Multi-sensor core logger (MSCL) scans of sediment cores collected offshore Cascadia, during field activities 2020-633-FA and 2021-636-FA

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
Multi-sensor core logger (MSCL) scans of sediment cores collected offshore Cascadia, during field activities 2020-633-FA and 2021-636-FA
Abstract:
This dataset includes multi-sensor core logger (MSCL) data of sediment cores collected along the Cascadia Subduction Zone. These cores were collected by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) aboard the R/V Western Flyer in 2020 and 2021 using the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Doc Ricketts. All cores were transported to the U.S. Geological Survey's Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center sediment core logging.
Supplemental_Information:
Additional information about the field activities from which these data were derived is available online at:
https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2020-633-FA https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2021-636-FA
Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Hill, Jenna C., SeanPaul M. La Selle, Paull, Charles K., Gwiazda, Roberto, Lundsten, Eve M., Nieminski, Nora M., McGann, Mary L., Lorenson, Thomas D., Watt, Janet T., Caissie, Beth, and Starratt, Scott W., 20260108, Multi-sensor core logger (MSCL) scans of sediment cores collected offshore Cascadia, during field activities 2020-633-FA and 2021-636-FA: data release DOI:10.5066/P1JUTTAN, U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, California.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Hill, Jenna C., SeanPaul M. La Selle, Paull, Charles K., Gwiazda, Roberto, Lundsten, Eve M., Nieminski, Nora M., McGann, Mary L., Lorenson, Thomas D., Watt, Janet T., Caissie, Beth, and Starratt, Scott W., 2026, Sediment core data from offshore Cascadia - USGS field activities 2020-633-FA and 2021-636-FA: data release DOI:10.5066/P1JUTTAN, U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, CA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Suggested Citation: Hill, J.C, La Selle, S.M., Paull, C.K., Gwiazda, R., Lundsten, E.M., Nieminski, N.M., McGann, M.L., Lorenson, T., Watt, J.T., Caissie, B., and Starratt, S., 2026, Sediment core data from offshore Cascadia during field activities 2020-633-FA and 2021-636-FA: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P1JUTTAN.
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -125.22413
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -125.17323
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.71185
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.70170
  3. What does it look like?
    VC874_01_mscl_preview.jpg (JPG)
    MSCL data plotted from the .csv file for section 1 of core VC874.
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 09-Sep-2020
    Ending_Date: 31-Aug-2021
    Currentness_Reference:
    Ground conditions at time data were collected
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Comma Separated Value (CSV) tabular data
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
      Indirect_Spatial_Reference: Core ID
      This is a Point data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):
      • Point (4034)
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
      Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:
      Depth_System_Definition:
      Depth_Datum_Name: Local surface
      Depth_Resolution: 1.0
      Depth_Distance_Units: centimeters
      Depth_Encoding_Method: Attribute values
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    2020-633-FA_2021-636-FA_core_mscl.zip
    A zip file containing 24 comma delimited text files of multi-sensor core logger data. (Source: Producer defined)
    sb_depth_cm
    Depth in full core of MSCL measurement (value represents the upper edge of a 1 cm interval). (Source: Producer Defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:186
    Units:centimeters
    Resolution:1
    sect_num
    Section number of core (Source: Producer Defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1
    Maximum:2
    Resolution:1
    sect_depth_cm
    Depth in section of MSCL measurement (value represents the upper edge of a 1 cm interval). (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.0
    Maximum:156.0
    Units:centimeters
    core_thick_cm
    Approximate width of sediments in core (i.e. outside diameter of core liner minus 2x core liner wall thickness). No data values are left blank and represent intervals that extend beyond the ends of core sections or indicate poor contact between the transducers and the core liner. (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:6.917
    Maximum:7.935
    Units:centimeters
    pwave_amp_mv/v
    P-wave amplitude of sediment in sample interval. RMS value of mV transmitted through core per voltage applied. No data values are left blank and represent intervals that extend beyond the ends of core sections. P-wave amplitudes equal to 0 indicate poor contact between the transducers and the core liner. The associated P-wave velocity values are recorded but can be inaccurate when the amplitude equals 0. (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.0000
    Maximum:0.0037
    Units:mV/V (millivolts per volts applied)
    Resolution:0.0001
    pwave_vel_m/s
    P-wave velocity of sediment in sample interval. No data values are left blank and represent intervals that extend beyond the ends of core sections. (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:523.8558
    Maximum:4682.5300
    Units:m/s (meters per second)
    Resolution:0.0001
    density
    Density of sediment in sample interval. No data values are left blank and represent intervals that extend beyond the ends of core sections. (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.0062
    Maximum:1.8123
    Units:g/cc (grams per cubic centimeter)
    Resolution:0.0001
    impedance
    Acoustic impedance of sediment in sample interval. No data values are left blank and represent intervals that extend beyond the ends of core sections. (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-579.5687
    Maximum:6914.0930
    Units:kg/(s*m^2) x 10^3 (kilograms per second meter squared times 10^-3)
    Resolution:0.0001
    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview: The first line of each csv file is a header line.
    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: U.S. Geological Survey

