H11922_SEDENV.SHP: Interpretation of Sedimentary Environments from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Survey H11922 West of Gay Head, Massachusetts, in Eastern Rhode Island Sound (Geographic, WGS84)

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Frequently-anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
H11922_SEDENV.SHP: Interpretation of Sedimentary Environments from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Survey H11922 West of Gay Head, Massachusetts, in Eastern Rhode Island Sound (Geographic, WGS84)
Abstract:
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is producing detailed geologic maps of the coastal sea floor. Bathymetry, originally collected by NOAA for charting purposes, provides a fundamental framework for research and management activities off southern New England, shows the composition and terrain of the seabed, and provides information on sediment transport and benthic habitat. During July-August 2008 NOAA completed hydrographic survey H11922 west of Gay Head, Massachusetts, in Rhode Island Sound and during July and September 2010 bottom photographs and surficial sediment data were acquired as part of ground-truth reconnaissance surveys of this area. Interpretations were derived from the multibeam echo-sounder data and the ground-truth data used to verify them. For more information on the ground-truth surveys see <http://quashnet.er.usgs.gov/data/2010/10033/> and <http://quashnet.er.usgs.gov/data/2010/10005/>
  1. How should this data set be cited?

    Poppe, Larry, 2011, H11922_SEDENV.SHP: Interpretation of Sedimentary Environments from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Survey H11922 West of Gay Head, Massachusetts, in Eastern Rhode Island Sound (Geographic, WGS84): Open-File Report 2011-1004, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Poppe, L.J., McMullen, K.Y., Ackerman, S.D., Blackwood, D.S., Irwin, B.J., Schaer, J.D., and Forrest, M.R., 2011, Sea-Floor Geology and Character of Eastern Rhode Island Sound West of Gay Head, Massachusetts: Open-File Report 2011-1004, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 1 DVD-ROM

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -71.103124
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -70.870066
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.360214
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.259755

  3. What does it look like?

    <https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2011/1004/data/sedenv/h11922_sedenv.gif> (GIF)
    Thumbnail image showing the interpreted sedimentary environments within NOAA survey H11922

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

    Calendar_Date: 21-Jul-2010
    Currentness_Reference:
    Ground condition, however, calendar date is for the bottom samples and photography. Multibeam bathymetry used in the interpretation were collected during 20080716 to 20080822.

  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):

      • G-polygon (45)

    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 0.000001. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.000001. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees.

      The horizontal datum used is D_WGS_1984.
      The ellipsoid used is WGS_1984.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.000000.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257224.

  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

    h11922_sedenv
    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.

    ID
    Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI)

    SEDENV
    Interpreted sea floor sedimentary environment (Source: Scientist)

    ValueDefinition
    Erosion or NondepositionHigh-energy environment within which sea-floor sediments are either removed or do not accumulate
    Coarse Bedload TransportEnvironment within which sea-floor sand and pea gravel sized sediments are transported. Bedforms are typically present.
    Sorting and ReworkingEnvironment within which sea-floor sand and mud-sized sediments are being separated

    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
    Shapefile containing interpretations of sedimentary environments on the seafloor offshore in eastern Rhode Island Sound. Shapefile shows distribution of environments characterized by erosion or nondeposition, coarse bedload transport, and sorting and reworking.

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?

    Larry Poppe
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA 02543
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2314 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    lpoppe@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

To release an interpretation of sedimentary environments based on bathymetry data collected during NOAA survey H11922 and sediment samples and bottom photography collected during USGS surveys 2010-033-FA and 2010-005-FA of the sea floor off Gay Head, Massachusetts, in eastern Rhode Island Sound, in a geographic, WGS84 coordinate system. These data can be used to provide information on surface geology and sedimentary processes.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

    (source 1 of 1)
    Type_of_Source_Media: DVD-ROM
    Source_Contribution:
    The original acoustic data acquired during NOAA survey H11922 aboard the NOAA ship Thomas Jefferson and the portion of the sediment samples and bottom photography collected during USGS surveys 2010-033-FA and 2010-005-FA that fall within the study area. Historical grain-size data used in the interpretation are from Poppe and others (1998).

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

    Date: 2010 (process 1 of 2)
    The geographic GeoTIFF image of the multibeam bathymetry data from survey H11922 and the point data layer from grain-size analyses of sediments collected from this survey area were imported into the ArcView 3.3 GIS project view. Sedimentary environments were interpreted based on geomorphology and relief in the bathymetry, on the bottom photography and on the new and historical textural analyses. The individually interpreted environments (erosion or nondeposition, coarse bedload transport, and sorting and reworking) were outlined using the available graphic tools then converted to an ESRI shapefile using ArcView 3.3. Polygons were were traced at a scale of 1:4,000, but union and subtraction edits were conducted at 1:5,000 to 1:8,500 scales. Therefore, use of this interpretation datalayer is not recommended at scales of less than 1:10,000.

