NAH_CCB_Pzones: Physiographic Zones of the Sea Floor from Nahant to Northern Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts (polygon shapefile, Geographic WGS 84)

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Metadata:

Identification_Information:
Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Elizabeth Pendleton
Publication_Date: 2013
Title:
NAH_CCB_Pzones: Physiographic Zones of the Sea Floor from Nahant to Northern Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts (polygon shapefile, Geographic WGS 84)
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Series_Information:
Series_Name: Open-File Report
Issue_Identification: 2012-1157
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program
Online_Linkage:
<http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2012/1157/GIS_catalog/PhysiographicZones/PhysioZones.zip>
Larger_Work_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Pendleton, E.A.
Originator: Baldwin, W.E.
Originator: Barnhardt., W.A.
Originator: Ackerman, S.D.
Originator: Foster, D.S.
Originator: Andrews, B.D.
Originator: Schwab, W.C.
Publication_Date: 2013
Title:
Shallow Geology, Seafloor Texture, and Physiographic Zones of the Inner Continental Shelf from Nahant to Northern Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts
Series_Information:
Series_Name: Open-File Report
Issue_Identification: 2012-1157
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program
Online_Linkage: <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2012/1157/>
Description:
Abstract:
These data are qualitatively derived interpretive polygon shapefiles and selected source raster data defining surficial geology, sediment type and distribution, and physiographic zones of the sea floor from Nahant to Northern Cape Cod Bay. Much of the geophysical data used to create the interpretive layers were collected under a cooperative agreement among the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Coastal and Marine Geology Program, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). 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 seafloor geology are important first steps toward protecting fish habitat, delineating marine resources, and assessing environmental changes because of natural or human effects. The project is focused on the inshore waters of coastal Massachusetts. Data collected during the mapping cooperative involving the USGS have been released in a series of USGS Open-File Reports (<http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/coastal_mass/html/current_map.html>). The interpretations released in this study are for an area extending from the southern tip of Nahant to Northern Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts. A combination of geophysical and sample data including high resolution bathymetry and lidar, acoustic-backscatter intensity, seismic-reflection profiles, bottom photographs, and sediment samples are used to create the data interpretations. Most of the nearshore geophysical and sample data (including the bottom photographs) were collected during several cruises between 2000 and 2008. More information about the cruises and the data collected can be found at the Geologic Mapping of the Seafloor Offshore of Massachusetts Web page: <http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/coastal_mass/>.
Purpose:
These sea floor physiographic zones were created from geophysical and sample data collected from Nahant to Northern Cape Cod Bay, and are used to characterize the sea floor in the area. Physiographic zone maps are important data layers for marine resource managers charged with protecting fish habitat, delineating marine boundaries, and assessing environmental change due to natural or human impacts.
Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 19940101
Ending_Date: 20080507
Currentness_Reference: ground condition of data used to derive the interpretation
Status:
Progress: Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned
Spatial_Domain:
Bounding_Coordinates:
West_Bounding_Coordinate: -71.051972
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -70.154738
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 42.459855
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.932502
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: General
Theme_Keyword: U.S. Geological Survey
Theme_Keyword: USGS
Theme_Keyword: Coastal and Marine Geology Program
Theme_Keyword: CMGP
Theme_Keyword: Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
Theme_Keyword: WHCMSC
Theme_Keyword: Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management
Theme_Keyword: CZM
Theme_Keyword: Sea floor
Theme_Keyword: Marine Geology
Theme_Keyword: Interpretation
Theme_Keyword: Bathymetry
Theme_Keyword: Backscatter
Theme_Keyword: Slope
Theme_Keyword: Topography
Theme_Keyword: Esri Shapefile
Theme_Keyword: Physiographic Zones
Theme_Keyword: Rocky Zone
Theme_Keyword: Hard-bottom Plain
