SEABOSS_Photos - Bottom photographs collected in the Cape Ann - Salisbury Beach Massachusetts Survey Area.

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Frequently-anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
SEABOSS_Photos - Bottom photographs collected in the Cape Ann - Salisbury Beach Massachusetts Survey Area.
Abstract:
These data were collected under a cooperative agreement with the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) and the U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Science Center. Initiated in 2003, the primary objective of this program is to develop regional geologic framework information for the management of coastal and marine resources. Accurate data and maps of sea-floor geology are important first steps toward protecting fish habitat, delineating marine reserves, and assessing environmental changes due to natural or human impacts. The project is focused on the inshore waters (5-30 m deep) of Massachusetts between the New Hampshire border and Cape Cod Bay. Data collected for the mapping cooperative have been released in a series of USGS Open-File Reports <(<http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/coastal_mass/html/current_map.html>). This spatial dataset is from the Cape Ann and Salisbury Beach Massachusetts project area. The data collected in two separate surveys in 2004 and 2005 and cover approximately 325 square kilometers of the inner continental shelf. High resolution bathymetry and backscatter intensity were collected in 2004 and 2005. Seismic profile data, sediment samples and bottom photography were also collected in 2005.
  1. How should this data set be cited?

    U.S. Geological Survey, 2008, SEABOSS_Photos - Bottom photographs collected in the Cape Ann - Salisbury Beach Massachusetts Survey Area.: Open-File Report 2007-1373, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Science Center, Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Barnhardt, Walter A. , Andrews, Brian D. , Ackerman, Seth D. , Baldwin, Wayne E. , and Hein, Christopher J. , 2008, High-Resolution Geological Mapping of the Inner Continental Shelf: Cape Ann to Salisbury Beach, Massachusetts.: Open-File Report 2007-1373, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Science Center, Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -70.800810
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -70.603952
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 42.869710
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 42.671036

  3. What does it look like?

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

    Beginning_Date: 18-Sep-2005
    Ending_Date: 20-Sep-2005
    Currentness_Reference: ground condition

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

    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: raster digital data

  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?

    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

      This is a Raster data set.

    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

    SEABOSS_Photos
    SEABOSS_Photos (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)

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?

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

    Brian Andrews
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geographer
    384 Woods Hole Rd.
    Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2348 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    bandrews@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

This data set includes the bottom photographs acquired with the large SEABed Observation and Sampling System (SEABOSS) during USGS survey 05005, conducted September 18-20, 2005 aboard the R/V Connecticut. This data set was collected to ground-truth (verify) the geophysical data sets that were acquired immediately preceeding this sampling survey (September 8-16, 2005). The locations of these bottom photos can be found in the shapefile BottomPhotos.shp. Bottom video were also taken at each station occupied by the SEABOSS (see shapefile SeaBossTracklines.shp)

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

    (source 1 of 1)
    Source_Contribution:
    The SEABed Observation and Sampling System (SEABOSS) was designed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for rapid and effective collection of seabed images and sediment samples in coastal regions. The observations from video and still cameras and the sediment data are used to explore the nature of the seafloor and, in conjunction with high-resolution geophysical data, to make interpretive maps of sedimentary environments and validate the acoustic remote sensing data. The SEABOSS is a simple system that can be deployed from both small and large surface vessels and operates in water depths up to 200m. It incorporates two video cameras, a still camera, a depth sensor, and a modified Van Veen sediment sampler. The elements of this particular SEABOSS system are held within a stainless steel framework that measures 1.2 x 1.2 meters and weighs 136 kilograms overall. The frame has a stabilizer fin that orients the system as it drifts over the seabed. The digital camera, a Minolta Dimage A2, is mounted in a machined Delrin housing with a flat port and is set for 3264x2448 pixel images at the "fine" setting for compression. This allows the camera to be used for over 200 images with a 1 GB Compact Flash card without downloading. The system also has a photosea strobe. Two lasers are set 20 cm apart (on the SEABOSS frame or on the bottom) for scale measurements. The red laser dots can usually be seen in the photo depending on the bottom type and the distance to the sea floor. A third laser is positioned at an angle so that when it intersects the other lasers, the SEABOSS is at the optimum height (approximately 75 cm) off the bottom for a still photograph. The camera is set to a manual focus and set to a default focus distance once the camera is powered up. The default focus distance is slightly less than the optimum height above the seafloor to account for optical distortion under water. All of the system's elements are powered from the surface vessel through a conducting cable. The winch operator views a video monitor so that the system can be maintained at an appropriate height above the bottom and obstacles can be avoided. Scientists also view video monitors and decide when to sample and take still photographs. Video displays include station number, water depth (from the depth sensor), and date, time, and geographic position (provided by a shipboard navigation system). The SEABOSS was deployed from the R/V Connecticut by the A-Frame on the stern. The vessel occupied one of the target stations and deployed the SEABOSS. The winch operator lowered the sampler until the seafloor was observed in the real-time bottom video. On most stations, the vessel and sampler drifted with wind and current for approximately 5-10 minutes. The SEABOSS operator monitored the real-time bottom video and acquired still bottom photographs at points of interest by remotely triggering the camera shutter. The number of photographs per station varied from 3-26 depending on the complexity of the bottom. The third laser on the system was set to an angle such that the optimum photograph height was 75 cm. The default focus on the camera was set to 50 cm. The imaged area is most often within 0.5 to 1.25 meters from left to right. Other camera settings are as follows: aperture is set at f/8; shutter speed is 1/125 second. The camera time during this survey was set to EDT.

