Sediment data collected in July 2014 from around Breton and Gosier Islands, Louisiana (U.S. Geological Survey Field Activity Numbers 2014–314–FA and 14BIM04)

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
Sediment data collected in July 2014 from around Breton and Gosier Islands, Louisiana (U.S. Geological Survey Field Activity Numbers 2014–314–FA and 14BIM04)
Abstract:
Breton Island, located at the southern end of the Chandeleur Islands, supports one of Louisiana’s largest historical brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) nesting colonies. Although the brown pelican was delisted as an endangered species in 2009, nesting areas are threatened by continued land loss and are extremely vulnerable to storm impacts. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to restore Breton Island to pre-Hurricane Katrina conditions through rebuilding the shoreface, dune, and back-barrier marsh environments. Prior to restoration, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center Geologic and Morphologic Evolution of Coastal Margins project collected high-resolution geophysical (topography, bathymetry, and sub-bottom profiles) and sedimentologic data from around Breton Island to characterize the geologic framework of the island platform, nearshore, and shelf environments. These data will be used to characterize the geologic framework around Breton Island, identify potential borrow areas for restoration efforts, quantify seafloor change, and provide information for sediment transport and morphologic change models to asses island response to restoration and natural processes. Data release doi:10.5066/F79C6VKF associated with this metadata record serves as an archive of sediment data from vibracores, push cores, and submerged grab samples collected from around Breton and Gosier Islands, Louisiana, during two surveys conducted in July 2014 and January 2015 (USGS Field Activity Numbers 2014–314–FA and 2014–336–FA, respectively). Sedimentologic and stratigraphic metrics (for example, sediment texture or unit thicknesses) derived from these data can be used to ground-truth the geophysical data and characterize potential sand resources or can be incorporated into sediment transport or morphologic change models. Data collection and processing methods are described in Data Series 1037 (https://doi.org/10.3133/ds1037). Data products, including sample location tables, descriptive core logs, core photographs and x-radiographs, results of sediment grain-size analyses, and geographic information system (GIS) data files with accompanying formal Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata can be downloaded from https://doi.org/10.5066/F79C6VKF.
Supplemental_Information:
From July 13-30, 2014, USGS scientists collected 18 push cores and 38 sediment grab samples from Breton and Gosier Islands and the surrounding shallow-water environments (USGS FANs 2014–314–FA and 14BIM04). The primary goal of this survey was to acquire bathymetric data in the shallow nearshore and back-barrier areas around the islands; those data are described in a separate report (DeWitt and others, 2016). All samples were transported to the SPCMSC sediment lab for processing and analysis.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Bernier, Julie C., Kelso, Kyle W., and Tuten, Thomas M., 2017, Sediment data collected in July 2014 from around Breton and Gosier Islands, Louisiana (U.S. Geological Survey Field Activity Numbers 2014–314–FA and 14BIM04):.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Bernier, Julie C., Kelso, Kyle W., Tuten, Thomas M., Stalk, Chelsea A., and Flocks, James G., 2017, Sediment Data Collected in 2014 and 2015 from around Breton and Gosier Islands, Breton National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series DS 1037, U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg, FL.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -89.23089
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -89.04413
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 29.55624
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 29.44455
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 15-Jul-2014
    Ending_Date: 22-Jul-2014
    Currentness_Reference:
    Ground condition
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Multimedia presentation
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
      This is a Vector data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):
      • Point (56)
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
      Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: Universal Transverse Mercator
      Universal_Transverse_Mercator:
      UTM_Zone_Number: 16
      Transverse_Mercator:
      Scale_Factor_at_Central_Meridian: 0.9996
      Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: 87.0
      Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 0.0
      False_Easting: 500000.0
      False_Northing: 0.0
      Planar coordinates are encoded using coordinate pair
      Abscissae (x-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.00001
      Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.00001
      Planar coordinates are specified in Meters
      The horizontal datum used is D North American 1983.
      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: Attribute values
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    14BIM04_samplesites_FINAL.xlsx
    Microsoft Excel workbook defining the site locations and selected core metrics for sediment samples collected in July 2014 from around Breton and Gosier Islands, Louisiana (USGS FANs 2014–314–FA and 14BIM04). (Source: USGS)
