South West Florida Shelf Ecosystems Analysis Study

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?
  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?

What does this data set describe?

1. How should this data set be cited?

   McDonald, Keith, and Service, Minerals Management , 2002, South West Florida Shelf Ecosystems Analysis Study: U.S. National Geophysical Data Center, Boulder, C.O. 80305.

   Online Links:

   • Digital data available at National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC): <http://oas.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/plsql/grainsize.geolin?v_mggid=60045001>

   Other_Citation_Details: Raw data and texture analyses.

2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

   West_Bounding_Coordinate: -84.2415

   East_Bounding_Coordinate: -82.15733

   North_Bounding_Coordinate: 26.75833

   South_Bounding_Coordinate: 24.7845

3. What does it look like?

   MGG60045001.jpg (jpg)

   Screen grab view of locations with coastline for reference

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

   Beginning_Date: 25-Oct-1980

   Ending_Date: 15-Feb-1982

   Currentness_Reference: Publication date

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

   Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Digital

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):

      • Point (296)

   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 0.12345. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.12345. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees.

7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

   Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:

   Data provided include grain size analysis, and raw texture analyses

   Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: Source report

Who produced the data set?

1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
   • Keith McDonald
   • Minerals Management Service

2. Who also contributed to the data set?

   For inclusion into usSEABED: Digitization and formatting: Jane Reid (USGS) and Chris Jenkins (University of Colorado)

3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
   National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC)
   c/o Robin R. Warnken
   E/GC3 325 Broadway
   Boulder, CO 80305-3328
   

   303-497-6338 (voice)
   Robin.R.Warnken@noaa.gov
   

Why was the data set created?

No purpose is given.

How was the data set created?

1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

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

   Date: 2005 (process 1 of 1)

   This data converted by Chris Jenkins from Paradox (*.db; originally thought to be in rBase) to MS Access

   Person who carried out this activity:
   

   University of Colorado, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research
   c/o Chris J. Jenkins
   1560 30th Street
   Boulder, C.O. 80309-0450
   

   Data sources produced in this process:

   • Cholmes_GOMx.mdb

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?

   For usSEABED, the digital data were obtained from Chuck Holmes (USGS St. Petersburg, Florida) and corrected. Where appropriate, data were tested for completeness using MS Access.

2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

   Navigational techniques not recorded in report; latitudes and longitudes given to degrees, decimal minutes.

3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

   Water depth determination technique not noted in report. Water depths given in meters.

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

   All available textural, statistical, and compositional information are included in usSEABED. The Holmes compilation may also include metal and organic contaminant values requested by or performed by the EPA, USGS, USACE, and others for these samples that are not included in usSEABED.

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

   Data fall within normal ranges for the given parameters.

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:

Cite Minerals Management Service and NGDC as originators of the data

1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
   National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC)
   c/o Robin R. Warnken
   E/GC3 325 Broadway
   Boulder, CO 80305-3328
   

   303-497-6338 (voice)
   Robin.R.Warnken@noaa.gov
   

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

   MGGID 09065006

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. Users of the data should be aware of limitations of the data due to possible imprecision due to navigational inaccuracies, limitations of the statistical data, and digitizing errors.

4. How can I download or order the data?
   • Availability in digital form:

     Data format:	Text in format ASCII Size: 22.3 KB
     Network links:	<http://oas.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/plsql/grainsize.geolin?v_mggid=60045001>

   • Cost to order the data: None for downloaded data; paper copies may involve a small fee.

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

   web browser and internet access preferred

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:

Last modified: 2006

Metadata author:

U.S. Geological Survey
c/o Brian J. Buczkowski
Core Curator & Data Management Specialist
384 Woods Hole Road
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598

508-548-8700 x2361 (voice)
bbuczkowski@usgs.gov

Contact_Instructions: Email preferred

Metadata standard:

CSDGM Version 2 (FGDC-STD-001-1998)