability or potential instability.
The work was carried out aboard D/V GLOMAR CONCEPTION with the assistance of the M/V L'OLONNOIS in making seismic site surveys, anchoring the drilling vessel, and transporting supplies and equipment.
Holes were cored at 19 sites shown on the accompanying map in water depths ranging from 20 to 300 meters; 1,020 meters of material were recovered in 380 cores. A twentieth site (6003) was investigated but no cores were recovered owing to a resistant layer at the seafloor. An attempt was also made to investigate a site at latitude 32°00.99'N longitude 79°01.37'W at the inner edge of the Blake Plateau in 445 meters (1,460 feet) water depth. Anchoring was successful but the Gulf Stream prevented any attempt to drill. The current of 3 knots or greater shook the drill string to the extent drilling could not be started.
Lawrence J. Poppe, editor, 1981, Data File Atlantic Margin Coring Project (AMCOR) of the U.S. Geological Survey: Open-File Report 81-239, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.
Hathaway, John C. , Schlee, John S. , Poag, C. Wyllie , Valentine, Page C. , Weed, E.G.A., Bothner, Michael H. , Kohout, Francis A. , Manheim, Frank T. , Schoen, Robert, Miller, Robert E. , and Schultz, David M. , November 1976, Preliminary Summary of the 1976 Atlantic Margin Coring Project (AMCOR) of the U. S. Geological Survey: Open File Report 76-844, U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole, MA.
Person who carried out this activity:
U.S. Geological SurveyData sources used in this process:
c/o Polly Hastings
Oceanographic Data Specialist
384 Woods Hole Road
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
USA
(508) 548-8700 (voice)
Data sources produced in this process:
Person who carried out this activity:
Viness UbertData sources used in this process:
U.S. Geological Survey
Physical Science Technician
384 Woods Hole Road
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
USA
(508) 548-8700 x2238 (voice)
(508) 457-2310 (FAX)
Data sources produced in this process:
Hathaway, John C. , Schlee, John S. , Poag, C. Wylie , Valentine, Page C. , Weed, E.G.A., Bothner, Michael H. , Kohout, Francis A. , Manheim, Frank T. , Schoen, Robert, Miller, Robert E. , and Schultz, David M. , 1976, Preliminary Summary of the 1976 Atlantic Margin Coring Project of the U.S. Geological Survey: Open File Report 76-844, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.
Lawerence J. Poppe, Editor, 1981, Data File Atlantic Margin Coring (AMCOR) Project of the U.S. Geological Survey: Open File Report 81-239, U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole,MA.
All attributes were entered and checked by the compilers in a consistent manner.
Core locations, lithologic descriptions and grainsize analyses are provided for 205 samples. There are 19 different holes.
No additional checks for topological consistency were performed on this data set.
Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
- Access_Constraints: None
- Use_Constraints:
- The U.S. Geological Survey must be referenced as the originators of the dataset in any future products or research derived from these data.
U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program
Woods Hole Science Center
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
(508) 548-8700 (voice)
(508) 457-2310 (FAX)
Atlantic Margin Coring Project (AMCOR)
Although this data set has been used by the U.S. Geological Survey (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.Trade, firm, or product names and other references to non-USGS products and services are provided for information only and do not constitute endorsement or warranty, express or implied, by the USGS, USDOI, or U.S. Government, as to their suitability, content, usefulness, functioning, completeness, or accuracy.
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The original data is available in Microsoft Excel or ASCII text format
U.S. Geological Survey
c/o Viness Ubert
Physical Science Technician
384 Woods Hole Road
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
USA
(508) 548-8700 x2238 (voice)
(508) 457-2310 (FAX)
vubert@usgs.gov