    14BIM04_samplesites_FINAL.csv
    Comma-separated values text file defining the site locations and selected core metrics for sediment samples collected in July 2014 from around Breton and Gosier Islands, Louisiana (USGS FANs 2014–314–FA and 14BIM04). (Source: USGS)
    14BIM04_samplesites_FINAL.shp
    Esri shapefile defining the site locations and selected core metrics for sediment samples collected in July 2014 from around Breton and Gosier Islands, Louisiana (USGS FANs 2014–314–FA and 14BIM04). (Source: USGS)
    14BIM04_samplesites_FINAL.kml
    Keyhole Markup Language (KML) file defining the site locations and selected core metrics for sediment samples collected in July 2014 from around Breton and Gosier Islands, Louisiana (USGS FANs 2014–314–FA and 14BIM04). (Source: USGS)
    14BIM04_Cores_SumStats.xlsx
    Summary grain-size data from push cores collected from around Breton and Gosier Islands in July 2014 (USGS FANs 2014–314–FA and 14BIM04) provided as a Microsoft Excel workbook. The averaged results for all samples, including the number of runs used, the standard deviation of the averaged results, and class-size distributions, are provided for each core on its own tab. (Source: USGS)
    14BIM04_Cores_SumStats.csv
    Summary grain-size data from push cores collected from around Breton and Gosier Islands in July 2014 (USGS FANs 2014–314–FA and 14BIM04) provided as a comma-separated values text file. The averaged results for all samples, including the number of runs used, the standard deviation of the averaged results, and class-size distributions, are provided. (Source: USGS)
    14BIM04_GrabSamples_SumStats.xlsx
    Summary grain-size data from submerged grab samples collected from around Breton and Gosier Islands in July 2014 (USGS FANs 2014–314–FA and 14BIM04) provided as a Microsoft Excel workbook. The averaged results for all samples, including the number of runs used, the standard deviation of the averaged results, and class-size distributions, are provided. (Source: USGS)
    14BIM04_GrabSamples_SumStats.csv
    Summary grain-size data from submerged grab samples collected from around Breton and Gosier Islands in July 2014 (USGS FANs 2014–314–FA and 14BIM04) provided as a comma-separated values text file. The averaged results for all samples, including the number of runs used, the standard deviation of the averaged results, and class-size distributions, are provided. (Source: USGS)
    FID
    Internal feature number (Source: Esri) Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated
    Shape
    Feature geometry (Source: Esri) Geometry type defining the features
    SITE_ID
    Site identification number (Source: USGS) Character string
    NAD83_Lat
    Latitude of site location, in decimal degrees (NAD83) (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:29.44455
    Maximum:29.55624
    Units:Decimal degrees
    Resolution:0.00001
    NAD83_Lon
    Longitude of site location, in decimal degrees (NAD83) (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-89.23089
    Maximum:-89.04413
    Units:Decimal degrees
    Resolution:0.00001
    NAD83_X
    X-coordinate (easting) of site location, in meters (NAD83, UTM zone 16 N) (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:283648.850
    Maximum:301934.650
    Units:Meters
    Resolution:0.001
    NAD83_Y
    Y-coordinate (northing) of site location, in meters (NAD83, UTM zone 16 N) (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:3259291.830
    Maximum:3271375.680
    Units:Meters
    Resolution:0.001
    NAD83_Ell
    Ellipsoid height of site location, in meters (NAD83) (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-24.947
    Maximum:-23.504
    Units:Meters
    Resolution:0.001
    NAVD88_G12A_m
    Elevation (orthometric height) of site location, in meters (NAD83, GEOID 12A) (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-9.842
    Maximum:0.881
    Units:Meters
    Resolution:0.001
    SOURCE
    Elevation data source (Source: USGS)
    ValueDefinition
    bathy 100 m gridReported elevation is the cell value extracted from a 100-meter cell size bathymetric grid created from USGS bathymetric data (DeWitt and others, 2016)
    DGPSReported position information, including elevation, are the post processed Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) coordinates
    TYPE
    Sample type (Source: USGS)
    ValueDefinition
    grab sampleSubmerged sediment sample collected using a Ponar-type sampler
    push corePush core collected using an AMS sand/loose sediment probe
    LENGTH_cm
    Core length, in centimeters (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:24.5
    Maximum:51.5
    Units:Centimeters
    Resolution:0.5
    COMMENT
    Additional site information (Source: USGS) Character string
    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
    The detailed attribute descriptions for the summary statistics workbooks are provided in the included data dictionary (Grain_Size_Data-Dictionary.pdf). These metadata are not complete without this file.
    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:
    Data dictionary for grain-size data tables, in: Bernier, J.C., Kelso, K.K., Tuten, T.M., Stalk, C.A., and Flocks, J.G., 2017, Sediment Data Collected in 2014 and 2015 from around Breton and Gosier Islands, Breton National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana: U.S. Geological Survey Data Release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F79C6VKF.