Theme_Keyword: Nearshore Ramp
Theme_Keyword: Nearshore Basin
Theme_Keyword: Sediment Samples
Theme_Keyword: Seismic-reflection Profiles
Theme_Keyword: Outer Basin
Theme_Keyword: Shelf Valleys
Theme_Keyword: Ebb-tidal Delta
Theme_Keyword: Sand Waves
Theme_Keyword: Dredged Channel
Theme_Keyword: interpretation
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category
Theme_Keyword: oceans and estuaries
Theme_Keyword: geoscientificInformation
Theme_Keyword: oceans and coastal
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: General
Place_Keyword: Massachusetts Bay
Place_Keyword: Atlantic Ocean
Place_Keyword: Boston Harbor
Place_Keyword: Nahant
Place_Keyword: Boston
Place_Keyword: Hull
Place_Keyword: Boston Harbor Islands
Place_Keyword: Duxbury
Place_Keyword: Provincetown
Place_Keyword: Plymouth
Place_Keyword: Scituate
Place_Keyword: Cohasset
Place_Keyword: Manomet
Place_Keyword: Winthrop
Place_Keyword: Cape Cod Bay
Place_Keyword: Humarock
Place_Keyword: Brant Rock
Place_Keyword: Marshfield
Place_Keyword: North River
Place_Keyword: Kingston
Place_Keyword: Revere Beach
Place_Keyword: Quincy
Place_Keyword: Weymouth
Stratum:
Stratum_Keyword_Thesaurus: General
Stratum_Keyword: Seafloor
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 (USGS) as the source of this information. Additionally, there are limitations associated with qualitative seafloor interpretations. Because of the scale of the source geophysical data and the spacing of samples, not all changes in sea floor texture are captured. The data were mapped between 1:8,000 and 1:25,000, but the recommended scale for application of these data is 1:25,000. Features below 5,000 m2 or less than 50 m wide were not digitized due to positional uncertainty, lack of sample information, and the often ephemeral nature of small-scale sea floor features. Not all digitized sea floor features contained sample information, so often the physiographic zone is characterized by the nearest similar feature that contains a sample. Conversely, sometimes a digitized feature contained multiple samples and not all of the samples within the feature were in agreement. In these cases the dominant sample texture was chosen to represent the primary sediment type for the polygon. Samples from rocky areas often only consist of bottom photographs, because large particle size often prevents the recovery of a sediment sample. Bottom photo classification can be subjective, such that determining the sediment type that is greater than 50% of the view frame is estimated by the interpreter and may differ among interpreters. Bottom photo transects often reveal changes in the sea floor over distances of less than 100 m and these changes are often not observable in acoustic data. Heterogeneous sea floor texture can change very quickly, and many small-scale changes will not be detectable or mappable at a scale of 1:25,000. The boundaries of polygons are often inferred based on sediment samples, and even boundaries that are traced based on amplitude changes in geophysical data are subject to migration. Polygon boundaries should be considered an approximation of the location of a change in physiographic zone.
Point_of_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Elizabeth A. Pendleton
Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey
Contact_Position: Geologist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: U.S. Geological Survey
Address: 384 Woods Hole Rd.
City: Woods Hole
State_or_Province: MA
Postal_Code: 02543-1598
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 508-548-8700 x2259
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 508-457-2310
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: ependleton@usgs.gov
Browse_Graphic:
Browse_Graphic_File_Name:
<http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2012/1157/GIS_catalog/PhysiographicZones/pzones_browse.png>
Browse_Graphic_File_Description:
Image of the physiographic zone shapefile for the Massachusetts inner continental shelf from Nahant to Northern Cape Cod Bay
Browse_Graphic_File_Type: PNG
Native_Data_Set_Environment:
Microsoft Windows 7.1 (Build 7601) Service Pack 1; ESRI ArcCatalog 9.3.1.4000
Cross_Reference:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Kelley, J.T.
Originator: Barnhardt, W.A.
Originator: Belknap, D.F.
Originator: Dickson, S.M.
Originator: Kelley, A.R.
Publication_Date: 1996
Title:
The seafloor revealed: the geology of the northwestern Gulf of Maine inner continental shelf
Edition: 1.0
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: document
Series_Information:
Series_Name: Maine Geological Survey Open-File Report
Issue_Identification: 96-6
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Augusta, Maine
Publisher:
Maine Geological Survey, Natural Resources Information and Mapping Center
Cross_Reference:
Citation_Information:
Originator: McMullen, K.Y
Originator: Paskevich, V.F.
Originator: Poppe, L.J.