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

    Date: Sep-2005 (process 1 of 4)
    Eighty-seven target stations were occupied aboard the R/V Connecticut (USGS survey 05005) with the large SEABOSS (Blackwood and Parolski, 2001). JPEG photographs were acquired at each station. The JPEG photos alone do not represent spatial data, however the shapefile BottomPhotos.shp (<https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1373/GIS/shapefile/BottomPhotos.zip>) makes the link between these photos and the navigation from USGS Survey Number 05005. . The link is possible because the JPEG photographs EXIF header records acquisition time. However, the time recorded is local time, not UTC time. In addition, the local time is off by 47 seconds. The total time adjustment was +4 hours 47 seconds.

    Person who carried out this activity:

    Science party of survey 05005
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geologists
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
    USA

    (508) 548-8700 x2348 (voice)
    (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
    bandrews@usgs.gov

    Data sources produced in this process:
    • JPEG photographs

    Date: Sep-2005 (process 2 of 4)
    The digital images were recorded on a compact flash card within the camera. Images were transfered from the camera to the data server at the midnight watch change each day. Photos from each day were archived in folders by Gregorian date.

    Person who carried out this activity:

    Seth Ackerman
    Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management
    Geologist
    c/o U.S. Geological Survey
    Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2315 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    seth.ackerman@state.ma.us

    Data sources produced in this process:
    • JPEG photographs

    Date: Oct-2007 (process 3 of 4)
    Image names repeated for each subsequent day therefore the original JPEG images were renamed from the sequential, camera automatic filename (i.e. pict001.jpg) to a filename with the date prepended to the filename (e.g. 919_pict001.jpg). For example, 919 indicated September 19th. This date is based on local time, not UTC time.

    Person who carried out this activity:

    Seth Ackerman
    Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management
    Geologist
    c/o U.S. Geological Survey
    Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2315 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    seth.ackerman@state.ma.us

    Data sources used in this process:
    • Original JPEG Filenames

    Data sources produced in this process:

    • New JPEG Filenames

    Date: Oct-2007 (process 4 of 4)
    JPEG photographs were resized to fit on the DVD Open-File Report using ImageMagick (v6.3) "convert" to resize and downsample the photos to 1024 x 768.

    Person who carried out this activity:

    Seth Ackerman
    Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management
    Geologist
    c/o U.S. Geological Survey
    Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2315 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    seth.ackerman@state.ma.us

    Data sources used in this process:
    • JPEG Files

    Data sources produced in this process:

    • Resized JPEG Files (same filenames)

  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

    Blackwood, D., and Parolski, K., 2001, Seabed observation and sampling system: Sea Technology v. 42, no. 2, p. 39-43.

    Barnhardt, Walter A. , Andrews, Brian D. , and Butman, Bradford, 2006, High-Resolution Mapping of the Inner Continental Shelf: Nahant to Gloucester, Massachusetts: Open-File Report 2005-1293, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.

    Online Links:

    Ackerman, Seth D. , Butman, Bradford, Barnhardt, Walter A. , Danforth, William W. , and Crocker, James M. , 2006, High-Resolution Geologic Mapping of the Inner Continental Shelf: Boston Harbor and Approaches, Massachusetts: Open-File Report 2006-1008, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.

    Online Links:

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?

    The JPEG photos alone do not represent spatial data, however the feature class/ shapefile "BottomPhotos" makes the link between these photos and the navigation from USGS Survey Number 05005. Navigation for survey 05005 used Real Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS from a base station established by USGS for this survey. RTK-GPS provides horizontal positional accuracies on the decimeter scale. The recorded position of each sediment sample is actually the position of the GPS antenna on the survey vessel, not the SEABOSS sampler. No layback or offset was applied to the recorded position. The SEABOSS was deployed approximately 10 meters astern of the GPS antenna and may drift additionally away from the survey vessel when deployed to the seafloor. Based on the various sources for horizontal offsets, a conservative estimate the horizontal accuracy of the SEABOSS location is 30-40 meters.

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

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

    Any bottom photographs taken in water column or were otherwise not usable were deleted.

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

    Gaps in sequential photo numbers exist. If camera was triggered accidentally on deck or picture did not come out, it was deleted.

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:
Public domain data from the U.S. Government are freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution. Please recognize the U.S. Geological Survey as the source of this information.

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

    Brian Andrews
    U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole Science Center
    Geographer
    384 Woods Hole Rd.
    Woods Hole, MA 02543
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2348 (voice)
    bandrews@usgs.gov

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

    Downloadable Data

  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

    Neither the U.S. Government, the Department of the Interior, nor the USGS, nor any of their employees, contractors, or subcontractors, make any warranty, express or implied, nor assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, nor represent that its use would not infringe on privately owned rights. 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. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

  4. How can I download or order the data?

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

    These data are available as JPEG images. To utilize these data, the user must have an image viewer capable of opening JPEG images. The individual photos can be found on the DVD and are also distributed in compressed format as one WinZip (ver 9.0) file. To utilize these data, the user must be able to uncompress the WinZip file.

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 18-Dec-2008
Metadata author:
Seth Ackerman
Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management
Geologist
c/o U.S. Geological Survey
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
USA

508-548-8700 x2315 (voice)
508-457-2310 (FAX)
seth.ackerman@state.ma.us

Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
Metadata extensions used:

Generated by mp version 2.8.25 on Mon Jan 05 13:19:36 2009