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
    • Julie C. Bernier
    • Kyle W. Kelso
    • Thomas M. Tuten
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
    U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Attn: Julie C. Bernier
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    USA

    727-502-8000 (voice)
    jbernier@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

Dissemination of processed sediment data from grab samples and push cores collected from around Breton and Gosier Islands, Louisiana, in July 2014 (USGS FANs 2014–314–FA and 14BIM04).

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: 2014 (process 1 of 10)
    USGS scientists collected 18 push cores and 38 submerged grab samples collected from around Breton and Gosier Islands in July 2014 (USGS FANs 2014-314-FA and 14BIM04). Grab samples were collected using a WILDCO Petit Ponar grab sampler. Push cores were collected using an AMS sand/loose sediment soil probe lined with a 2.54-centimeter (cm) (1-inch) diameter by approximately 60-cm (2-foot) long plastic sleeve. After extraction, each core was capped, sealed, and labeled with transect location, core number, and orientation. The cores were transported to the USGS SPCMSC sediment lab for processing and analysis. Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Attn: Julie C. Bernier
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    USA

    727-502-8000 (voice)
    jbernier@usgs.gov
    Date: 2014 (process 2 of 10)
    Sample locations were recorded at the time of collection using a Garmin GPSMAP 76S handheld GPS receiver along with a physical description of each sample site. At the core sites, position and elevation data were also recorded with an Ashtech DGPS receiver and antenna, which provided more accurate horizontal and vertical control than handheld GPS systems.DGPS data were recorded concurrently throughout the survey using a similar instrument combination at a base station located at a previously installed USGS benchmark (BRET) on the northwest end of Breton Island within 15 km of the farthest sample site. An Ashtech Proflex GPS receiver recorded the 12-channel full-carrier-phase positioning signals (L1/L2) from satellites via a Thales choke-ring antenna at the base station. A similar GPS instrument combination (Ashtech Z-Xtreme receiver and Ashtech geodetic antenna) was used for the rover GPS. The base receiver and the rover receiver record their positions concurrently at 0.1- to 1-second (s) recording intervals throughout the survey. A stop-and-go rapid-static survey technique was used, with a static occupation duration of 5 minutes at each sample site. Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Attn: Julie C. Bernier
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    USA

    727-502-8000 (voice)
    jbernier@usgs.gov
    Date: 2015 (process 3 of 10)
    The coordinate values of the GPS base station (BRET) are the time-weighted average of values obtained from OPUS. The base station coordinates were imported into GrafNav, version 8.50 (Waypoint Product Group) and the data from the rover GPS (the GPS unit used to collect data at each push-core site) were post-processed to the concurrent base-station session data; baseline distances for all push-core sites were less than 15 km. The GPS data were acquired and processed in the World Geodetic System of 1984 (WGS84) (G1150) geodetic datum. Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Attn: Julie C. Bernier
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    USA