Publication_Date: 2011
Title:
USGS East-coast Sediment Analysis: Procedures, Database, and GIS Data
Edition: 2.2
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Series_Information:
Series_Name: Open File Report
Issue_Identification: 2005-1001
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program
Online_Linkage: <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2005/1001/>
Cross_Reference:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Ford, K.H.
Originator: S.E. Voss
Publication_Date: 2010
Title:
Seafloor Sediment Composition in Massachusetts Determined Using Point Data
Edition: 1.0
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: document
Series_Information:
Series_Name: Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Technical Report
Issue_Identification: TR-45
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: New Bedford, MA
Publisher: Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
Online_Linkage: <http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/publications/tr_45.pdf>
Data_Quality_Information:
Logical_Consistency_Report:
These data were drawn and vetted for accuracy using the source input rasters and point sample data described in the processing steps and source contributions. Qualitatively-defined polygons for the Boston Harbor and approaches region had already been drawn and published by Ackerman and others (2006). In their study, their region of interest was defined by using a 'convert raster to feature' function on sidescan sonar imagery within ArcGIS. This conversion task created several very small (~ 1 square-meter) triangular and rectilinear-shaped gaps along the boundaries of the defined polygons within Boston Harbor. The original Ackerman and other (2006) bottom type polygons were merged with the polygons created in this study, and polygon and field editing was done in order to make them fit the physiographic zones used in this report. However, the very small topology errors associated with the original data have not been removed, primarily because they are well below the intended scale of application of these data (1:25,000). Overlapping features and unintentional gaps within the rest of the survey area were identified using the topology checker in ArcMap (version 9.3.1) and corrected or removed.
Completeness_Report:
These physiographic zones are defined for areas where source data exist. In general, gaps in the coverage coincide with gaps in the source data. However, some small data gaps were interpreted through extrapolation.
Positional_Accuracy:
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:
These data were produced qualitatively from acoustic and sample data with varying resolutions. Horizontal uncertainty associated with sample collection especially, can be quite high (100's of meters), much higher than positional uncertainty associated with acoustic data (usually less than <10's of meters). The date of sample collection and ship station positioning all contribute to sample position uncertainty. These qualitatively derived polygons outlining sea floor features are estimated to be within 50 meters, horizontally, but locally may be higher when sediment texture delineation is based on sample information alone.
Lineage:
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Ackerman, S.D.
Originator: Butman, B.
Originator: Barnhardt, W.A.
Originator: Danforth, W.W.
Originator: Crocker, J.M.
Publication_Date: 2006
Title:
High-resolution Geologic Mapping of the Inner Continental Shelf: Boston Harbor and Approaches, Massachusetts
Edition: 1.0
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: document
Series_Information:
Series_Name: Open-File Report
Issue_Identification: 2006-1008
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program
Online_Linkage: <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1008/http>
Type_of_Source_Media: online
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 20000919
Ending_Date: 20040917
Source_Currentness_Reference: ground condition
Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Ackerman and others, 2006
Source_Contribution:
This report provided the source geophysical (sidescan and bathymetry) and bottom photograph data for the Boston Harbor and approaches region. These geophysical data were acquired between 2000 and 2001 by NOAA aboard the Ship Whiting and its launches. The sample data were collected in 2004 by the USGS and CZM. The NOAA cruises acquired sidescan-sonar and single-beam and multibeam bathymetric data. Sidescan data were collected with the Edgetech 272-T (100 kHz) or the Klein T-5500 (455 kHz) sonar. A hull-mounted RESON SeaBat 8101(240 kHz) was used to acquire the multibeam echosounder data. Single-beam echosounder data were acquired with an Odom Echotrac DF3200 MKII (100kHz). The USGS/CZM sampling cruise was conducted aboard the R/V Rafael using the mini SEABOSS and a VanVeen grab sampler. This report also provided a qualitative interpretation of the sidescan, bathymetry, and sample data collected in the region. These interpretive polygons were used as the initial interpretation for the Boston Harbor region. Some boundaries were slightly modified and field editing was conducted to match the classification scheme used in this study. These data also provided a good check for consistency in data interpretation.
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Andrews, B.D.
Originator: Ackerman, S.D.
