The geophysical mapping utilized a suite of high-resolution instrumentation to map the surficial sediment distribution, depth and sub-surface geology: dual-frequency 100/500 KHz sidescan-sonar system, 234-KHz interferometric sonar, and 500 Hz -12 KHz chirp sub-bottom profiler. The survey was conducted aboard the M/V Megan Miller August 9-13, 2007. The study area covers 35 square kilometers from about 0.2 km to 5-km offshore of the south shore of Martha's Vineyard, and ranges in depth from ~ 5 to 20 meters.
The location of beach samples was estimated from Google Earth images (2005).
All samples were processed for grain size in the WHSC sediment lab using sieve and coulter counter techniques (Poppe, and others, 2005). Beach samples (top 2 cm) were hand-sampled with a Teflon-coated scoop. Most other samples were obtained by SCUBA divers with short (~15 to 30-cm long x 4.5-cm diameter) push cores, but a few were collected with a modified Van Veen grab sampler and subsampled to obtain representative material from the top 2 cm. Samples were collected in September, 2005 and August and October, 2007. Only samples collected in August, 2007 are associated with a USGS, Woods Hole Science Center, Field Activity Number (07028).
Sediment sizes are reported in phi units, which are defined as: size [phi] = -log2( size [mm] ).
Beach samples were obtained by R. Horwitz. USGS diver samples were obtained by D. Blackwood and C. Worley. Samples were also provided by A. Hay (Dalhousie University) and P. Traykovski (WHOI). Sample analyses were performed by K. McMullen.
First letter C or F indicates coarse or fine sediment patch, D indicates dividing line between coarse and fine at the USGS 11-m site. Two-digit number 08, 11, 12, 16 indicates nominal water depth (meters, relative to MLW).
Next letter C or T (if present) indicates location of sample on crest or trough of a ripple.
Final letter T or B (if present) indicates top or bottom of diver push core.
Column B FIELD_NO
This column contains the original sample information recorded in the field. In some cases, it includes a date and a sample number; in others, it provides more information on sample location. In the case of the beach samples, KB indicates Katama Beach. Sediment samples were collected on south-facing Katama Beach in Edgartown, MA on September 16, 2005. Samples were collected in three parallel transects, roughly 5m apart. Each transect started at the base of the dune and ran to the low-tide water level (12:50pm EDT), totaling 7 samples at 5m intervals, zero to 30 meters from the dune base. Samples at 0m are labeled dune then +5, +10, +15, etc. The second number identifies the transect, with transect 1 farthest west.
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