Surface sediment physical parameters data collected in August 2015 from Dauphin Island and the surrounding areas

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
Surface sediment physical parameters data collected in August 2015 from Dauphin Island and the surrounding areas
Abstract:
Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center collected 303 surface sediment samples from Dauphin Island, Alabama, and the surrounding water bodies in August 2015. These sediments were processed to determine physical characteristics such as organic content, bulk density, and grain-size. The environments where the sediments were collected include high and low salt marshes, over-wash deposits, dunes, beaches, sheltered bays, and open water. Sampling by the USGS was part of a larger study to assess the feasibility and sustainability of proposed restoration efforts for Dauphin Island, Alabama, and assess the island’s resilience to rising sea level and storm events. The data presented in this publication can be used by modelers to attempt validation of hindcast models and create predictive forecast models for both baseline conditions and storms. This study was funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, via the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund. This report serves as an archive for sedimentological data derived from surface sediments. Downloadable data are available as Excel spreadsheets, JPEG files, and formal Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata (data downloads).
Supplemental_Information:
This publication contains data for field activities conducted in August 2015 (15BIM09-DA). Additional survey and data details are available at http://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2015-322-FA.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Ellis, Alisha M., Marot, Marci E., Smith, Christopher G., and Wheaton, Cathryn J., 20170410, Surface sediment physical parameters data collected in August 2015 from Dauphin Island and the surrounding areas: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series DS1046.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Ellis, Alisha M., Marot, Marci E., Smith, Christopher G., and Wheaton, Cathryn J., 20170410, The Physical Characteristics of the Sediments on and Surrounding Dauphin Island, Alabama: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series DS1046, U.S. Geological Survey - St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg, Florida.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -88.34300
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -88.04000
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 30.30000
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 30.17000
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 12-Aug-2015
    Ending_Date: 20-Aug-2015
    Currentness_Reference:
    ground condition
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Tabular digital data
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    15BIM09-DA-Sediment_Parameters.xlsx.zip
    Physical lithological parameter results of surface sediment collected on and around Dauphin Island, Alabama. (Source: USGS)
    Sample ID
    Sample identification number (Source: USGS) Character string. Sample IDs listed within the table used the naming convention 15BIM09-DA-^^X. Where “15BIM09” indicates that it was the ninth field trip that falls into the category of Barrier Island Mapping during the year 2015, "DA" stands for Dauphin Island, “^^” is the site location number, and “X” is a place holder for "S" (land surface sample) or "G" (PONAR or VanVeen sediment grab sample).
    Water Content (g-water/g-wet)
    The ratio of mass of water to the mass of wet sediment in the individual sample interval, measured in grams of water per grams of wet sediment (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.00
    Maximum:0.85
    Dry Bulk Density (g/cm^3)
    Dry bulk density of the sediment measured in grams per cubic centimeter. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.14
    Maximum:1.75
    Porosity (cm3 voids/cm3 wet)
    Porosity in each sample interval measured in cubic centimeter of void space per cubic centimeter of wet sediment. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.00
    Maximum:0.93
    Loss On Ignition (g-OM/g-dry)
    The ratio of the mass of organic matter combusted at 450 Celsius to the pre-combusted mass of dry sediment measured in grams of organic matter to grams of dry sediment. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.0000
    Maximum:0.3154
    QA Physical Parameters
    Quality Assurance codes for the variables associated with the physical parameters data. (Source: USGS) Character string. J means the sample failed QA criteria; BB means the reported concentration is below or equal to detection limit; D means there was insufficient material for analysis; 0 means the sample passed QA inspection.
    QA Loss On Ignition
    Quality Assurance codes for the variables associated with Loss On Ignition. (Source: USGS) Character string. J means the sample failed QA criteria; BB means the reported concentration is below or equal to detection limit; D means there was insufficient material for analysis; 0 means the sample passed QA inspection.

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
    • Alisha M. Ellis
    • Marci E. Marot
    • Christopher G. Smith
    • Cathryn J. Wheaton
  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 - St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Attn: Alisha M. Ellis
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    US

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

Why was the data set created?

The 15BIM09-DA-Sediment_Parameters.xlsx.zip file includes all bulk lithologic analysis results from surface sediments collected on and around Dauphin Island in August 2015 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center.

