Nearshore bathymetry data from the Unalakleet River mouth, Alaska, 2019

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
Nearshore bathymetry data from the Unalakleet River mouth, Alaska, 2019
Abstract:
This data release presents nearshore bathymetry data collected at the mouth of the Unalakleet River in Alaska, near the city of Unalakleet. The data were collected in August 2019 by the U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center. Nearshore bathymetry was measured along survey lines from the shore to a depth of approximately -7.4 m NAVD88 and in a portion of the estuary closest to the mouth. Bathymetry data were collected using small boat equipped with a single-beam sonar system and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver. The sonar system consisted of an Odom Echotrac CV-100 single-beam echosounder and 200 kHz transducer with a 9-degree beam. Depths from the seafloor to the echosounder were calculated using the digitized acoustic backscatter and sound velocity profiles, measured in multiple locations using a YSI CastAway CTD. The position of the boat and echosounder was recorded at 10 Hz using a Trimble R7 receiver and Zephyr 2 antenna. Survey-grade vertical and horizontal positions were achieved by applying differential corrections from a nearby GNSS base station installed for the purposes of this survey.
Supplemental_Information:
Additional information about the field activity from which these data were derived is available online at:
https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2019-629-FA
Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Although this Federal Geographic Data Committee-compliant metadata file is intended to document the data set in nonproprietary form, as well as in Esri format, this metadata file may include some Esri-specific terminology.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Snyder, Alexander G., Johnson, Cordell D., Gibbs, Ann E., and Erikson, Li H., 20210719, Nearshore bathymetry data from the Unalakleet River mouth, Alaska, 2019: data release DOI:10.5066/P9238F8K, U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, California.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -160.863919
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -160.766694
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 63.881365
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 63.846674
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 09-Jul-2019
    Ending_Date: 12-Jul-2019
    Currentness_Reference:
    ground condition at time data were collected
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: comma-delimited text
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
      This is a Point data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):
      • Point (895748)
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
      Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes are given to the nearest 0.00000001. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.00000001. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal Degrees. The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983, 2011 realization.
      The ellipsoid used is GRS_1980.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.0.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257222101.
      Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:
      Altitude_System_Definition:
      Altitude_Datum_Name: North American Vertical Datum of 1988
      Altitude_Resolution: 0.001
      Altitude_Distance_Units: meters
      Altitude_Encoding_Method:
      Explicit elevation coordinate included with horizontal coordinates
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    Attribute Table
    Table containing attribute information associated with the dataset. (Source: Producer defined)
    Survey_Date_Time
    The date and time of data collection in Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:2019-Jul-09 19:55:20.589
    Maximum:2019-Jul-12 20:27:05.249
    Units:Date and time in yyyy-mmm-dd hh:mm:ss.fff format
    Resolution:0.001
    Longitude
    Longitude coordinate of data point relative to the North American Datum of 1983, 2011 realization (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-160.8639194
    Maximum:-160.7666941
    Units:Decimal degrees
    Resolution:0.0000001
    Latitude
    Latitude coordinate of data point relative to the North American Datum of 1983, 2011 realization (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:63.84667372
    Maximum:63.88136471
    Units:Decimal degrees
    Resolution:0.0000001
    Easting_m
    Easting coordinate of data point relative to the North American Datum of 1983, 2011 realization, projected to the Universal Transverse Mercator, Zone 4. (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:408372.883
    Maximum:413201.097
    Units:Meters
    Resolution:0.001
    Northing_m
    Northing coordinate of data point relative to the North American Datum of 1983, 2011 realization, projected to the Universal Transverse Mercator, Zone 4. (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:7081260.852
    Maximum:7085018.336
    Units:Meters
    Resolution:0.001
    Ellip_Ht_m
    Height in meters of data point with reference to the reference ellipsoid. (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.324
    Maximum:9.366
    Units:Meters
    Resolution:0.001
    Ortho_Ht_m
    Height in meters of data point with reference to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988. (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-7.416
    Maximum:1.598
    Units:Meters
    Resolution:0.001

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
    • Alexander G. Snyder
    • Cordell D. Johnson
    • Ann E. Gibbs
    • Li H. Erikson
  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?

Data were collected to create a digital elevation model of the nearshore bathymetry for use in coastal flooding models. These data are intended for science researchers, students, policy makers, and the general public. These data can be used with geographic information systems or other software to identify shallow-water bathymetric features.