    727-502-8000 (voice)
    jbernier@usgs.gov
    Date: 2014 (process 4 of 10)
    Using the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) transformation software packages HTDP (http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/TOOLS/Htdp/Htdp.shtml), version 3.2.3 and VDatum, version 3.3 (http://vdatum.noaa.gov/), the sample locations were transformed from the GPS acquisition datum (WGS84) to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83), Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) Zone 16 north (16N) reference frame and the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88) orthometric elevation using the NGS geoid model of 2012(A) (GEOID12A). Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Attn: Julie C. Bernier
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    USA

    727-502-8000 (voice)
    jbernier@usgs.gov
    Data sources produced in this process:
    • 14BIM04_samplesites.zip
    Date: 2015 (process 5 of 10)
    Surface elevations for grab-sample sites at which DGPS data were not collected were extracted from a 100-meter by 100-meter gridded surface of USGS bathymetric data collected in July 2014 (DeWitt and others, 2016) using the Spatial Analyst Extract Values to Points tool in Esri ArcGIS version 10.2. Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Attn: Julie C. Bernier
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    USA

    727-502-8000 (voice)
    jbernier@usgs.gov
    Data sources produced in this process:
    • 14BIM04_samplesites.zip
    Date: 2015 (process 6 of 10)
    At the SPCMSC sediment laboratory, the push cores were x-rayed using an Ecotron EPX-F2800 x-ray unit at 85 kilovolts for 16 milliampere-seconds from a height of 79 cm. The x-radiograph was captured on an 11 × 14-inch phosphor cassette, which was scanned on an iCRco, Inc., iCR3600+ scanner at 254 pixels per inch and exported as a 16-bit Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) image. The raw x-radiographs show a slight anode heel effect, which is a variation in x-ray intensity along the anode-cathode axis that results in non-uniform pixel intensity across the image. This effect was corrected by subtracting a background pixel intensity template from each raw image. The anode heel effect has been mostly removed from the filtered images, and variations in the down-core pixel intensity correspond to variations in lamination densities and can be compared against other cores. Cores longer than approximately 35 cm, that did not fit onto the phosphor cassette or extended into the area at the bottom of the x-radiograph where the filter could not completely remove the heel effect, were x-rayed in "top" and "bottom" segments and then merged in Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud (CC) 2014. Images were then edited in Adobe Photoshop CC 2014 by applying a grayscale color inversion. Core-photo file names reflect this process lineage (CoreID_filt_invert.tiff or CoreID_filt_merged_invert.tiff). Each push core was then split lengthwise, photographed, described macroscopically using standard sediment-logging methods, and subsampled at 2-cm intervals for grain-size analysis. In addition to whole-core photographs (CoreID.jpg), which were taken with a Canon Powershot SX20 IS digital camera, the cores were also photographed in approximately 5-cm, overlapping segments with a Nikon COOLPIX P5000 digital camera using the macro focus mode from a fixed height. The raw images were "stitched" together using The Panorama Factory version 5.3 software, providing seamless high-resolution whole-core images (CoreID_sc_adj.jpg). Textural descriptions for the core logs are based on macroscopic observations; the quantitative grain-size data are represented by down-core plots on the core logs. Sediment color is based on the Munsell soil color system. Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Attn: Julie C. Bernier
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    USA

