The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal and Marine Science Center (CMSC) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, has been a member of the Woods Hole scientific community since 1962. From the beginning, samples collected by USGS scientists in this office have provided invaluable insight into the nature and character of coastal, estuarine, and nearshore marine environments, as well as the sea floor, a region that remains to this day one of the least explored places on the Earth. Many of these samples are unique and irreplaceable because of either the great difficulty and expense in their collection or the changing nature of these locations.
Early in its history, the Woods Hole CMSC, then known as the Branch of Atlantic Marine Geology, established an agreement with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) to co-locate USGS collections of marine cores, dredged rocks, and surface sediments within the WHOI Core Lab repository. This was done to preserve these samples for further investigations and ensure that the scientific legacy of USGS research endured.
The cooperative agreement between the two institutions continues to this day; D-tubes containing split cores, subsamples of dredges, and sediment grab samples (grabs) collected by USGS scientists are still housed in the WHOI repository. In addition to the protected storage provided by WHOI, the USGS acquired a number of outdoor climate-controlled vans to store grab samples, subsamples, split and whole cores, and small sample collections (descriptions of these sample types are detailed in the “Types of Samples Preserved and Maintained in the Samples Repository” section of this report) in refrigerated, freezing, and ambient temperatures (fig. 1). These outdoor vans became collectively known as the “Freezer Farm.” Upon acquiring these storage units, the USGS took steps to create and maintain order among the vans and the samples housed within them.
Photograph of storage vans, referred to as the “Freezer Farm,” outside the U.S. Geological Survey offices in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, in 2004. Photograph by Brian Buczkowski, U.S. Geological Survey.
1. Photograph of storage vans, referred to as the “Freezer Farm,” outside the U.S. Geological Survey offices in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, in 2004
The Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center (WHCMSC) Samples Repository was officially established in 2002 to formally catalog and organize these geological, geochemical, and biological scientific collections. Policies and procedures developed for their preservation and access have been previously released as USGS Open-File Reports (Buczkowski, 2018; Buczkowski and Kelsey, 2007). Since its inception, the samples repository has seen continued developments in collections management strategies, as well as the construction in 2007 of the K.O. Emery Geotechnical Wing, which currently [2022] houses the samples repository (
Photograph of the K.O. Emery Geotechnical Wing of the U.S. Geological Survey facility in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, in 2018. Photograph by Brian Buczkowski, U.S. Geological Survey.
2. Photograph of the K.O. Emery Geotechnical Wing of the U.S. Geological Survey facility in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, in 2018
The mission of the samples repository is to: serve as the USGS repository for geological, geochemical, and biological samples collected through field research sponsored by the WHCMSC, provide long-term storage of these samples collected by WHCMSC scientists and affiliated researchers under controlled conditions to ensure optimum preservation, and maintain an inventory of sample collections stored in the samples repository and promote the secondary usage of the sample material in its care by the scientific community.
The samples repository provides secure storage, processing, and resampling services to USGS scientists and researchers from government and academic institutions investigating the history, nature, and properties of geological, geochemical, and biological materials collected from coastal, marine, and nearshore environments. Collections in the samples repository continue to be a resource for research and scientific investigation as a result of preservation efforts and access to the samples through the collections inventory (
The samples repository is co-located on WHOI’s Quissett Campus in Woods Hole. The K.O. Emery Geotechnical Wing of the USGS facility in Woods Hole serves as the primary storage for all geological, geochemical, and biological samples either collected through research sponsored by WHCMSC or in the permanent custody of the USGS. Storage facilities within the Geotechnical Wing consist of walk-in refrigerated and frozen cold rooms, ambient storage space for dry samples, and an analysis and sampling facility.