Originator: Baldwin, W.E.
Originator: Barnhardt, W.A.
Publication_Date: 2010
Title:
Geophysical and Sampling Data from the Inner Continental Shelf: Northern Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts
Edition: 1.0
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: document
Series_Information:
Series_Name: Open-File Report
Issue_Identification: 2010-1006
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program
Online_Linkage: <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2010/1006/>
Type_of_Source_Media: online
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 20060816
Ending_Date: 20080508
Source_Currentness_Reference: ground condition
Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Andrews and others, 2010
Source_Contribution:
This report provided the source geophysical (sidescan, bathymetry, and seismic-reflection profiles) and bottom photograph data for the Northern Cape Cod Bay region. These data were acquired between 2006 and 2008 by the USGS and CZM aboard the R/V Megan T. Miller, R/V Rafael, and R/V Connecticut. Bathymetric data were acquired using a Systems Engineering & Assessment, Ltd. (SEA) SWATHplus interferometric sonar system (234 or 117 kHz). Sidescan-sonar data were collected with a Klein 3000 dual-frequency sidescan-sonar (132/445 kHz), or a SWATHplus interferometric (117-kHz). Chirp seismic data were collected using an EdgeTech Geo-Star FSSB sub-bottom profiling system and an SB-0512i towfish (FM swept frequency 0.5-12 kHz). Sediment samples and bottom photos were collected with a modified Van Veen grab sampler and SEABOSS, respectively.
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Barnhardt, W.A.
Originator: Ackerman, S.D.
Originator: Andrews, B.D.
Originator: Baldwin, W.E.
Publication_Date: 2010
Title:
Geophysical and Sampling Data from the Inner Continental Shelf: Duxbury to Hull, Massachusetts
Edition: 1.0
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: document
Series_Information:
Series_Name: Open-File Report
Issue_Identification: 2009-1072
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program
Online_Linkage: <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2009/1072/>
Type_of_Source_Media: online
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 20060804
Ending_Date: 20070911
Source_Currentness_Reference: ground condition
Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Barnhardt and others, 2010
Source_Contribution:
This report provided the source geophysical (sidescan, bathymetry, and seismic-reflection profiles) and bottom photograph data for the Duxbury to Hull, MA region. These data were acquired between 2006 and 2007 by the USGS, CZM, and NOAA aboard the R/V Megan T. Miller, R/V Rafael, R/V Connecticut, and NOAA launches 1005 and 1014. USGS bathymetric data were acquired using a Systems Engineering & Assessment, Ltd. (SEA) SWATHplus interferometric sonar system (234 or 117 kHz). NOAA bathymetric and backscatter data were acquired with a hull-mounted RESON SeaBat 3101 and 8125. USGS sidescan-sonar data were collected with a Klein 3000 dual-frequency sidescan-sonar (132/445 kHz), or a SWATHplus interferometric (117-kHz). USGS chirp seismic data were collected using an EdgeTech Geo-Star FSSB sub-bottom profiling system and an SB-0512i towfish (FM swept frequency 0.5-12 kHz). Sediment samples and bottom photos were collected with a modified Van Veen grab sampler and SEABOSS, respectively.
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Butman, B.
Originator: Valentine, P.C.
Originator: Middleton, T.J.
Originator: Danforth, W.W.
Publication_Date: 2007
Title:
A GIS Library of Multibeam Data for Massachusetts Bay and the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Offshore of Boston, Massachusetts
Edition: 1.0
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: document
Series_Information:
Series_Name: Digital Data Series
Issue_Identification: 99
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program
Online_Linkage: <http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/99/>
Type_of_Source_Media: online
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 19940101
Ending_Date: 19981231
Source_Currentness_Reference: ground condition
Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Butman and others, 2007
Source_Contribution:
This report provided the source geophysical data (sidescan and bathymetry) for the western Massachusetts Bay region including Stellwagen Bank. These data were acquired between 1994 and 1998 by the USGS, Canadian Hydrographic Survey, and University of New Brunswick aboard the Frederick G. Creed. Bathymetric and backscatter data were acquired using Simrad Subsea EM 1000 Multibeam Echo Sounder.
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Ford, K.H.
