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Open-File Report 2014-1224


Sea-Floor Morphology and Sedimentary Environments in Western Block Island Sound, Offshore of Fishers Island, New York


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Click on figures for larger images
Thumbnail image of figure 25 and link to larger figure. Map of bottom-photograph locations in the study area.
Figure 25. Map of the locations of bottom photographs taken in the study area during cruise 2013-005-FA on the research vessel (RV) Rafael.
Thumbnail image of figure 26 and link to larger figure. Photograph of the sea floor in the study area.
Figure 26. Photograph of a boulder at station 298_20. The boulder is covered with anemones, hydrozoans, barnacles, starfish, and tunicates and (or) sponges.
Thumbnail image of figure 27 and link to larger figure. Photograph of the sea floor in the study area.
Figure 27. Photograph of a sandy sea floor at station 298_9.

Bottom Photography

Bottom photographs and video from each station provide information on the geology, benthic ecology, and intrastation variability. Between 1 and 8 bottom photographs and several minutes of video were taken at each station in the study area (fig. 25). Photographs show many boulders are covered with flora and fauna such as hydrozoans, anemones, algae, tunicates and (or) sponges, and snails (fig. 26). Sandy areas are mostly rippled and they generally have scattered shells and shell hash, burrows, and worm or amphipod tubes (fig. 27).

Low-resolution images (150 x 113 pixels) of the photographs can be viewed by browsing the thumbnails in the photograph gallery below. These thumbnails are linked to medium-resolution images (600 x 450 pixels) for more detailed viewing. A .zip file with all the medium-resolution images can be accessed by clicking here. The .zip file also contains metadata about the photographs and their acquisition. Alternatively, a .zip file containing the full-resolution images (3648 x 2736 pixels) and metadata can be accessed by clicking here. The images can be identified by using the .jpg image names in the gallery below.

 

Photograph Gallery

Station  /  Lithologic Description

298_1 / Current-rippled sand with shells and shell hash concentrated in the ripple troughs. Hermit crabs are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_1a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_1b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_1c
 
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_1d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_1e

 

 

 

298_2 / Sand with burrows, little scattered shell hash, and abundant worm tubes. Hydrozoans, skate, and hermit crabs are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_2a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_2b

 

 

 

 

298_3 / Fine sand with abundant worm tubes. Burrowing anemones, skates, crabs, and scattered shells are present.  

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_3a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_3b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_3c
 
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_3d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_3e

 

 

 

298_4 / Sand with some ripples and coarser grains in the ripple troughs than on the ripple crests. Amphipod tubes, hydrozoans, skates, fin fish, and hermit crabs are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_4a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_4b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_4c

 

 

298_5 / Fine sand with burrows and abundant worm and amphipod tubes. Burrowing anemones and hydrozoans are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_5a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_5b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_5c
 
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_5d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_5e

 

 

 

298_6 / Sand with clasts composed of silty clay, scattered shells, burrows, and shell hash. Skate, urchins, crabs, starfish, and moon-snail and skate egg cases are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_6a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_6b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_6c
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_6d

 

298_7 / Silty sand with abundant amphipod and worm tubes and burrows. Snails, animal tracks, and a flounder are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_7a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_7b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_7c

 

 

298_8 / Rippled and burrowed sand and boulders covered with hydrozoans, anemones, and algae. Scattered shells and shell hash are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_8a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_8b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_8c

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_8d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_8e

 

 

298_9 / Rippled fine sand with little scattered shell hash. Burrows, crabs, and animal tracks are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_9a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_9b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_9c
 
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_9d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_9e

 

   

298_10 / Current-rippled fine sand with shells and shell hash concentrated in ripple troughs. Burrows and sand dollars are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_10a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_10b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_10c
 
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_10d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_10e

 

 

 

298_11 / Rippled sand with little scattered shell hash. Hermit crabs, flounder, algae, and animal tracks are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_11a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_11b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_11c
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_11d

298_12 / Fine sand with abundant amphipod tubes, burrows, scour features around obstructions, and scattered shells present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_12a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_12b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_12c
 
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_12d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_12e

 

 

 

298_13 / Rippled and burrowed sand with boulders and scattered shells and little shell hash. Boulders are covered with tunicates and (or) sponges. Skate and sea robin are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_13a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_13b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_13c
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_13d

298_14 / Current-rippled sand with shells and shell hash concentrated in ripple troughs. Sand dollars are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_14a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_14b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_14c

 

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_14d

298_15 / Current-rippled sand with shells and shell hash concentrated in ripple troughs.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_15a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_15b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_15c
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_15d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_15e
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_15f

 

 

 