The refrigerated cold room measures 774.5 square feet (ft2) and maintains a storage temperature of 39 degrees Fahrenheit (°F; 4 degrees Celsius [°C]). The freezer, measuring 420 ft2, maintains a storage temperature of –4 °F (–20 °C). These temperature-controlled and monitored facilities have been partially built into a hillside to maximize insulation and efficiency. They are designed to exclude the ambient environment, because fluctuations in air temperature and humidity can degrade the viability of the samples for scientific research and promote the growth of mold on and in the samples. Both rooms are equipped with rolling storage racks, which maximize available space for sediment and subsample storage and allow for future expansion as collections grow (
Photograph of rolling storage racks installed in the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository walk-in freezer. Photograph by Brian Buczkowski, U.S. Geological Survey.
3. Photograph of rolling storage racks installed in the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository walk-in freezer
Doors to the walk-in refrigerator and freezer are locked, and access is only permitted with the use of a proximity pass system administered by security and facilities personnel at the WHCMSC. Key pass swipes are monitored and recorded to track personnel going into and out of these spaces. Refrigerator and freezer doors are operable from the inside with a proximity pass scanner and a “Push to Exit” button, which is designed to prevent anyone from being locked in. Panic buttons are in each of the cold rooms in the event of injury or emergency. These panic buttons sound an alarm in the lobby in the adjacent WHCMSC Gundersen Wing. Users of the facilities are instructed to press and hold the panic button until help arrives; the alarm will only sound while the button is pushed. Administrative personnel working in the lobby have access to the cold rooms and have been trained to respond to the panic button alarm. Additionally, instructions for responding to the alarm are posted in the lobby.
Protective gear worn in the freezers is necessary for any activity exceeding 2 minutes. Steel-toed thermal boots, thermal union suits, glove liners, gloves, facemasks, and several types of hats and hoods are available to project staff accessing and working in these facilities. Detailed safety information and updated job hazard analysis reports for facilities and equipment in the samples repository are available through local WHCMSC safety officers.
There are six categories of samples: cores, grabs, dredges, slides, subsamples, and other samples. The bulk of these sample collections consist of marine sediment cores, grab samples, and dredged rock samples. Categories defined by the devices with which samples were collected are corers, grab samplers, and dredges (see
Cores are cylindrical samples of rock or unconsolidated sediment collected vertically through the surface and into the substrate beneath. A core, when collected perpendicular to the stratigraphic layers below the surface, provides a cross-section of the depositional history at the specific location of collection. Most of the cores in the samples repository were collected from marine, coastal, and estuarine environments and are used to construct geologic histories, to characterize subsurface depositional features, and to confirm stratigraphic data resulting from geophysical surveys.
Most cores are split in half longitudinally by researchers to view the sediment and character of the core for descriptions and to provide access for sampling. These split halves are stored in D-tubes horizontally in the samples repository (
Photograph showing sediment core storage containers (known as D-tubes) containing split cores labeled and archived in the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository walk-in refrigerator. Photograph by Brian Buczkowski, U.S. Geological Survey.
4. Photograph showing sediment core storage containers (known as D-tubes) containing split cores labeled and archived in the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository walk-in refrigerator
Grab samples consist of the unconsolidated substrate found on the surface of the sea floor. These samples usually consist of loose sediment, as well as any seashells, shell fragments, or other components of the sea floor captured by the grab device. Grab samples of loose sediment and shell material are bagged after collection and housed in refrigerated storage or they are dried and stored in ambient temperature and humidity conditions in the samples repository.
Dredge samples are rocks and debris raked and plucked from the seabed by dredges towed behind research vessels. These samples are boxed and stored in ambient environmental conditions either in the samples repository core laboratory or in long-term storage at WHCMSC’s Marine Operations Facility.
The samples repository maintains a collection of slides created for microscopic analyses. This slide collection consists of foraminifera and diatom tests picked by paleontologists and exploration geologists from marine and terrestrial sediment cores, thin sections of geological sample material, and smear slides of unconsolidated marine sediment.
Subsamples are samples taken from cores, grabs, and dredges that were previously described and analyzed. These subsamples may often be used again for further research and investigation. Subsamples are retained by the samples repository and stored according to their long-term preservation needs. These samples are also available for further study upon request.
