Baldwin, Wayne, 2016, Interpretation of sea floor geologic units for Vineyard and western Nantucket Sounds, Massachusetts (polygon shapefile; Geographic, WGS 84): Open-File Report 2016-1119, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.This is part of the following larger work.Online Links:
Baldwin, Wayne E. , Foster, David S. , Pendleton, Elizabeth A. , Barnhardt, Walter A. , Schwab, William C. , Andrews, Brian D. , and Ackerman, Seth D. , 2016, Shallow Geology, Sea-Floor Texture, and Physiographic Zones of Vineyard and western Nantucket Sounds, Massachusetts: Open-File Report 2016-1119, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.Online Links:
This is a Vector data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):
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.
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
| Formal codeset | |
|---|---|
| Codeset Name: | Polygon |
| Codeset Source: | Esri |
Coordinates defining the features.
| Formal codeset | |
|---|---|
| Codeset Name: | Qdt - Pleistocene glacial till and ice contact deposits - Drift composed of poorly sorted mud, sand, gravel, and boulders, that produce rugged topography where they crop out at the seafloor. While seismic penetration is typically limited, these units produce chaotic reflectors with common diffraction hyperbolae. Underlies Ut and Ur, and in places overlie the fluvial unconformity U1, and the tops of older Pleistocene till and drift and Cretaceous and Tertiary coastal plain deposits (QTKu?). |
| Codeset Source: | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Formal codeset | |
|---|---|
| Codeset Name: | Qdm - Pleistocene Martha's Vineyard and Buzzards Bay end moraine deposits - Drift composed of poorly sorted mud, sand, gravel, and boulders that produce rugged topography where they crop out at the seafloor. Seismic penetration is limited in chirp profiles. Similar to Qdt, boomer profiles locally penetrate Qdm. Internal reflections are irregular or parabolic. Underlies the transgressive (Ut) and regressive (Ur) unconformities and in places overlies the U1 unconformity, and the tops of older Pleistocene till and drift (Qpw?) and Cretaceous and Tertiary coastal plain deposits (TKu?). Qdm crops out at the sea-floor forming ridges and ledges, which are composed of sand, gravel, and in places, boulders. |
| Codeset Source: | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Formal codeset | |
|---|---|
| Codeset Name: | Qdl - Pleistocene glaciolacustrine (glaciodeltaic and lake floor) - Stratified drift composed of mud and sand that produce strong to weak, vertically laminated, horizontal to gently dipping reflectors. Underlies Ut and Ur, and typically drapes glacial till (Qdt) and moraine (Qdm). |
| Codeset Source: | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Formal codeset | |
|---|---|
| Codeset Name: | Qdf - Pleistocene glaciofluvial (outwash) - Stratified drift composed of sand and gravel that produce vertically laminated, roughly horizontal to broadly undulating reflectors, cut and fill structures, and zones of acoustic transparency. Underlies Ut and Ur, and typically overlies glaciolacustrine (Qdl) and glacial till (Qdt). |
| Codeset Source: | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Formal codeset | |
|---|---|
| Codeset Name: | Qfe - Holocene fluvial and estuarine - Fluvial sands and gravels, and estuarine sands and muds (locally > 11 m thick) that fill incised fluvial valleys. Produces vertically laminated, horizontal to concave-up reflectors and zones of acoustic transparency; local indications of cut-and-fill. Bounded above and below by Ut and the regressive unconformity (Ur), respectively. |
| Codeset Source: | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Formal codeset | |
|---|---|
| Codeset Name: | Qmd - Holocene deepwater marine - Sandy muds and muddy sands (locally > 6 m thick) that blanket westernmost Vineyard Sound in water > 30 m deep. Generally acoustically transparent with faint, flat-lying reflectors locally. Overlies the transgressive unconformity (Ut). |
| Codeset Source: | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Formal codeset | |
|---|---|
| Codeset Name: | Qmn - Holocene nearshore marine - Mostly sandy deposits (typically <2 m but up to 17 m thick) that form tidal shoals and sand waves in central portions of the sounds, and beaches and bars locally along their nearshore margins. Generally acoustically transparent with faint, flat-lying reflectors, except within the tidal shoals, where internal reflectors are indicative of morphologic evolution. Overlies transgressive unconformity (Ut) and grades to Qmd westward toward Rhode Island Sound. |
| Codeset Source: | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Range of values | |
|---|---|
| Minimum: | 0.001786 |
| Maximum: | 112.109448 |
| Units: | Square Kilometers |
| Resolution: | 0.000001 |
508-548-8700 x2226 (voice)
508-457-2310 (FAX)
wbaldwin@usgs.gov
This data set describes sea-floor geology of Vineyard and western Nantucket Sounds. Polygons are used to indicate the areal distribution of sea-floor outcrop for sub-surface stratigraphic units interpreted in high-resolution seismic reflection data. These data are useful for assessing relations between geologic framework, sea-bed morphology, and sediment textural trends.
