Skip past header information
USGS - science for a changing world
NOAA Logo with link to NOAA Home Page.Massachusetts CZM Logo with link to MA CZM Home Page.  

U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2011–1004

Sea-Floor Geology and Character of Eastern Rhode Island Sound West of Gay Head, Massachusetts


Bottom Photography

Skip past contents information
Click on figures for larger images
Thumbnail image of figure 17 and link to larger figure. A map showing station locations in the study area.
Figure 17. Map showing the station locations used to verify the acoustic data with bottom sampling and photography during U.S. Geological Survey cruises 2010-033-FA and 2010-005-FA.

Sea-floor photography was collected at 25 stations within the H11922 survey area as part of this study (fig. 17). The small SEABOSS system aboard the RV Rafael and the SEABOSS system aboard the RV Connecticut were used to obtain video photography and 1 to 8 still photographs at each station as the vessels drifted over the seabed for 2 to 5 minutes. A total of 93 still photographs of the sea floor were obtained. The field of view of each image is approximately 50 cm wide (SEABOSS 50 cm above the bottom).

Low-resolution images (150 pixels wide) of the photographs may be viewed by browsing the thumbnails in the photo gallery below. These thumbnails are hyperlinked to medium-resolution images (600 pixels wide) for more detailed viewing. Alternatively, the directory containing the full-resolution images may be accessed by clicking here. These full-resolution images can be identified using the JPEG image names in the gallery below. Textural analyses of samples obtained at these stations, where available, and discussions of the sediment distribution are provided in the Data Catalog and Sediments sections of this report, respectively.

Station  /  Lithologic Description

922-1 / Boulders overgrown primarily with hydrozoans and some hydroids and rust-colored algae. Rippled sand with pea- to pebble-sized gravel and shells and shell hash cover the sea floor between the boulders. A thin veneer of fine-grained siliciclastic or organic debris covers the rocks. Lobster, anemones, and starfish are present.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_1a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_1b
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_1c
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_1d

 

922-2 / Current-rippled sand with scattered amphipod tubes and burrows and traces of shell hash. Moon snail casings are present.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_2a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_2b
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_2c

 

 

922-3 / Boulders overgrown primarily with hydrozoans and some hydroids, anemones, and rust-colored algae. Pebble- to cobble-sized gravel and dense concentrations of shell debris cover the sea floor between the boulders. Finfish are present.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_3a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_3b
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_3c
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_3d

 

922-4 / Undulating sea floor composed of muddy sand with patches of amphipod tubes and scattered small and large burrows, hydrozoans, and animal tracks. Flounder and fan worms were observed.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_4a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_4b

 

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_4c
 

922-6 / Faintly rippled muddy sand with scattered and patchy distributions of burrows, hydrozoans, and amphipod tubes.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_6a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_6b
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_6c


 

922-7 / Scattered boulders covered with hydrozoans and seaweed. Pebble- to cobble-sized gravel and small patches of rippled sand and shell debris cover the sea floor between the boulders. Starfish are present. A thin veneer of fine-grained siliciclastic or organic debris covers many of the rocks.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_7a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_7b
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_7c

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_7d

 

922-8 / Undulating to faintly rippled sea floor composed of muddy sand with patches of amphipod tubes and scattered small and large burrows, hydrozoans, and shell debris. Starfish were observed.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_8a

 

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_8b
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_8c

 

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_8d

922-9 / Rippled sand with burrows, amphipod and worm tubes, and a trace of shell hash concentrated in the ripple troughs. Starfish were observed.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_9a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_9b

 


 

922-10 / Current-rippled sand with amphipod and worm tubes concentrated in the troughs of the bedforms. Starfish were observed.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_10a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_10b
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_10c


 

922-11 / Faintly rippled sand with burrows, amphipod and worm tubes, and hydrozoans. Shrimp, moon snail casings, and small starfish are present.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_11a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_11b
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_11c

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_11d

 

922-12 / Undulating sea floor composed of muddy sand with scattered large and small burrows. Worms, animal tracks, and starfish were observed.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_12a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_12b
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_12c


 

922-13 / Boulders, some quite large, covered with hydrozoans and rust-colored algae. Pea- to cobble-sized gravel and rippled sand with shell debris occur between the boulders. Finfish and small red starfish are present. A thin veneer of fine-grained siliciclastic or organic debris covers many of the rocks.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_13a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_13b
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_13c