    727-502-8000 (voice)
    jbernier@usgs.gov
    Data sources produced in this process:
    • 14BIM04_CoreXrays.zip
    • 14BIM04_CorePhotos.zip
    • 14BIM04_CoreLogs.pdf
    Date: 2015 (process 7 of 10)
    Grain-size analyses were performed using Coulter LS 200 (grab samples) and Coulter LS 13 320 (push cores) particle-size analyzers, which use laser diffraction to measure the size distribution of sediments ranging in size from 0.4 microns (µm) to 2 millimeters (mm) (clay to very coarse-grained sand). A total of 178 samples from 18 cores and 38 grab samples were analyzed. Core samples consisted of 2-cm sections of the core based on the minimum amount of material needed for analysis. In order to prevent shell fragments from damaging the Coulter analyzers, particles greater than 1 mm in diameter were separated from all samples prior to analysis using a number 18 (1000 µm, 1 mm) U.S. standard sieve, which meets the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) E11 standard specifications for determining particle size using woven-wire test sieves. Prior to sieving, each down-core sample was dried at 60 degrees Celsius for 24 hours, and the fraction of sediment greater than 1 mm was recorded as a percentage of the bulk sample dry weight. Two subsamples from each sample were processed through the LS 200 or the LS 13 320 particle-size analyzers a minimum of three runs each. These instruments measure the particle-size distribution of each sample by passing sediment suspended in solution between two narrow panes of glass in front of a laser. Light is scattered by the particles into characteristic refraction patterns measured by an array of photodetectors as intensity per unit area and recorded as relative volume for 92 size-related channels (bins). The size-classification boundaries for each bin were specified on the basis of the ASTM E11 standard. Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Attn: Julie C. Bernier
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    USA

    727-502-8000 (voice)
    jbernier@usgs.gov
    Date: 2015 (process 8 of 10)
    The raw grain-size data were run through the free, widely available program GRADISTAT (Blott and Pye, 2001), which calculates the geometric (in metric units) and logarithmic (in phi units, Φ; Krumbein, 1934) mean, sorting, skewness, and kurtosis of each sample using the Folk and Ward (1957) method as well as the cumulative particle-size distribution. GRADISTAT also calculates the fraction of sediment from each sample by size category (for example, clay, coarse silt, fine sand) based on a modified Wentworth (1922) size scale. A macro developed by the USGS was applied to calculate the average and standard deviation of each sample (six runs per sample) and highlight runs that varied from the set average by more than plus or minus (±) 1.5 standard deviations. Excessive deviations from the mean are likely the result of equipment error or extraneous material in the sample and are not considered representative of the sample. Those runs were removed from the results and the sample average was recalculated using the remaining runs. The individual run statistics are available from https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/data-release/doi-F79C6VKF/data/14BIM04_GrainSize_RunStats.zip. The averaged results for all samples, including the number of runs used, the standard deviation of the averaged results, and class-size distributions, are summarized in a series of Excel workbooks with each core on its own tab and are available from https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/data-release/doi-F79C6VKF/data/14BIM04_GrainSize_SumStats.zip. Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Attn: Julie C. Bernier
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    USA

