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USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program

Field Activity Details for field activity 1989-008-FA

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Other ID: DEB-89-1; DEBB 89-1

Status: Completed

Organization(s): USGS, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Funding Program(s):

Principal Investigator(s): Harley J. Knebel

Affiliate Investigator(s):

Information Specialist(s):

Data Type(s): Seismics: Bubble Gun, Location-Elevation: Navigation, Sampling: Geology, Seismics: Boomer, Seismics: Sub Bottom Profiler, Sonar: Sidescan

Scientific Purpose/Goals: As part of the proposed regional Coastal Dynamics Program to be conducted jointly with the State Geological Surveys of Alabama and Mississippi, the USGS conducted a pilot survey in Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound. During this test cruise we wanted to determine if we could obtain usable acoustic profiles and records in these two shallow water environments. Both the bay and sound have very shallow water depths and extensive areas of fine-grained sediments, which contain interstitial gas.

Vehicle(s):

Start Port/Location: Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL

End Port/Location: Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL

Start Date: 1989-05-02

End Date: 1989-05-04

Equipment Used: Datasonics Bubble Pulser System, ORE GeoPulse, ORE 140 transceiver/1036 transducer sub-bottom profiler, Dredge, Megapulse Accufix 500 LORAN-C, Single channel hydrophone, Klein 531 sidescan

Information to be Derived:

Summary of Activity and Data Gathered: The following seismic systems were tested during the first day of the cruise: (1) ORE GeoPulse System; (2) Data Sonics Bubble Pulser System; (3) ORE 3.5 kHz System; and (4) Klein Sidescan Sonar System. However, only the ORE GeoPulse and 3.5 kHz Systems were used subsequently along the survey lines. Sediment samples of the bottom were collected by Richard Hummell and Steven Parker using a bucket dredge. These samples were collected at opportune times when the ship was not underway. Originally scheduled for 4 days, the cruise was shortened to 3 days due to poor weather. 2 May: field testing various seismic systems; 9 bottom samples collected. 3 May: running survey lines using GeoPulse and 3.5 kHz sub-bottom systems; 6 bottom samples collected. 4 May: GeoPulse survey line only; 12 bottom samples collected. (Total: 4 tracklines, 27 bucket dredge grabs.)

Staff: Ronald C. Circe, Kenneth F. Parolski

Affiliate Staff:
Geological Survey of Alabama: Richard Hummell (Scientist)
Steven Parker (Scientist)

Notes: Original Center People field contained: Ronald Circe (Scientist and Cruise Curator), Ken Parolski (Electronics Technician).
Project = Common Services, Common Services

Location:

Mobile Bay, Mississippi Sound, Alabama, Mississippi, United States, Gulf of Mexico, North America, North Atlantic;

Boundaries
North: 30.5 South: 30.25 West: -88.17 East: -87.83

Platform(s):


Deborah B

Publications

Portals/Viewers

Documents associated with this activity

Title Survey Equipment Description
Cruise report (document not focused on specific equipment) Chief Scientist's cruise report including personnel, purpose, equipment, tabulated information, cruise narrative, trackmaps, sample locations.
Geophysics log (document not focused on specific equipment) Geophysical log describing Geopulse configuration, data acquisition, start and end of lines, tapes, rolls, equipment performance

Data Acquired

Survey EquipmentSurvey InfoData Type(s)Data Collected
Datasonics Bubble Pulser System --- Bubble Gun
ORE GeoPulse --- Boomer
ORE 140 transceiver/1036 transducer sub-bottom profiler --- Sub Bottom Profiler
Dredge --- Biology
Geology
Megapulse Accufix 500 LORAN-C --- Navigation
1989-008-FA-LN-001-01 (Western cruise track line map with line numbers and 5 minute tics.)
1989-008-FA-LN-001-02 (Eastern cruise track line map with line numbers and 5 minute tics. )
1989-008-FA-LN-001 (Navigation trackline plot for field activity 89008)
1989-008-FA-LN-002 (Floppy disk(s) containing NV-MEGAPULSE, NV-MEGAPULSE, NV-MEGAPULSE, )
Single channel hydrophone --- Air Gun / Water Gun
Boomer
Bubble Gun
Sparker
Sub Bottom Profiler
1989-008-FA-SE-001 (VHS digital tapes for line(s) )
Klein 531 sidescanequipment was used only for test purposesSidescan
No data was collected

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