WHCMSC personnel may occasionally collect other sample types and materials during the course of research. These samples are also preserved and inventoried in the samples repository. They include dried biological specimens (predominantly coral skeletons), bottled water samples, and dried peel samples and are available for research upon request.
Samples submitted for inclusion in the samples repository are acquired through collection in the field or through the discovery of sample collections that were used for past research. The majority of the samples and scientific collections preserved and maintained by the samples repository come from field activities sponsored by the WHCMSC. Field activities originating from all three USGS Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program science centers (Woods Hole; St. Petersburg, Florida; and Santa Cruz, California) and from activities with participation from program personnel are assigned field activity numbers (FANs) using the field activity management and data tracking tool Compass—a specifically created software and user interface developed and maintained in-house by Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program programmers and data managers (Frances Lightsom, USGS, written commun., October 28, 2016). FAN registration includes documentation of all participating personnel, scientific objectives, equipment for acquiring data and samples, dates, and location of operation. Every sample collected in the field is associated with a FAN, and FANs are used to identify key pieces of information required to catalog and organize the samples (see the “Evaluating and Accepting Samples Submitted to the Samples Repository” section in this report). Compass is only accessible to USGS personnel in the Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program; however, field activity information is publicly available through the USGS Coastal and Marine Geoscience Data System (CMGDS; U.S. Geological Survey, 2022a).
Often legacy collections assembled by program researchers no longer with the USGS or as part of past research projects are discovered stored in offices and other locations outside the samples repository. Information related to their acquisition in the field can be traced; and information pertaining to collection and research history can be gathered by researching the available information in Compass, in the CMGDS, and from available data libraries (List and others, 2015). This information can be used to incorporate these legacy collections into the working collections managed by the samples repository.
Upon discovery, legacy collections may be determined to be in poor condition. Samples that have deteriorated or been damaged beyond any useful value for further scientific study or are lacking essential collection information to identify their condition and origin will not be accepted into the samples repository (see the “Evaluating and Accepting Samples Submitted to the Samples Repository” section of this report).
Samples in a legacy collection that do not have an associated FAN but which are donated into the permanent custody of the WHCMSC and are accompanied by sufficient information for identification and their collection history may be considered for inclusion into the samples repository. If these samples are accepted for inclusion, a new FAN is registered by using available information; these donated collections are evaluated in the same manner as legacy collections.
It is the responsibility of project scientists to ensure there is storage space and resources available to accommodate the incoming samples originating from field activities sponsored by the WHCMSC before starting any sample collection field activity. The principal investigator or collecting scientist contacts the samples repository curator of geologic collections and provides preliminary information about all sample collection activities. The principal investigator or collecting scientist lists for the curator an approximate number of samples to be recovered, the type of samples to be collected, and storage required (ambient, refrigerated, or frozen) to preserve them. This information is used to complete a collection plan required by USGS policy in USGS Instructional Memorandum CSS 2019–01 (U.S. Geological Survey, 2019b) to be created as part of all USGS project work plans describing the need for, proper care, and planned disposition of all new working collections. A collection plan template is available for USGS researchers and collections managers from U.S. Geological Survey (2020). This plan is completed and archived locally and updated as needed. Completed collection plans are used by the curator to update the samples repository holdings recorded in the USGS Registry of Scientific Collections (U.S. Geological Survey, 2022b).
Upon receipt of this information, the curator plans the storage of incoming samples. During this documentation and planning period, the curator locates and reserves space for the new samples and notifies the project scientist where the samples will be stored.
The K.O. Emery Geotechnical Wing provides secure storage for working collections: suites of samples actively used for scientific research that may be subject to consumptive analysis and are not initially intended for long-term preservation due to their expendable nature, as well as collections that have been evaluated and determined to have further scientific value to the USGS and should be preserved to ensure their scientific integrity and availability for future scientific research. Samples and collections actively being used for research may be stored in the samples repository facility for the duration of the project but may not necessarily be accepted into the samples repository until they have been evaluated as appropriate for inclusion.