Originator: Huntley, E.C.
Originator: Sampson, D.W.
Originator: Voss, S.
Publication_Date: Unpublished Material
Title: Massachusetts Sediment Database
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Series_Information:
Publication_Information:
Other_Citation_Details:
This sample database has been compiled and vetted from existing samples and datasets by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management. The data are currently unpublished, but may be acquired by contacting the CZM office: 251 Causeway St Boston, MA 02114 (617) 626-1000 czm@state.ma.us
Type_of_Source_Media: digital vector
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 19550101
Ending_Date: 20110101
Source_Currentness_Reference: ground condition
Source_Citation_Abbreviation: CZM sample database
Source_Contribution:
Sediment sample databases of Ford and Voss (2010) and McMullen and others (2011) were combined then edited and supplemented with NOAA chart sampling data and over 2,000 bottom photos and descriptions at more than 400 stations by a group of GIS specialists at the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (Emily Huntley, personal communication). These data contained sediment laboratory statistics when available, visual descriptions if sediment analysis was not performed or if the site was a bottom photograph, and classification fields of Barnhardt and others (1998), Shepard (1954), and Wentworth (1922) as well as average sediment statistics and phi size, when laboratory analysis was conducted.
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Joint Airborne LiDAR Bathymetry Center of Expertise
Publication_Date: 2008
Title: Massachusetts LiDAR Grid Data in Coastal Areas
Edition: 1.0
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: raster digital data
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: San Diego, CA
Publisher: Fugro Pelagos, Inc
Type_of_Source_Media: disc
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 20070428
Ending_Date: 20070806
Source_Currentness_Reference: ground condition
Source_Citation_Abbreviation: USACE- JALBTCX, 2008
Source_Contribution:
This report provided the source lidar data for the very nearshore (< -5 m) region. Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) data were acquired with a SHOALS-1000T (for hydrographic & topographic data) using the Joint Airborne LiDAR Bathymetry Center of Expertise (JALBTCX) lidar plane.
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Poppe, L.J.
Originator: Paskevich, V.F.
Originator: Butman, B.
Originator: Ackerman, S.D.
Originator: Danforth, W.W.
Originator: Foster, D.S.
Originator: Blackwood, D.S.
Publication_Date: 2006
Title:
Geological Interpretation of Bathymetric and Backscatter Imagery
Edition: 1.0
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: document
Series_Information:
Series_Name: Open-File Report
Issue_Identification: 2005-1048
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program
Online_Linkage: <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2005/1048/>
Type_of_Source_Media: online
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 19981109
Ending_Date: 19981125
Source_Currentness_Reference: ground condition
Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Poppe and others, 2006
Source_Contribution:
This report provided the source geophysical data (sidescan and bathymetry) for the Outer Cape Cod region. These data were acquired in 1998 by the USGS, Canadian Hydrographic Survey, and University of New Brunswick aboard the Frederick G. Creed. Bathymetric and backscatter data were acquired using Simrad Subsea EM 1000 Multibeam Echo Sounder.
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
The texture and spatial distribution of Seafloor sediment were qualitatively-analyzed in ArcGIS using several input data sources (listed in the source contribution), including acoustic backscatter, bathymetry, Lidar, seismic-reflection profile interpretations, bottom photographs, and sediment samples. In order to create the interpretation, first a polygon shapefile of the study area was created (with ArcMap version 9.3.1) and merged with the published Boston Harbor interpretive polygons (Ackerman and others, 2006). The shapefile was then edited using 'cut polygon' in an edit session. The polygon cuts were done qualitatively based on slope changes in the bathymetry, backscatter intensity changes in the sidescan sonar mosaics, surficial geology interpretation based on seismic data, bottom photographs and sediment samples. The polygon editing was done at a general zoom scale of 1:12,000. Most of the sidescan data were available at 1-meter per pixel resolution, with the exception of the Butman and others (2007) data, which was at a 6-meter per pixel resolution. The bathymetric data were at a 5-meter per pixel resolution with the exception of the Butman and others (2007) data, which was at a 6-meter per pixel resolution and the Ackerman and others (2006) data, which was at a 30-meter per pixel resolution. Seismic lines were collected at approximately 100-meter spacing, with tie-lines generally spaced 1-km apart. Bottom photos are roughly 2-km apart, and the density of sediment samples varies throughout the study area, with Boston Harbor having a high density of samples, while regions classified as 'rock zones' have almost no sediment samples due to the rocky substrate.
