Sediment Sample Locations Collected in August 2015 from Dauphin Island and the surrounding areas

Metadata also available as - [Outline] - [Parseable text] - [XML]

Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
Sediment Sample Locations 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:
At all sites, coordinates were obtained by either commercially available hand-held Global Positioning System (GPS) or boat mounted chart plotters. The terrestrial sampling locations field setup consisted of a rover GPS unit used to collect data at each sample site, and two base stations. Base stations were established approximately 11 kilometers (km) apart to ensure coverage throughout the island.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Ellis, Alisha M., Marot, Marci E., Smith, Christopher G., and Wheaton, Cathryn J., 20170410, Sediment Sample Locations 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?
      This is a Point data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):
      • Point (303)
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
      Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: Universal Transverse Mercator
      Universal_Transverse_Mercator:
      UTM_Zone_Number: 16N
      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 0.001
      Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.001
      Planar coordinates are specified in Meters
      The horizontal datum used is WGS84.
      The ellipsoid used is WGS84.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378145.
      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?
    15BIM09-DA-Site_Information.xlsx.zip
    Microsoft Excel workbook defining the location of each sediment sample site collected is August 2015 from Dauphin Island and the surrounding ares. (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).
    Date Collected
    Date sample was collected (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:8/12/15
    Maximum:8/20/15
    Units:m/dd/yy
    Resolution:1 day
    Arrival Time
    Time that workers arrived at the sample site in 24-hour clock format. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:8:36
    Maximum:18:21
    Units:24-hour clock format
    Departure Time
    Time that workers departed the sample site in 24-hour clock format. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:9:28
    Maximum:18:25
    Units:24-hour clock format
    Latitude (WGS84)
    Latitude of site location, in decimal degrees (WGS84) (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:30.17083
    Maximum:30.30692
    Units:decimal degrees
    Resolution:0.00001
    Longitude (WGS84)
    Longitude of site location, in decimal degrees (WGS84) (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-88.34267
    Maximum:-88.04046
    Units:decimal degrees
    Resolution:0.00001
    Elevation (NAVD88 G12A) (m)
    Elevation (orthometric height) of site location, in meters (NAVD88, GEOID 12A) for land sites only. Blank cells indicate a water site. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.0963
    Maximum:4.2659
    Elevation Flag
    Indicates confidence in elevation accuracy determined during calculation of the DGPS location. O indicates full confidence while J indicates a potential error due to satellite acquisition. (Source: USGS) Character string.
    Garmin or Direct Measurement Water Depth (m)
    The water depth, measured in meters, was measured by dropping a weighted a measuring tape into the water and recording the depth at which the weight hit the bottom (seafloor) or by a Garmin depth sounder. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.01
    Maximum:10.0
    Environment Type
    The environment assigned to the sample site by the workers. (Source: USGS) Character string.
    Vegetation Type
    The vegetation found at/around the sample site location. Data only provided for land sites where vegetation was present and identifiable. (Source: USGS) Character string.
    Sampling Equipment
    The type of equipment used at the "G"/water sample site. (Source: USGS) Character string.

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
    Attn: Alisha M. Ellis
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    USA

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

Why was the data set created?

The file Site Information.xlsx.zip includes all site information for each land and water surface sample collected during the August 2015 sampling trip by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center. Surface samples were collected on land from salt marsh, overwash, beach, and dune sites (denoted with an “S” at the end of the sample identification (ID) number) by carefully removing the top 1 centimeter (cm) of the surface sediment from the land. During the same time period, grab samples (denoted with a “G”) were collected by two research vessels (R/V), one using a petit Ponar and the other using a miniature Sea Bed Observation and Sampling System (miniSEABOSS) equipped with a VanVeen sediment sampler, video cameras, lights, and a handheld Castaway-CTD.

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 2)
    Latitude, longitude, and elevation data for each land surface site were recorded using a differential GPS (DGPS) and were constrained by post-processed differential corrections using a base station-to-rover setup. Field setup consisted of a rover GPS unit used to collect data at each sample site, and two base stations. Each base station consisted of a Thales choke-ring antenna, tripod, and Ashtech Z-Xtreme receiver, sampling at 1 hertz (Hz). The first base station was located at National Geodetic Survey (NGS) published reference point, permanent identification number (PID#) BH1755 (Station Identification (ID): 8735180; http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/benchmarks.html?id=8735180), located on the eastern side of the Island. The second base station was set up on a study specific benchmark established on the western side of the island within the city public access parking lot during the August sampling trip and will be referred to as Dauphin Island West End (DIWE). The rover unit used a similar configuration as the bases: an Ashtech Z-Xtreme receiver and geodetic antenna. Rover antenna height from the ground was measured and recorded at each site and each site was occupied for a minimum of 30 minutes. Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Attn: Nicholas Zaremba
    Researcher IV
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    USA

    (727) 502-8000 (voice)
    nzaremba@usgs.gov
    Date: 13-Oct-2020 (process 2 of 2)
    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 positional accuracy of the sample locations is determined by the accuracy of the raw position data recorded by the GPS antenna, in the World Geodectic System of 1984 (WGS84) datum, during data collection. DGPS coordinates were obtained using post-processing software packages (National Geodetic Survey On-Line Positioning User Service, OPUS, and Novatel Waypoint Product Group GrafNav).
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report: All static GPS base station sessions were processed through the On-Line Positioning User Service (OPUS) maintained by 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) for each base station. 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 sample locations was 0.00005 seconds latitude and 0.00015 seconds longitude.
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
    Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report: 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) for each base station. 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 maximum standard deviation of the base station ellipsoid height was 0.009 m and the maximum vertical error for the base station was +/- 0.016 m. The time-weighted average positions were compared with the NPS network control numbers for each base station; the time-weighted elevations for each base station occupation were within 2 standard deviations of the NPS control elevations. The NPS control coordinates were used for subsequent post processing.
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    This dataset includes the locations of surface and grab samples from Dauphin Island, Alabama collected in August 2015.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    No formal logical accuracy 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: 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
    Attn: Alisha M. Ellis
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    USA

    (727) 502-8000 (voice)
    aellis@usgs.gov
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? 15BIM09-DA-Site_Information.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, 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. 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?
    • Availability in digital form:
      Data format: This Microsoft Excel workbook contains site information for sediment samples collected on and around Dauphin Island, Alabama in August 2015 in format Microsoft Excel (version 2016) .xlsx Size: 0.042
      Network links: https://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/1046/data/15BIM09-DA-Site_Information.xlsx.zip
    • Cost to order the data: None, if obtained online

  5. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?
    This workbook was created using Microsoft Excel 2016 and can be opened using Microsoft Excel 2007 or higher; these data may also be viewed using the free Microsoft Excel Viewer (http://www.microsoft.com/).

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 23-Sep-2021
Metadata author:
U.S. Geological Survey
Attn: Alisha M. Ellis
Geologist
600 4th Street South
St. Petersburg, FL
USA

(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_Site_Information-met.faq.html>
Generated by mp version 2.9.50 on Thu Sep 23 11:18:09 2021