    Person who carried out this activity:

    Larry Poppe
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA 02543
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2314 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    lpoppe@usgs.gov

    Data sources used in this process:
    • h11922_2mmb_geo.tif
    • 2010_033_922seddata.shp
    • 2010_033_922botphotos.shp

    Data sources produced in this process:

    • h11922_sedenv.shp

    Date: 2010 (process 2 of 2)
    ArcGIS 9.2 was used to define the projection of the ESRI shapefile as geographic WGS84 and to create the .prj file using the ArcToolbox Define Projection tool.

    Person who carried out this activity:

    Larry Poppe
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA 02543
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2314 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    lpoppe@usgs.gov

    Data sources used in this process:
    • h11922_sedenv.shp

    Data sources produced in this process:

    • h11922_sedenv.prj

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

    Knebel, H.J., and Poppe, L.J., 2000, Sea-floor environments within Long Island Sound: a regional overview: Journal of Coastal Research v. 16, no. 3, p. 533-550, Coastal Education & Research Foundation, Lawrence, KS.

    Poppe, L.J., Ackerman, S.D., Foster, D.S., Blackwood, D.S., Butman, B., Moser, M.S., and Stewart, H.F., 2007, Sea-floor character and surface processes in the vicinity of Quicks Hole, Elizabeth Islands, Massachusetts: Open-File Report 2006-1357, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 1 DVD-ROM
    Poppe, L.J., Ackerman, S.D., Foster, D.S., Blackwood, D.S., Williams, S.J., Moser, M.S., Stewart, H.F., and Glomb, K.A., 2007, Sea-floor character and sedimentary processes of Great Round Shoal Channel, offshore Massachusetts: Open-File Report 2007-1138, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 1 DVD-ROM
    Poppe, L.J., McMullen, K.Y., Foster, D.S., Blackwood, D.S., Williams, S.J., Ackerman, S.D., Barnum, S.R., and Brennan, R.T., 2008, Sea-floor character and sedimentary processes in the vicinity of Woods Hole, Massachusetts: Open-File Report 2008-1004, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 1 DVD-ROM
    Poppe, L.J., McMullen, K.Y., Foster, D.S., Blackwood, D.S., Williams, S.J., Ackerman, S.D., Moser, M.S., and Glomb, K.A., 2010, Geological interpretation of the seafloor offshore of Edgartown, Massachusetts: Open-File Report 2009-1001, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 1 DVD-ROM
    McMullen, K.Y., Poppe, L.J., and Soderberg, N.K., 2009, Digital seismic-reflection data from Eastern Rhode Island Sound, 1975-1980: Open-File Report 2009-1003, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 2 DVD-ROMs
    McMullen, K.Y., Poppe, L.J., Denny, J.F., Haupt, T.A., and Crocker, J.M., 2008, Sidescan-sonar imagery and surficial geologic interpretations of the sea floor in central Rhode Island Sound: Open-File Report 2007-1366, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 1 DVD-ROM
    Schattgen, P. Tod , 2008, H11922: Descriptive Report H11922, National Ocean Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Atlantic Hydrographic Branch, Norfolk, VA.

    Online Links:

    McMullen, K.Y., Poppe, L.J., Ackerman, S.D., Blackwood, D.S., Schaer, J.D., Nadeau, M.A., and Wood, D.A., 2011, Surficial geology of the sea floor in central Rhode Island Sound, southeast of Point Judith, Rhode Island: Open-File Report 2011-1005, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 1 DVD-ROM

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?

    Navigation of the underlying data on which the interpretation is based was by differential GPS. Interpretation is good to 1:10,000.

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

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

    All collected data with the study area were processed and used to identify conditions and processes that allowed us to interpret the prevalent sedimentary environments on the sea floor and to produce this dataset.

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

    No additional checks for consistency were performed on this data.

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:
The interpretation was completed at map scales between 1:4,000 and 1:8,500, but is not intended for use at map scales smaller than 1:10,000. Public domain data from the U.S. Government are freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution. Please recognize the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as the source of this information.

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

    Larry Poppe
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA 02543
    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?

    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 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 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 or NOAA 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?

    The user must be capable of uncompressing WinZip files. Also, these data are available in Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) shapefile format. The user must have ArcGIS or ArcView 3.0 or greater software to read and process the data file. In lieu of ArcView or ArcGIS, the user may utilize another GIS application package capable of importing data. A free data viewer, ArcExplorer, capable of displaying the data is available from ESRI at www.esri.com.

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 27-Apr-2011
Metadata author:
U.S. Geological Survey
c/o Larry Poppe
Geologist
384 Woods Hole Road
Woods Hole, MA 02543
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)
Metadata extensions used:

Generated by mp version 2.8.25 on Wed Apr 27 07:29:08 2011