Scientific collections are evaluated and periodically re-evaluated for their research potential, possible reclassification, appropriateness for acceptance and retention in the samples repository, and inclusion into the collections inventory. Those samples and collections with metadata insufficient to identify them and their collection history and those that are not deemed appropriate for continued retention on the basis of their iconic, historic, or further scientific value (based on conversations with CMHRP scientists that may have related scientific interests or in-depth knowledge of the collecting program the samples came from) will not be formally accepted into the samples repository nor included in the collections inventory.
Essential information that identifies samples and scientific collections for evaluation was defined in the USGS Geologic Collections Management System (GCMS;
a sample name or some other identifier that is unique to that sample in the context of the field activity or greater collection to which it belongs (this may be assigned in the field or by the curator upon discovery in a legacy collection);
information about the specific location of collection, preferably as geographic coordinates (however, site names and geographic features can be used to approximate collection site locations) in order to adequately display the collection location on a map for the samples managed in the samples repository [in the case of samples collected at sea (which describes the bulk of the samples repository materials), water depths recorded at the time of collection are also required];
any available information relating to the field activity, cruise, or expedition the sample came from (at the most basic level, the samples repository requires the name of the principal investigator or collecting scientist);
the date of collection for each sample; and
information pertaining to the equipment and techniques used to collect the sample, along with information or guidance on the best way to preserve the sample for the intended purpose (also, in the case of legacy collections, information on storage history that may shed light on the sample’s condition and potential use for further research).
For samples without an associated FAN, these five pieces of information can be used to initiate a FAN request (fig. 5). This newly assigned FAN is used to link samples in the collections inventory to all available information about them provided through CMGDS.
Decision tree used to evaluate scientific collections considered for inclusion in the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center (WHCMSC) Samples Repository, modified from
5. Decision tree used to evaluate scientific collections considered for inclusion in the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center (WHCMSC) Samples Repository
Samples in the samples repository are periodically re-evaluated to ensure their continued preservation and usefulness for ongoing and future research. Re-evaluation takes into consideration storage availability and limitations, as well as the physical condition of the samples, and is used to determine the appropriate disposition of the materials and minimize the loss or destruction of otherwise valuable samples.
The recommended method to submit collections metadata to the samples repository is to electronically send all information directly to the curator. To organize and document this information, the WHCMSC has made available a Microsoft Excel template (U.S. Geological Survey, undated a). These metadata are then formatted into a collections inventory database, which provides search access to the samples repository’s holdings through the samples repository inventory search page (
Samples or suites of samples from environmental studies may contain preservatives, such as formalin or sodium azide, or trace amounts of heavy metals, such as mercury, that may be harmful to humans. Any samples submitted to the samples repository that may contain any concentration of toxic preservatives, heavy metal content, asbestos, radioactivity, or any other suspected hazard must be explicitly identified as such before the materials are accepted. The curator consults with local safety officers on the appropriateness of retaining these materials onsite or, if needed, determines if these sample collections would be better kept elsewhere to prevent possible harm through exposure to toxic elements.