Process_Date: 20090206
Process_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Walter A. Barnhardt
Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey
Contact_Position: Geologist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: U.S. Geological Survey
Address: 384 Woods Hole Rd.
City: Woods Hole
State_or_Province: MA
Postal_Code: 02543-1598
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 508-548-8700 x2355
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 508-457-2310
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: wbarnhardt@usgs.gov
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
After all the traced features were mapped, new fields were created in the shapefile called 'Pzone' and 'area_sqkm', and the sea floor was characterized for each polygon based on physiographic zones descriptions of Kelley and others (1996). Area was defined using the calculate geometry function from the attribute table using the data frame projection (UTM Zone 19N, WGS84).
Process_Date: 20090425
Process_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Walter A. Barnhardt
Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey
Contact_Position: Geologist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: U.S. Geological Survey
Address: 384 Woods Hole Rd.
City: Woods Hole
State_or_Province: MA
Postal_Code: 02543-1598
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 508-548-8700 x2355
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 508-457-2310
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: wbarnhardt@usgs.gov
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
Finally, a feature dataset was generated inside a file geodatabase (ArcCatalog version 9.3.1), and new topology rules were established to make sure that there were no overlapping polygons or accidental gaps between adjacent polygons. The topology error inspector (ArcMap version 9.3.1) was used to find topology errors and fix them. All overlapping polygon errors were fixed, and several gaps were marked as exceptions since there are several islands and significant data gaps within the study area. Overlapping polygon errors were fixed, and several gaps were marked as exceptions since there are several islands and significant data gaps within the study area. Very small (less than 1-square meter) gaps and triangular jogs in polygon boundaries within Boston Harbor exist where data published by Ackerman and others (2006) was used. These small topology feature errors were not corrected. Length and Area fields were generated automatically for all polygons in the geodatabase. The data were then exported to a shapefile and the polygons were reprojected from UTM Zone 19N, WGS84 to GCS WGS84. The length field was deleted and the area field was recalculated in the pre-existing area field.
Process_Date: 20120505
Process_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Elizabeth A. Pendleton
Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey
Contact_Position: Geologist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: U.S.Geological Survey
Address: 364 Woods Hole Road
City: Woods Hole
State_or_Province: MA
Postal_Code: 02540
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: (508)-548-8700 x2259
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: (508)-457-2310
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: ependleton@usgs.gov
Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:
Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Vector
Point_and_Vector_Object_Information:
SDTS_Terms_Description:
SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: G-polygon
Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 250
Spatial_Reference_Information:
Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:
Geographic:
Latitude_Resolution: 0.000001
Longitude_Resolution: 0.000001
Geographic_Coordinate_Units: Decimal degrees
Geodetic_Model:
Horizontal_Datum_Name: D_WGS_1984
Ellipsoid_Name: WGS_1984
Semi-major_Axis: 6378137.000000
Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.257224
Entity_and_Attribute_Information:
Detailed_Description:
Entity_Type:
Entity_Type_Label: NAH_CCB_Pzones
Entity_Type_Definition:
Physiographic zones shapefile for Nahant to northern Cape Cod Bay, MA
Entity_Type_Definition_Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: FID
Attribute_Definition: Internal feature number.
Attribute_Definition_Source: ESRI
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain:
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: Shape
Attribute_Definition: Feature geometry.
Attribute_Definition_Source: ESRI
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain: Coordinates defining the features.
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: Pzone_name
Attribute_Definition:
Based on geologic maps produced for the Western Gulf of Maine (Kelley and others, 1989), the seafloor within the study area can be divided into geologic environments, or physiographic zones, which are delineated based on Seafloor morphology and the dominant texture of surficial material.