    727-502-8000 (voice)
    jbernier@usgs.gov
    Data sources produced in this process:
    • 14BIM04_GrainSize_SumStats.zip
    • 14BIM04_GrainSize_RunStats.zip
    Date: 19-Jan-2017 (process 9 of 10)
    Using Exchangeable image file format (Exif) data, the GPS date, time and coordinates recorded during sediment core collection were embedded in the whole-core (CoreID.jpg) and stitched (CoreID_sc_adj.jpg) image metadata. The Exif headers were initially populated by the camera’s imaging software but were subsequently updated by USGS staff to include core-related supplemental information. A Python version 2.7.3 script (UpdatePhotoEXIFv2.py) was run to incorporate location information and auxiliary details into the appropriate locations within the Exif header of each full-resolution JPEG image. The Python script used ExifTool version 10.25 to write the information to the image headers. The following tags were populated in the JPEG image headers. Information is duplicated in some tags. This was done because different software packages access different tags.
    GPS tags: The values populated are unique for each image and based on the information exported from the handheld GPS. 
    GPSLatitudeRef
GPSLatitude
GPSLongitudeRef
GPSLongitude
GPSTimeStamp
GSPDateStamp
    JPEG tags: The tag is listed along with the information used to populate it - which is the same for every image taken with a particular camera. The following information is based on the Canon PowerShot SX20 IS camera.
    comment: Photo of core collected in July 2014 from Breton and Gosier Islands, Louisiana during field activity number 2014–314–FA, alternate FAN 14BIM04 (https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2014-314-FA). Published as USGS data release DOI:10.5066/F79C6VKF.
    EXIF tags: The tag is listed along with the information used to populate it - which is the same for every image.
    ImageDescription: Photograph of sediment core collected from Breton National Wildlife Refuge, LA during 2014–314–FA. 
    Artist: U.S. Geological Survey
Copyright: Public Domain - please credit U.S. Geological Survey
    IPTC tags: The tag is listed along with the information used to populate it - which is the same for every image. 
    Credit: U.S. Geological Survey
Contact: gs-g-spcmsc_data_inquiries@usgs.gov
Keywords: Breton National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana, Breton Island, Gosier Island, 2014–314–FA, 14BIM04, push-core, grab sample, vibracore, USGS
CopyrightNotice: Public Domain - please credit U.S. Geological Survey
Caption-Abstract: Photograph of sediment core collected from Breton National Wildlife Refuge, LA during 2014–314–FA.
    XMP tags: The tag is listed along with the information used to populate it - which is the same for every image. 
    Caption: Photograph of sediment core collected from Breton National Wildlife Refuge, LA during 2014–314–FA.
    To extract the information from the image headers using ExifTool, the following command can be used (tested with ExifTool version 10.25):
    exiftool.exe -csv -f -filename -GPSTimeStamp -GPSLongitude -GPSLatitude -n -Artist -Credit -comment -keywords -Caption -Copyright -CopyrightNotice -Caption-Abstract -ImageDescription photos/*.jpg > out.csv
    The -csv flag writes the information out in a comma-delimited format. The -n option formats the latitude and longitude as signed decimal degrees. Person who carried out this activity:
    Arnell Forde
    U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Geology Science Center
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    Saint Petersburg, Florida
    U.S.A.

    727-502-8000 (voice)
    aforde@usgs.gov
    Date: 13-Oct-2020 (process 10 of 10)
    Added keywords section with USGS persistent identifier as theme keyword. Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Attn: VeeAnn A. Cross
    Marine Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA

    508-548-8700 x2251 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    vatnipp@usgs.gov
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
    Bernier, J.C., Kelso, K.W., Tuten, T.M., Stalk, C.A., and Flocks, J.G., 2017, Sediment Data Collected in 2014 and 2015 from around Breton and Gosier Islands, Breton National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 1037.

    Online Links:

    DeWitt, N.T., Fredericks, J.J, Flocks, J.G., Miselis, J.L., Locker, S.D., Kindinger, J.G, Bernier, J.C., Kelso, K.W., Reynolds, B.J., Wiese, D.S., and Browning, T.N., 2016, Archive of bathymetry and backscatter data collected in 2014 nearshore Breton and Gosier Islands, Breton National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 1005.

    Online Links:

    Blott, S.J. and Pye, K., 2001, Gradistat: A grain size distribution and statistics package for the analysis of unconsolidated sediments: Earth Surface Processes and Landforms Volume 26.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: Pages 1237-1248