Pendleton, E.A., Twichell, D.C., Foster, D.S., Worley, C.R, Irwin, B.J., and Danforth, W.W., 2012, High-resolution geophysical data from the sea floor surrounding the Western Elizabeth Islands, Massachusetts: Open-File Report 2011-1184, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.Online Links:
Andrews, B.D., Ackerman, S.D., Baldwin, W.E., Foster, D.S., and Schwab, W.C., 2014, High-Resolution Geophysical Data from the Inner Continental Shelf: Vineyard Sound, Massachusetts: Open-File Report 2012-1006, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.Online Links:
Pendleton, E.A., Andrews, B.D., Danforth, W.W., and Foster, D.S., 2014, High-resolution geophysical data collected aboard the U.S. Geological Survey research vessel Rafael to supplement existing datasets from Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound, Massachusetts: Open-File Report 2013-1020, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.Online Links:
Person who carried out this activity:
508-548-8700 x2226 (voice)
508-457-2310 (FAX)
wbaldwin@usgs.gov
Person who carried out this activity:
508-548-8700 x2226 (voice)
508-457-2310 (FAX)
wbaldwin@usgs.gov
Person who carried out this activity:
508-548-8700 x2226 (voice)
508-457-2310 (FAX)
wbaldwin@usgs.gov
Person who carried out this activity:
508-548-8700 x2226 (voice)
508-457-2310 (FAX)
wbaldwin@usgs.gov
O'Hara, Charles J. , and Oldale, Robert N. , 1980, Maps showing geology and shallow structure of eastern Rhode Island Sound and Vineyard Sound, Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-1186, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.Online Links:
O'Hara, Charles J. , and Oldale, Robert N. , 1987, Maps showing geology, shallow structure, and bedforms of Nantucket Sound, Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-1911, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.Online Links:
Navigational accuracy of the seismic-reflection data used for this interpretation was assumed to be ± 10 to 20 meters. Refer to seismic trackline metadata in Pendleton and others (2012; 2014), and Andrews and others (2014) for specific seismic data acquisition parameters and accuracy reports. Additional navigational uncertainty in this interpretation arises from subjective digitizing of the seismic reflectors, sampling of the interpreted horizons at 10-m along track intervals prior to export from the seismic interpretation package.
All chirp and boomer seismic-reflection data collected within the study area during USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center field activities 2009-002-FA, 2010-003-FA, 2010-004-FA, 2010-047-FA, 2010-100-FA, 2011-004-FA, and 2011-013-FA were used to interpret the subsurface geologic units.
Chirp seismic-reflection data collected during USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center field activities 2009-002-FA, 2010-003-FA, 2010-004-FA, 2011-004-FA, and 2011-013-FA and boomer seismic-reflection data during USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center field activities 2010-047-FA and 2010-100-FA were used to interpret the geologic framework of Vineyard and western Nantucket Sounds. Because of the scale (polygon editing was done at scales between 1:8,000 and 1:20,000, depending on the size of the outcrop area) and line spacing of the source seismic profiles, not all changes in seafloor geology are captured. The boundaries of polygons are inferred between seismic lines, and polygon boundaries should be considered an approximation of the location of a change in geology. Further, a constant seismic velocity of 1,500 m/s was assumed for all profiles, through water and all sediment types, which may result in inaccurate depths of stratigraphic units.
Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
- 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 geologic mapping interpretations. Polygon editing was done at scales between 1:8,000 and 1:20,000, depending on the size of the outcrop area, but the recommended scale for application of these data is 1:25,000.
508-548-8700 x2226 (voice)
508-457-2310 (FAX)
wbaldwin@usgs.gov
VineyardNantucketSound_surfgeol.zip from USGS Open File report 2016-1119. WinZip version 14.5 file contains qualitatively derived polygons that define the sea-floor geology of Vineyard and western Nantucket Sound, MA and the associated metadata.
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
| Data format: | WinZip version 14.5 file contains qualitatively derived polygons that define the sea-floor geology of Vineyard and western Nantucket Sounds, MA and the associated metadata in format Shapefile (version ArcGIS 9.3.1) Esri Polygon Shapefile Size: 3.17 |
|---|---|
| Network links: |
<https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2016/1119/GIS_catalog/SurficialGeology/VineyardNantucketSound_surfgeol.zip> <https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2016/1119/ofr2016-1119-data_catalog.html> |
These data are available in Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri) shapefile format. The user must have software capable of importing and processing this data type.
508-548-8700 x2226 (voice)
508-457-2310 (FAX)
wbaldwin@usgs.gov