Available storage in the samples repository is divided into six locations. Each location has been assigned an identifying code (
1. Available storage locations in the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository and the identifying codes used to identify these locations
[WHCMSC, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center; USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; WHOI, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution]
| Location code | Storage location |
| CURATOR | Storage space in the USGS office of the curator of geologic collections |
| FR01 | Frozen storage space in the WHCMSC K.O. Emery Geotechnical Wing |
| LAB | Short-term dry storage space in the WHCMSC K.O. Emery Geotechnical Wing |
| MOF | Long-term dry storage space at the WHCMSC Marine Operations Facility |
| RE01 | Refrigerated storage space in the WHCMSC K.O. Emery Geotechnical Wing |
| WHOI | Long-term dry storage space at the WHOI Core Lab repository |
Specific storage within each space in the K.O. Emery Geotechnical Wing (RE01, FR01, and LAB) is further broken down to specify the precise location of sample collections, facilitating retrieval. Individual shelving units on the rolling storage racks, as well as stationary shelves, core racks, and mobile storage carts, have been assigned section numbers. Each shelf is also numbered, starting at 01 on the top shelf and continuing downward. These three components (storage location, section number, and shelf number [where available]) are combined into a single storage identification number, which is assigned to each inventoried sample in the samples repository. As an example, samples stored in refrigerated space, in section 02, on the third shelf from the top, would be given the location identifier RE01.02.03. Updated information on the current [2022] layout and storage schematics of the K.O. Emery Geotechnical Wing can be found on the samples repository facilities page (U.S. Geological Survey, undated b).
The samples repository uses barcode labels to identify samples, coordinate storage, and aid in retrieving samples. Barcodes are affixed to various containers in the samples repository and are related to individual entries in the collections inventory. Some containers may hold only one sample. For example, D-tubes may contain only one split half of a core. Other containers, such as milk crates and boxes, may contain numerous samples. The curator can use barcodes in the collections inventory to track the physical locations of individual samples in the samples repository as well as those on loan.
The collections inventory database for the samples repository is published in
The responsibility of the samples repository is to provide samples and scientific collections for research and reuse and to oversee their preservation and security. Collections of samples can be searched by using the user interface of the inventory (
Screen capture showing the user interface of the geographic information system used to search the collections inventory for the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository (
6. Screen capture showing the user interface of the geographic information system used to search the collections inventory for the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository
The user interface of the inventory allows for search and selection either through a geographic information system (GIS) display or through a web-based form for known criteria (table 2). Both options query and export selected portions of the collections inventory. Search results are downloaded as comma-separated value (CSV) files and come with customized metadata. The entire inventory and associated metadata may also be downloaded as a CSV file.
2. Search fields and definitions in the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository
| Search field | Explanation |
| Platform | Search by platform name or vessel used to collect the samples |
| Scientist | Search by the name, or partial name, of the principal investigator or collecting scientist |
| Activity | Search by the field activity number assigned to the cruise |
| Sample type | Select from a list of sample types available |
| Device | Select from a list of collection devices |
| Date collected | Select dates by using the calendar picker |
Samples needed for research can be requested through request forms (U.S. Geological Survey, undated c); request forms include information about the samples repository’s policies on loan requests, resampling, and data return. The samples repository makes every effort to fulfill sample requests and aid in research whenever possible. Onsite resampling visits are initiated through these sample request forms; access to the samples repository facilities is coordinated through the curator.
The samples repository maintains that principal investigators, collecting scientists, and project researchers have exclusive use of all samples and scientific collections for the tenure of the original project for which they were collected. For this reason, sample requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the curator in consultation with project principal investigators, if they are available, to determine the status of their research and the availability of associated samples.
All sample requests are addressed upon receipt, and the individual initiating the request is notified by email regarding the status of their request and the availability of the samples. Once the request has been approved, the curator completes and distributes a sample loan agreement form, which the requesting individual signs and returns to the samples repository before any sample material is made available.
By signing the sample loan agreement form, the requesting individual acknowledges the conditions outlined in this section and assures that the conditions will be met during the duration of the loan. The curator returns a copy of the sample loan agreement form to the individual making the request after the sample request has been approved.
All samples loaned out for research, along with copies of datasets derived from analysis and citations for any publications that have used data derived from the analysis of these samples, are returned to the samples repository at the borrower’s expense, no later than the agreed upon date stated at the top of the sample loan agreement form or within 1 week if an earlier return is requested by the curator. According to the terms of the loan, datasets containing data derived from WHCMSC samples are to link to the collecting field activity information provided online through CMGDS. Samples approved for consumptive analyses as described in the loan request will not be assigned a term.