Attribute_Definition_Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: Rocky Zone
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:
Rocky Zones (RZ) are rugged areas of extreme bathymetric relief ranging from nearly vertical rock cliffs to relatively flat, gravel-covered plains littered with boulders up to 4 m in diameter.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Kelley and others, 1996; modified by USGS
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: Nearshore Basin
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:
Nearshore Basins (NB) are areas of shallow, low-relief seafloor adjacent to the mainland and separated from offshore areas by islands and shoals.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Kelley and others, 1996; modified by USGS
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: Nearshore Ramp
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:
Nearshore Ramps (NR) are areas of gently-sloping seafloor with generally shore-parallel bathymetric contours. This zone is primarily covered with sand-rich sediment, although small exposures of ledge, cobbles and boulders locally crop out on the seafloor.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Kelley and others, 1996; modified by USGS
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: Shelf Valley
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:
Shelf Valleys (SV) are elongate depressions that extend offshore more or less perpendicular to the trend of the coastline, and slope gently seaward.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Kelley and others, 1996; modified by USGS
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: Ebb Tidal Delta
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:
Ebb-tidal Deltas are lobate sandy shoals found on the seaward side of tidal inlets that form through the interaction of waves and ebbing tidal currents
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: Outer Basin
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:
Outer Basins are generally found in water depths greater than 40 meters, and are finer grained, but may contain occasional rock outcrops.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Kelley and others, 1996; modified by USGS
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: Hard-Bottom Plains
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:
Hard-bottom Plains tend to have low bathymetric relief, with a coarse sediment texture consisting of primarily gravel, sand, and rock.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Kelley and others, 1996; modified by USGS
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: Sand Waves
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:
Sand Waves are features developed by currents over the sea floor.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: Dredged Channel
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:
Dredged Channels are anthropogenic features where the sea floor has been modified to accommodate navigation.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: area_sqkm
Attribute_Definition: Area in square-kilometers of each defined polygon
Attribute_Definition_Source: U.S. Geological Survey
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Range_Domain:
Range_Domain_Minimum: 0.900
Range_Domain_Maximum: 345.532
Attribute_Units_of_Measure: square-kilometers
Attribute_Measurement_Resolution: 0.001
Distribution_Information:
Distributor:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Elizabeth A Pendleton
Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey
Contact_Position: Geologist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: U.S. Geological Survey
Address: 384 Woods Hole Rd.
City: Woods Hole
State_or_Province: MA
Postal_Code: 02543-1598
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 508-548-8700 x2259
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 508-457-2310
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: ependleton@usgs.gov
Resource_Description: Downloadable Data
Distribution_Liability:
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 U.S. Geological Survey 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.
Standard_Order_Process:
Digital_Form:
Digital_Transfer_Information:
Format_Name: WinZip
Format_Version_Number: 14.5
Format_Specification: Esri Polygon Shapefile
Format_Information_Content:
WinZip file contains qualitatively derived polygons that define physiographic zones from Nahant to Northern Cape Cod Bay, MA and the associated metadata
File_Decompression_Technique: WinZip or pkUnzip
Transfer_Size: 0.8 MB
Digital_Transfer_Option:
Online_Option:
Computer_Contact_Information:
Network_Address:
Network_Resource_Name:
<http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2012/1157/GIS_catalog/PhysiographicZones/PhysioZones.zip>
Network_Resource_Name: <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2012/1157/html/GIS_catalog.html/>
Network_Resource_Name: <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2012/1157/>
Access_Instructions: Data can be downloaded via the World Wide Web (WWW)
Fees: None
Technical_Prerequisites:
These data are available in Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri) Shapefile format. The user must have software capable of importing and processing the data file.
Metadata_Reference_Information:
Metadata_Date: 20130702
Metadata_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Elizabeth A. Pendleton
Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey
Contact_Position: Geologist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: U.S. Geological Survey
Address: 384 Woods Hole Rd.
City: Woods Hole
State_or_Province: MA
Postal_Code: 02543-1598
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 508-548-8700 x2259
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 508-457-2310
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: ependleton@usgs.gov
Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
Metadata_Time_Convention: local time
Metadata_Access_Constraints: None
Metadata_Use_Constraints: None
Metadata_Extensions:
Online_Linkage: <http://www.esri.com/metadata/esriprof80.html>
Profile_Name: ESRI Metadata Profile
Generated by mp version 2.9.21 on Tue Jul 02 13:39:20 2013