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: 2015 (process 1 of 4)
    At each sample location, the top 1 cm of the recovered, undisturbed surface material was subsampled for sediment characterization, placed in individual storage bags, and stored on ice. The surface samples were transported to the USGS SPCMSC. Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Attn: Alisha M. Ellis
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    U.S.

    (727) 502-8000 (voice)
    aellis@usgs.gov
    Date: 2015 (process 2 of 4)
    In the laboratory, samples were homogenized. The sediment parameters subsample from each sample location was processed for basic sediment characteristics: dry bulk density and porosity. Water content, porosity, and dry bulk density were calculated by determining water mass lost during drying. Known volumes of each wet subsample, usually 30 – 60 mL, were packed into a graduated syringe with 0.5 cm-3 (cubic centimeter) resolution. The wet sediment was then extracted into a pre-weighed aluminum tray and the wet sediment's weight was recorded. The wet sediment and tray were placed in a drying oven for 48 hours at 60 °C. Water content was determined as the mass of water (lost when dried) relative to the initial wet sediment mass. Porosity was estimated using the equation provided in the report associated with with metadata record (http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/1046/ds1046_methods.html). Salt-mass contributions were removed based on the salinity measured at the time of sample collection. If salinity was not measured in the field, pore water salinity was estimated to be 30.75 for G sites (grab samples) and 25.89 for S sites (land surface samples), the average salinity values from this trip for the site type. Dry bulk density was calculated from the report equation in the document (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2015/1219/ofr2015-1219_methods.html). Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Attn: Alisha M. Ellis
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    U.S.

    (727) 502-8000 (voice)
    aellis@usgs.gov
    Date: 2015 (process 3 of 4)
    Organic matter (OM) content was determined with a mass loss technique, referred to as loss on ignition (LOI). The dry sediment from the previous process was homogenized with a porcelain mortar and pestle. Approximately 5 grams of the dry sediment was placed into a pre-weighed porcelain crucible. The mass of the dried sediment was recorded with a precision of 0.01 g on an analytical balance. The sample was then placed inside a laboratory muffle furnace with stabilizing temperature control. The furnace was heated to 110 °C for a minimum of 6 hours to remove hygroscopic water adsorbed onto the sediment particles. The furnace temperature was then lowered to 60 °C, at which point the sediments could be reweighed. The dried sediment was returned to the muffle furnace. The furnace was heated to 550 °C over 30 minutes and kept at 550 °C for 6 hours. The furnace temperature was then lowered to 60 °C, at which point the sediments could be reweighed. The mass lost during the 6-hour baking period relative to the 110 °C-dried mass is used as a metric of organic matter content. Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Attn: Alisha M. Ellis
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    U.S.

    (727) 502-8000 (voice)
    aellis@usgs.gov
    Date: 13-Oct-2020 (process 4 of 4)
    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?

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

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
    The physical parameters reported in the tables were analyzed at the USGS SPCMSC sedimentology lab. These lithologic data have not been independently verified for accuracy. Replicate analyses of loss on ignition are reported for quality assurance.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    This is a complete, processed physical parameters data file for data collected on and around Dauphin Island.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    The data includes sample ID, water content, dry bulk density, porosity, and loss on ignition.

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:
Public domain data from the U.S. Government are freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution. 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: Alisha M. Ellis
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    U.S.

    502-8000 (voice)
    aellis@usgs.gov
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? 15BIM09-DA-Sediment_Parameters.xlsx.zip
  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
    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, 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. Any use of trade, firm, or product name is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
  4. How can I download or order the data?
  5. Is there some other way to get the data?
    none
  6. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?
    The spreadsheets included in this .zip file were created for use with Microsoft Excel 2016. They may also be viewed with the Microsoft Excel viewer or by downloading a Microsoft Compatibility Pack to view with older versions of Microsoft Excel.

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 13-Oct-2020
Metadata author:
U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Attn: Alisha M. Ellis
Geologist
600 4th Street South
St. Petersburg, FL
U.S.

(727) 502-8000 (voice)
aellis@usgs.gov
Metadata standard:
Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
This page is <https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/catalog/spcmsc/DS1046_Physical_Parameter-met.faq.html>
Generated by mp version 2.9.50 on Tue Sep 21 18:18:47 2021