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: 12-Jul-2019 (process 1 of 3)
    Bathymetry data were collected between July 9 and July 12, 2019, using a single-beam sonar system and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver mounted on a small boat. The sonar system consisted of an Odom Echotrac CV-100 single-beam echosounder and 200 kHz transducer with a 9-degree beam angle. Raw acoustic backscatter returns were digitized by the echosounder with a vertical resolution of 1.25 cm. Depths from the echosounder was computed using sound velocity profiles measured using a YSI CastAway CTD during the survey. Positioning of the survey vessel was determined at 10 Hz using survey-grade GNSS receiver. Output from the GNSS receiver and sonar system were combined in real time on the small boat by a computer running HYPACK hydrographic survey software. Navigation information was displayed on a computer monitor, allowing the boat operator to navigate along survey lines at speeds of 2 to 3 m/s.
    Date: 23-Apr-2020 (process 2 of 3)
    Survey-grade positions were achieved with a single-base station and differential post-processing. The position of the GNSS base station was derived from four static GNSS occupations from July 7 to July 12, 2019, with durations ranging from 3 to 13 hours. The static observations were processed using the National Geodetic Survey Online Positioning User Service (OPUS) and averaged to derive the final base station coordinates relative to the North American Datum of 1983 (2011 realization). Positioning data from the survey vessel’s GNSS receiver were post-processed using Waypoint Grafnav to apply differential corrections from the GNSS base station. Orthometric elevations relative to the NAVD88 vertical datum were computed using National Geodetic Survey Geoid12b offsets. Bathymetric data were merged with post-processed positioning data and spurious soundings were removed using a custom Graphical User Interface (GUI) programmed with the computer program MATLAB. The final point data from the survey vessel was projected in cartesian coordinates using the Universal Transverse Mercator Zone 4 North, meters coordinate system.
    Date: 12-May-2021 (process 3 of 3)
    All available bathymetry data from the survey were compiled into a comma-delimited text file for distribution.
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
    International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), 2008, IHO standards for hydrographic surveys (6th ed.).

    Online Links:

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

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
    No formal attribute accuracy tests were conducted.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    Survey-grade positions of the small boat were achieved with global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers and a single GNSS base station. The position of the GNSS base station was derived from four static GNSS occupations from July 7 to July 12, 2019, with durations ranging from 3 to 13 hours. The static observations were processed using the National Geodetic Survey Online Positioning User Service (OPUS) and averaged to derive the final base station coordinates relative to the North American Datum of 1983 (2011 realization). Positioning data from the survey vessels were post-processed using Waypoint Grafnav to apply differential corrections from the GNSS base station. Manufacturer reported accuracy for the differentially corrected horizontal positions for the GNSS rover trajectories is 0.8 cm + 0.5 ppm. Baselines from the GNSS base station varied between 0.1 km and 4.5 km with a mean of 1 km, suggesting the average horizontal accuracy of survey vessel positions to be about 1 cm. Uncertainty in the horizontal positions associated with pitch and roll of the survey vessels is unknown.
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
    Uncertainty in the final elevations is derived from the combination of uncertainty in the GNSS positioning and bathymetric sounding measurements. Manufacturer reported accuracy for the differentially corrected vertical positions for the GNSS rover trajectories is 1.5 cm + 1 ppm relative to the benchmark elevation. Baselines from the GNSS base station varied between 0.1 m and 4.5 km with a mean of 1 km, suggesting the average vertical accuracy of survey vessel positions to be about 2.5 cm. The manufacturer of the single-beam echosounder used in this study reports a vertical accuracy of 1 cm. Additional uncertainty in the final computed elevations data is related to unmeasured variability in the speed of sound used to compute depths from bathymetric soundings and, thus, is depth-dependent. Based on analysis of available speed of sound measurements, we estimate uncertainties in the final depth soundings to be no greater than 1 percent of the water depth. The total vertical uncertainty is calculated using the constant- and depth-dependent factors summed in quadrature (International Hydrographic Organization, 2008). The vertical uncertainty in final elevations varied between 3 cm and 8 cm with a mean vertical uncertainty of 4 cm. Uncertainty in the vertical positions associated with pitch and roll of the survey vessels is unknown.
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    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?
    All data falls within expected ranges.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
Access_Constraints: none
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. Please recognize and acknowledge the U.S. Geological Survey as the originator of the dataset and in products derived from these data. This information is not intended for navigation purposes.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    U.S. Geological Survey - ScienceBase
    Denver Federal Center, Building 810, Mail Stop 302
    Denver, CO

    1-888-275-8747 (voice)
    sciencebase@usgs.gov
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? Bathymetry data are available as a comma-delimited text file (unk19_july_bathymetry.csv), along with associated metadata.
  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?

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 19-Jul-2021
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/ScienceBase/DR_P9238F8K/unk19_july_bathymetry_metadata.faq.html>
Generated by mp version 2.9.50 on Tue Sep 21 18:17:22 2021