 
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_13d
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_13e

 


 

922-14 / Boulders covered with hydrozoans, anemones, sponges, and rust-colored algae. Pea- to cobble-sized gravel and rippled sand with shell debris concentrated in the bedform troughs occur between the boulders. Finfish, soft corals, and small red starfish are present. A thin veneer of fine-grained siliciclastic or organic debris covers many of the rocks.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_14a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_14b
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_14c

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_14d
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_14e
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_14f

 


 

922-15 / Faintly rippled sea floor composed of muddy sand. Small burrows and amphipod and worm tubes are common. Traces of shell debris are present; shrimp were observed.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_15a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_15b
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_15c


Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_15d

922-16 / Rippled sea floor composed of fine-grained sand. Worm and amphipod tubes are common, especially in the ripple troughs. Scattered small burrows are present; finfish and starfish were observed.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_16a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_16b

 

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_16c


Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_16d

922-17 / Faintly rippled to undulating bioturbated sea floor composed of muddy sand. Worm tubes are abundant and small burrows and amphipod tubes are common, but the distributions of all three are typically patchy. Lobster, starfish, and traces of shell debris are present.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_17a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_17b
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_17c


Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_17d

922-18 / Rocky areas interspaced with faintly rippled to undulating bioturbated sea floor composed of muddy sand. In the rocky areas, boulders are overgrown with hydrozoans, anemones, and some red algae and hydroids, and separated by accumulations of pebble- to cobble-sized gravel. A thin veneer of fine-grained siliciclastic or organic debris covers the rocks; starfish and finfish are present. In the muddy areas, small burrows, and amphipod and worm tubes are common; traces of shell debris are present.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_18a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_18b
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_18c

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_18d
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_18e
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_18f
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_18g


Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_18h

922-19 / Undulating to faintly rippled sea floor composed of muddy sand. Scattered small burrows, amphipod and worm tubes, crabs, animal tracks, and shells and shell fragments are present.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_19a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_19b
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_19c

 

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_19d
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_19e

 


 

922-20 / Rocky areas interspaced with faintly rippled to undulating bioturbated sea floor composed of muddy sand. In the rocky areas, boulders are overgrown with hydrozoans, and separated by accumulations of pea- to pebble-sized gravel. A thin veneer of fine-grained siliciclastic or organic debris covers the rocks. In the muddy areas, small burrows and amphipod and worm tubes are common; traces of shell debris are present.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_20a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_20b
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_20c

 

 

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_20d
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_20e

 


 

 

922-21 / Undulating to faintly rippled sea floor composed of fine-grained sand. Scattered small burrows, amphipod and worm tubes, animal tracks, hermit crabs, starfish, finfish, and shells and shell fragments are present.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_21a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_21b
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_21c

 

 

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_21d
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_21e

 


 

 

922-22 / Undulating to faintly rippled sea floor composed of fine-grained sand. Scattered small and large burrows, amphipod and worm tubes, animal tracks, hermit crabs, crabs, small patches of pea gravel, and shells and shell fragments are present. One boulder with an attached anemone was visible on the video.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_22a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_22b
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_22c

 

 

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_22d
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_22e

 


 

 

922-174 / Flat to undulating sea floor composed of muddy sand. Scattered small burrows, amphipod and worm tubes, animal tracks, and shells debris are present. Near bottom, the water was turbid.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_174a

 

 


 

 

922-175 / Flat to undulating sea floor composed of muddy sand. Scattered small burrows, amphipod and worm tubes, animal tracks, and shells debris are present. Near bottom, the water was turbid.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_175a
Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_175b

 


 

 

922-192 / Flat to undulating sea floor composed of muddy sand. Scattered small burrows, amphipod and worm tubes, and shells debris are present. Near bottom, the water was turbid.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_192a

 

 


 

 

922-194 / Faintly rippled sea floor composed of megarippled sand. Scattered small burrows, amphipod and worm tubes, and shells debris are present. Near bottom, the water was turbid.

Thumbnail of a photograph of the sea floor, click to view full scale photograh.
922_194a

 

 


 

 

Skip USGS links group

Accessibility FOIA Privacy Policies and Notices

Take Pride in America logo USAGov logo U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
End of USGS links group