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

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
    The positional accuracy of the core locations (https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/data-release/doi-F79C6VKF/data/14BIM04_samplesites.zip) is determined by the accuracy of the raw position data recorded by the Global Positioning System (GPS) antenna during data collection. Differential Geographic Positioning System (DGPS) coordinates were obtained using post-processing software packages (National Geodetic Survey On-Line Positioning User Service, OPUS, and Waypoint Product Group GrafNav, version 8.50). For the grab sample sites, the positional accuracy of the sample locations is determined by the accuracy of the Garmin GPSMAP 76S handheld GPS receiver used to locate the samples at the time of collection. The grain-size data presented in the summary statistics spreadsheets (https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/data-release/doi-F79C6VKF/data/14BIM04_GrainSize_SumStats.zip) represent the sample averages for a subset of the statistical parameters calculated by GRADISTAT. The number of runs included in the averaged results are also reported, and the standard deviation of the averaged results are reported for most parameters. Sample depths were measured to the nearest half-centimeter using a metric tape measure.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    All static GPS base-station sessions were processed through OPUS, which is maintained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Geodetic Survey (NGS). The OPUS base-station solutions were entered into a spreadsheet to compute a final, time-weighted positional coordinate (latitude, longitude, and ellipsoid height). Base-station positional error was calculated as the absolute value of the final position minus the session position value. The maximum horizontal error of the base station coordinates used for post-processing the core locations was 0.00061 seconds latitude and 0.00128 seconds longitude. For the grab samples, sample locations were recorded at the time of collection using a Garmin GPSMAP 76S handheld GPS receiver with a manufacturer's specified accuracy of 3 to 5 meters (95% typical).
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
    All static GPS base-station sessions were processed through OPUS. The OPUS base-station solutions were entered into a spreadsheet to compute a final, time-weighted positional coordinate (latitude, longitude, and ellipsoid height). Base-station positional error for each GPS session was calculated as the absolute value of the final position minus the session position value. For this survey, the standard deviation of the base station ellipsoid height was 0.014 m and the maximum vertical error for the base station was +/- 0.037 m. For the grab samples, the surface elevations of the sediment samples are the cell values extracted from a 100-meter cell size bathymetric grid created from USGS bathymetric data (DeWitt and others, 2016).
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    Data release doi:10.5066/F79C6VKF associated with this metadata record includes the geographic locations, site elevations, core descriptions, core photos, core x-rays, and grain-size data for 178 samples from 18 push cores and 38 grab samples collected from around Breton and Gosier Islands, Louisiana, in July 2014 (USGS FANs 2014–314–FA and 14BIM04).
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    Position and elevation data at each core site were recorded with an Ashtech DGPS receiver and geodetic antenna. DGPS data were recorded concurrently throughout the survey at a nearby USGS benchmark using a similar instrument combination. The final core locations, including elevation, are the post-processed DGPS coordinates; baseline distances for all core sites were less than 15 km. Grab sample locations were recorded at the time of collection using a Garmin GPSMAP 76S handheld GPS receiver. The final grab sample locations are the positions recorded in the field; the reported grab sample elevations are the cell values extracted from a 100-meter cell size bathymetric grid derived from USGS bathymetric data (DeWitt and others, 2016). The complete grain-size dataset including all GRADISTAT parameters, results of individual sample runs, and standard deviations for all sample averages are included in the unedited output files (https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/data-release/doi-F79C6VKF/data/14BIM04_GrainSize_RunStats.zip). Sample runs in the output files for which the mean Folk and Ward grain size varied from the set average by more than 1.5 standard deviations are highlighted in yellow and were not included in final averaged results.

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:
The U.S. Geological Survey requests that it be acknowledged as the originator of this dataset in any future products or research derived from these data.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Attn: Julie C. Bernier
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    USA

    727-502-8000 (voice)
    jbernier@usgs.gov
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? Downloadable data
  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
    This publication was prepared by an agency of the United States Government. Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the U.S. Geological Survey, 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 imply any such warranty. The U.S. Geological Survey shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and (or) contained herein. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof.
  4. How can I download or order the data?
  5. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?
    The sample locations table was created in Microsoft Excel 2010 and can be opened using Microsoft Excel 2007 or higher; these data may also be viewed using the free Microsoft Excel Viewer (http://office.microsoft.com/). The sample locations are also provided as comma-separated values text files (.csv) and GIS data files in Esri shapefile (.shp) and Keyhole Markup Language (KML) format; the GIS files can be opened using the free ArcGIS Explorer or Google Earth GIS viewers. The core photographs and x-radiographs are provided as high-resolution Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) and Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) formats, respectively, and can be viewed using standard image viewing software.

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 13-Oct-2020
Metadata author:
U.S. Geological Survey
Attn: Julie C. Bernier
Geologist
600 4th Street South
St. Petersburg, FL
USA

727-502-8000 (voice)
jbernier@usgs.gov
Metadata standard:
Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
This page is <https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/catalog/spcmsc/14BIM04-met.faq.html>
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