298_16 / Current-rippled sand with patches of abundant shells and shell hash (primarily mussel) and pea gravel. Shell hash concentrated in ripple troughs. Skate egg cases are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_16a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_16b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_16c
 
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_16d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_16e

 

 

 

298_17 / Cobbles, gravel, and sand with algae, hydrozoans, hydroids, tunicates and (or) sponges, starfish, anemones, shells, snails, dead man’s fingers and other algae, sea robin, skate, and skate egg case are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_17a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_17b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_17c
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_17d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_17e
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_17f

 

 

 

298_18 / Cobbles, gravel, and sand with algae, hydrozoans, hydroids, burrowing anemones, tunicates and (or) sponges, crabs, starfish, and skate egg cases present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_18a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_18b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_18c
 
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_18d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_18e

 

 

 

298_19 / Current-rippled sand with shells and shell hash concentrated in ripple troughs. Skate egg cases and amphipods are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_19a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_19b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_19c
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_19d

298_20 / Rippled sand, gravel, and boulders covered with anemones and hydrozoans. Tunicates and (or) sponges, starfish, snails, barnacles, skate egg case, animal tracks, shells, and shell hash are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_20a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_20b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_20c
 
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_20d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_20e

 

 

 

298_21 / Gravelly sediment with abundant shells and shell hash. Hydrozoans and skates are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_21a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_21b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_21c
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_21d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_21e
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_21f

 

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_21g

 

298_22 / Boulders, cobbles, gravel, and intervening patches of rippled sand with kelp, other algae, tunicates and (or) sponges, snails, and abundant mussels present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_22a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_22b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_22c
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_22d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_22e
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_22f
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_22g
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_22h

298_23 / Gravelly sediment with abundant shells and shell hash. Thin layer of sand above gravel. Hermit crabs, snails, and moon-snail egg cases are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_23a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_23b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_23c
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_23d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_23e
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_23f
 

 

298_24 / Rippled sand with scattered mussel and other shells and shell hash concentrated in ripple troughs. Animal tracks, burrows, and moon-snail egg case are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_24a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_24b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_24c

 

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_24d

298_25 / Rippled sand with shells and shell hash concentrated in ripple troughs. Small clams, sand dollars, snails, kelp, and other algae are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_25a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_25b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_25c
 
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_25d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_25e

 

 

 

298_26 / Boulders, cobbles, and gravel overgrown with sessile fauna and flora. Kelp, other algae, and a lobster pot are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_26a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_26b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_26c

 

 

298_27 / Faintly rippled sand and gravelly sediment with scattered shells and shell hash and scour depressions around obstructions. Tunicates and (or) sponges, hydrozoans, barnacles, seaweed, sea robin, and moon-snail and skate egg cases are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_27a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_27b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_27c
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_27d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_27e
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_27f

 

 

 

298_28 / Sand with burrows, worm tubes, tunicates, hydrozoans, snails, and scattered shells.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_28a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_28b

 

   

298_29 / Sand with burrows, worms, cancer and hermit crabs, snails, and scattered shells and shell hash.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_29a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_29b
 

 

298_30 / Gravel and boulders with patches of intervening sand. Boulders are covered with hydrozoans, algae, tunicates and (or) sponges, and abundant anemones. Moon snails, crabs, and skate egg cases are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_30a
   

 

298_31 / Rippled and burrowed sand with scattered shells and shell hash concentrated in the ripple troughs.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_31a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_31b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_31c
 
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_31d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_31e

 

 

 

298_32 / Rippled sand with shells, shell hash, and coral fragments in the ripple troughs. Sea robin, sand dollars, and skate egg case are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_32a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_32b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_32c

 

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_32d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_32e

 

 

 

298_33 / Boulders, gravel, and sand with burrows and amphipod tubes. Abundant sea life is present including: anemones, hydrozoans, tunicates, sponges, shrimp, skate, sea robin, starfish, lobster, crabs, urchins, and snails. Skate and moon-snail egg cases, shells, and shell hash are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_33a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_33b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_33c

 

298_34 / Rippled sand with burrows, abundant mussel and other shells, and shell hash. Crabs, snails, animal tracks, moon-snail and skate egg cases, and sea robin are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_34a

 

   

 

298_35 / Sand with abundant shells and shell hash. Burrows, amphipods, skate, hydroids, hydrozoans, and moon-snail egg case are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_35a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_35b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_35c
 
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_35d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_35e

 

 

 

298_36 / Steep wall of reddish brown and gray, layered outcrops and rip-up clasts composed of silty clay. Some clasts show signs of bio-erosion. Hydrozoans, algae, crabs, and skates are present.

Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_36a
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_36b
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_36c
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_36d
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_36e
Photograph showing the sea floor in the study area.
298_36f

 

   
 

 

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