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
    • Jenna C. Hill
    • SeanPaul M. La Selle
    • Charles K. Paull
    • Roberto Gwiazda
    • Eve M. Lundsten
    • Nora M. Nieminski
    • Mary L. McGann
    • Thomas D. Lorenson
    • Janet T. Watt
    • Beth Caissie
    • Scott W. Starratt
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Attn: PCMSC Science Data Coordinator
    2885 Mission Street
    Santa Cruz, CA

    831-427-4747 (voice)
    pcmsc_data@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

As part of a multi-year project focused on characterizing offshore marine geohazards (tsunamis, earthquakes, and landslides), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program is collaborating with MBARI to conduct research along the Cascadia subduction zone. To gain a better understanding of the geologic hazards of the region, improve risk assessments for local communities and critical infrastructure, and to provide data for future research on regional tectonic, sedimentary, and geomorphic evolution of the coastal Pacific northwest, the USGS and MBARI collected sediment cores to enable a detailed investigation of Cascadia's geologic history and ongoing activity.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    Date: 2022 (process 1 of 1)
    Cores were segmented into 150 cm (or shorter) sections. Multi-sensor core logger (MSCL) data were acquired on a Geotek MSCL-S system (www.geotek.co.uk/products/mscl-s/). Each core was scanned through the system and measured simultaneously for gamma density and compressional (P) wave velocity. Cores with multiple segments are composited into a single comma delimited text CSV file. Total depth in core, depth in an individual core segment, and core segment numbers are provided in the CSV files. File names correspond to the names of each core. For example, '2020_633_DR1282_VC874.csv' corresponds to both sections of vibracore 'VC874'. A list of MSCL CSV files is included in this data release in the 2020-633-FA_2021-636-FA_cores.csv file.
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
    Quality control of attribute accuracy was conducted during field data collection and processing workflows.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
    Core depth values are relative to the top of sediment in the uppermost core section. Coring-induced compaction, if any, was not determined. No formal vertical accuracy tests were conducted.
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    The dataset is considered complete for the information presented, as described in the abstract. Users are advised to read the rest of the metadata record carefully for additional details.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    No formal logical consistency tests were conducted.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
Access_Constraints No access constraints
Use_Constraints USGS-authored or produced data and information are in the public domain from the U.S. Government and are freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution. These data are marked with a Creative Common CC0 1.0 Universal License. Please recognize and acknowledge the U.S. Geological Survey as the originator(s) of the dataset and in products derived from these data.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    U.S. Geological Survey - CMGDS
    2885 Mission Street
    Santa Cruz, CA

    1-831-427-4747 (voice)
    pcmsc_data@usgs.gov
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? MSCL CSV files are provided in a zip archive (2020-633-FA_2021-636-FA_cores_mscl.zip). Please contact the PCMSC Data Coordinator about availability.
  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
    Unless otherwise stated, all data, metadata and related materials are considered to satisfy the quality standards relative to the purpose for which the data were collected. Although these data and associated metadata have been reviewed for accuracy and completeness and approved for release by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the display or utility of the data on any other system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty.
  4. How can I download or order the data?
    • Availability in digital form:
      Data format: Zip file contains MSCL data from cores in CSV format. in format comma-delimited text (version NA) Size: 0.189
      Network links: https://doi.org/10.5066/P1JUTTAN
    • Cost to order the data: None.

  5. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?
    CSV files can be viewed with any standard table editing software (for example, excel, numbers).

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 08-Jan-2026
Metadata author:
U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Attn: PCMSC Science Data Coordinator
2885 Mission Street
Santa Cruz, CA

831-427-4747 (voice)
pcmsc_data@usgs.gov
Metadata standard:
Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
This page is <https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/catalog/pcmsc/DataReleases/CMGDS_DR_tool/DR_P1JUTTAN/2020-633-FA_2021-633-FA_cores_mscl_metadata.faq.html>
Generated by mp version 2.9.51 on Fri Jan 16 11:53:35 2026