BISOUND_SEDENV_v1.1.SHP: Revised (v. 1.1) Interpretation of Sedimentary Environments Based on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Surveys H12009, H12010, H12011, H12015, H12033, H12137, and H12139, the adjacent 2011 NOAA survey H12299, and Verification Data from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Cruise 2011-006-FA Offshore in Block Island Sound (Geographic, WGS 84)

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Frequently-anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
BISOUND_SEDENV_v1.1.SHP: Revised (v. 1.1) Interpretation of Sedimentary Environments Based on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Surveys H12009, H12010, H12011, H12015, H12033, H12137, and H12139, the adjacent 2011 NOAA survey H12299, and Verification Data from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Cruise 2011-006-FA Offshore in Block Island Sound (Geographic, WGS 84)
Abstract:
The USGS, in cooperation with NOAA, is producing detailed maps of the seafloor off southern New England. The current phase of this cooperative research program is directed toward analyzing how bathymetric relief relates to the distribution of sedimentary environments and benthic communities. As part of this program, digital terrain models (DTMs) from bathymetry collected as part of NOAA's hydrographic charting activities are converted into ESRI raster grids and imagery, verified with bottom sampling and photography, and used to produce interpretations of seabed geology and hydrodynamic processes. Although each of the 7 continuous-coverage, completed surveys individually provides important benthic environmental information, many applications require a geographically broader perspective. For example, the usefulness of individual surveys is limited for the planning and construction of cross-Sound infrastructure, such as cables and pipelines, or for the testing of regional circulation models. To address this need, we integrated the 7 contiguous multibeam bathymetric DTMs into one dataset that covers much of Block Island Sound. The new dataset is adjusted to mean lower low water, is provided in UTM Zone 19 NAD83 and geographic WGS84 projections, and is gridded to 4-m resolution. This resolution is adequate for seafloor-feature and process interpretation, but small enough to be queried and manipulated with standard GIS programs and to allow for future growth. Natural features visible in the grid include boulder lag deposits of submerged moraines, sand-wave fields, and scour depressions that reflect the strength of the oscillating tidal currents. Bedform asymmetry allows interpretations of net sediment transport. Together the merged data reveal a larger, more continuous perspective of bathymetric topography than previously available, providing a fundamental framework for research and resource management activities off this portion of the Rhode Island coast. 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://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/operations/ia/public_ds_info.php?fa=2011-006-FA>
  1. How should this data set be cited?

    Poppe, Larry, 2014, BISOUND_SEDENV_v1.1.SHP: Revised (v. 1.1) Interpretation of Sedimentary Environments Based on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Surveys H12009, H12010, H12011, H12015, H12033, H12137, and H12139, the adjacent 2011 NOAA survey H12299, and Verification Data from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Cruise 2011-006-FA Offshore in Block Island Sound (Geographic, WGS 84): Open-File Report 2012-1005, 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., Danforth, W.W., McMullen, K.Y., Blankenship, M.A., Glomb, K.A., Wright, D.B., and Smith, S.M., 2014, Sea-Floor Character and Sedimentary Processes of Block Island Sound, Offshore Rhode Island: Open-File Report 2012-1005, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 1 DVD-ROM

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -71.868478
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -71.368175
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.330129
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.115623

  3. What does it look like?

    <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2012/1005/data/sedenv/bisound_sedenv_v1.1.gif> (GIF)
    Thumbnail image showing the interpreted sedimentary environments within NOAA surveys H12009, H12010, H12011, H12015, H12033, H12137, and H12139 in Block Island Sound

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

    Beginning_Date: 14-Jun-2011
    Ending_Date: 21-Jun-2011
    Currentness_Reference:
    Ground condition, however, calendar date is for the bottom samples and photography. Most of the multibeam bathymetry data used in the interpretation were collected during 2009; later minor revisions are based on bathymetry collected during 2011.

  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 (695)

    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?

    bisound_sedenv_v1.1
    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
    Sorting and ReworkingEnvironment within which sea-floor sediments are being separated into coarser and finer fractions
    DepositionLow-energy environment within which sea-floor sediments accumulate

    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
    Shapefile containing interpretations of sedimentary environments on the sea floor in Block Island Sound. Shapefile shows distribution of environments characterized by erosion or nondeposition, coarse bedload transport, sorting and reworking, and deposition.