Samples on loan are for the sole use of the person or persons stated on the sample loan agreement form. The borrower will not loan, deliver, lease, or transfer the samples to any other group or entity. When displaying the samples or publishing the results of any resulting research, the borrower should clearly state that these samples belong to the USGS and give proper credit to the source of the sample. If samples are under the ultimate authority of the landowner or agency managing the location where the samples were collected (such as the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, or Tribal authorities), the curator contacts the proper authority to request authorization to loan samples for a requester and for terms to be included in the loan on behalf of the landowner or agency.
In the sample request form or email correspondence, the requester should clearly explain all proposed tests and anticipated alterations planned for the samples while they are in the borrower’s care. Requests may be negotiated or denied if there is not enough sample material available for the intended analyses based on the proposed analytical methods. Samples on loan should be used only for the research and data extraction purposes stated on the sample loan agreement form. The curator must be contacted if further analyses are needed.
The samples repository recognizes that many analytical methods are destructive in nature. However, unless it is agreed that the sample or any part of it will not be returned to the samples repository after analysis, the borrower is responsible for reporting any damage or loss of material to the curator upon return of the samples.
Samples and scientific collections fulfilling the five-point standard that are formally accepted and inventoried into the samples repository are the responsibility of the principal investigator or collecting scientist in cooperation with the curator. These samples and scientific collections will be cared for and available for reuse as a long-term resource. Should storage conditions change or space considerations arise, it is the duty of the WHCMSC center director and the curator, in consultation with the principal investigator or collecting scientist, if available, to locate alternate storage or disposition solutions for the samples. Alternate storage locations may be at another USGS facility or in an appropriate repository outside the USGS. Final authorization for any transfer of custody of scientific collections to repositories outside the Bureau must come from USGS associate directors or officials representing the landowner or agency managing the location where the samples were collected.
The Sundry Civil Act of March 3, 1879 (20 USC §59), as amended, directs that: “All collections of rocks, minerals, soils, fossils, and objects of natural history, archaeology, and ethnology, made by the National Ocean Survey, the United States Geological Survey, or by any other parties for the Government of the United States, when no longer needed for investigations in progress shall be deposited in the National Museum.”
If the NMNH declines the offer to accept the samples into their custody, the WHCMSC center director and curator, in consultation with principal investigators, collecting scientists, and appointed WHCMSC advisors, will give due diligence to locating alternate storage and determine the final disposition for these samples by following the decision tree diagram in
If all avenues for transfer have been exhausted, the curator, in consultation with the WHCMSC center director, may proceed with disposal and destruction of these samples in accordance with Federal, State, and local regulations. Disposal and destruction actions will be documented to account for these samples and to justify disposal decisions.
The USGS has been collecting samples for research and analysis since its formation in 1879. These samples and scientific collections represent the scientific legacy of the USGS and are an invaluable resource for further study and investigations. It is the responsibility of USGS scientists and managers to preserve the scientific integrity of these samples and collections to meet the USGS scientific mission (U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).
The USGS National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program was established in accordance with the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program Act of 2005 (42 USC 15908), to develop a uniform way to manage collections of geological and geophysical data, ensure their preservation, and ensure access (accomplished by forming the Geologic Materials Repository Working Group, an assembly of researchers and collections managers charged with formulating a comprehensive and adaptable collections management plan to accommodate the varied types of collections throughout the USGS. The working group published “The U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Collections Management System (GCMS)—A Master Catalog and Collections Management Plan for the USGS Geologic Samples Collections” (
The USGS established a national governing body to advise USGS leadership and management on establishing scientific policies and protocols for the management of USGS scientific working collections as well as interfacing with local USGS science centers, researchers, and curators to facilitate the implementation of these policies. To coordinate management and stewardship of USGS scientific collections, the USGS Collections Steering Committee (CSC) was chartered under USGS Survey Manual chapter 308.76 (
In 2019, the USGS presented its policy on scientific working collections, released as Instructional Memorandum CSS 2019–01 (