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 a revised (version 1.1) interpretation of sedimentary environments based on bathymetry data collected during NOAA surveys H12009, H12010, H12011, H12015, H12033, H12137, and H12139, the adjacent 2011 NOAA survey H12299, and sediment samples and bottom photography collected during USGS survey 2011-006-FA in Block 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 2)
    Type_of_Source_Media: DVD-ROM
    Source_Contribution:
    The original acoustic data acquired during NOAA surveys H12009, H12010, H12011, H12015, H12033, H12137, and H12139 aboard the NOAA ship Thomas Jefferson and the portion of the sediment samples and bottom photography collected during USGS survey 2011-006-FA that fall within the study area. Minor revisions made to the southwestern corner of this dataset during 2014 are based on acoustic data acquired during the November 2011 NOAA survey H12299.

    (source 2 of 2)
    Type_of_Source_Media: DVD-ROM
    Source_Contribution:
    Acoustic data acquired during NOAA survey H12299 aboard the NOAA ship Thomas Jefferson collected from Sept. 12, 2011 to Nov. 15, 2011. These data were processed at a higher resolution (2m) that allowed a revision of the southwestern corner of this data.

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

    Date: 2011 (process 1 of 4)
    The geographic GeoTIFF image of the multibeam bathymetry data from surveys H12009, H12010, H12011, H12015, H12033, H12137, and H12139 and the point data layer from grain-size analyses and textural descriptions of sediments collected from USGS cruise 2011-006-FA in the survey area were imported into the ArcView 3.3 GIS project view. Sedimentary environments were interpreted based on geomorphology and relief in the bathymetry, and on the bottom photography and textural data. The individually interpreted environments (Erosion or Nondeposition, Coarse Bedload Transport, Sorting and Reworking, and Deposition) were outlined using the available graphic tools then converted to an ESRI shapefile using ArcView 3.3. Polygons were traced at a scale of 1:4,000 to 1:5,000; union and subtraction edits were conducted at 1:5,000 to 1:8,500 scales; use of this interpretation data layer is not recommended at scales of less than 1:24,000.

    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:
    • bisound_4mmb_geo.tif
    • 2011_006bisseddata.shp
    • 2011_006_bisbotphotos.shp

    Data sources produced in this process:

    • bisound_sedenv.shp

    Date: 2011 (process 2 of 4)
    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:
    • bisound_sedenv.shp

    Data sources produced in this process:

    • bisound_sedenv.prj

    Date: 2012 (process 3 of 4)
    ArcGIS 9.2 was used to remove overlaps (all polygons with a specific SEDENV attribute value were combined using the Merge command, working from the topmost attribute layer the overlap was removed using the Clip command, and then the merged polygons were exploded to recreate the original individual polygons without overlaps) and extraneous "slivers."

    Person who carried out this activity:

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

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

    Data sources used in this process:
    • bisound_sedenv.shp

    Data sources produced in this process:

    • bisound_sedenv.shp

    Date: 2014 (process 4 of 4)
    The 2014 version 1.1 of this dataset is based on comparison of the 4-m bathymetry used as the basis for the original interpretation with newer 2-m bathymetry from adjacent NOAA survey H12299. This comparison revealed that an area in the southwestern corner of the dataset originally interpreted as sand waves was actually transitional, whereby sand waves progressively intermixed with and were replaced by gravel ridges. Thus, sedimentrary environments changed from those characterized by processes associated with coarse bedload transport to those associated with erosion or non-deposition, and the datalayer was revised to reflect this new interpretation. Available editing tools in ArcGIS 9.3 were used to revise polygons in the southwestern corner of the dataset (part of a sorting and reworking polygon was clipped and merged with a coarse bedload transport polygon. Four new polygons were drawn atop this coarse bedload transport polygon and overlaps were removed with the Clip command). This interpretation is intended to be consistent with the sedimentary environment interpretation of the 2-m bathymetry data adjacent to these data along the western margin.

    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:
    • bisound_sedenv.shp

    Data sources produced in this process:

    • bisound_sedenv_v1.1.shp

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

    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, Reston, VA.

    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, Reston, VA.

    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, Reston, VA.

    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 sea floor offshore of Edgartown, Massachusetts: Open-File Report 2009-1001, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 1 DVD-ROM
    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, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 1 DVD-ROM
    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, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 1 DVD-ROM
    McMullen, K.Y., Poppe, L.J., Ackerman, S.D., Worley, C.R., Nadeau, M.A., and Van Hoy, M.V., 2012, Sea-floor geology in central Rhode Island Sound south of Sakonnet Point, Rhode Island: Open-File Report 2012-1004, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    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 good to 1:24,000.

  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 produce this dataset.

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

    No additional checks for consistency were performed on these 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 1:5,000, but is not intended for use at map scales smaller than 1:24,000. 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: 10-Jun-2014
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 Tue Jun 10 08:38:37 2014