Gamma spectroscopy data for box core sediments collected from Barnegat Bay, New Jersey in May 2014 (U.S. Geological Survey Field Activity Number 2014-310-FA)

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
Gamma spectroscopy data for box core sediments collected from Barnegat Bay, New Jersey in May 2014 (U.S. Geological Survey Field Activity Number 2014-310-FA)
Abstract:
Barnegat Bay, located along the eastern shore of New Jersey, was significantly impacted by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed a multidisciplinary study of sediment transport and hydrodynamics to understand the mechanisms that govern estuarine and wetland responses to storm forcing. This report details the physical and chemical characteristics of surficial and downcore sediments from two areas within the bay. Eleven sites were sampled in both the central portion of the bay near Barnegat Inlet and in the southern portion of the bay in Little Egg Harbor. Laboratory analyses include Be-7, Pb-210, bulk density, porosity, x-radiographs, and grain-size distribution. These data will serve as a critical baseline dataset for understanding the current sedimentological regime and can be applied to future storms for understanding estuarine and wetland evolution. This report serves as an archive for sedimentological and radiochemical data derived from the surface sediments and box cores. Downloadable data are available as Excel spreadsheets, PDF files, and JPEG files, and includes sediment core data plots and x-radiographs, as well as, physical-properties, grain-size, alpha-spectoscopy, and gamma-spectroscopy data. Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata are available for analytical datasets in the data downloads page of this report.
Supplemental_Information: None
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Marot, Marci E., and U.S. Geological Survey, 20160301, Gamma spectroscopy data for box core sediments collected from Barnegat Bay, New Jersey in May 2014 (U.S. Geological Survey Field Activity Number 2014-310-FA): U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 993.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Marot, Marci E., Smith, Christopher G., Ellis, Alisha M., and Wheaton, Cathryn J., 20160415, Evaluating the Potential Effects of Hurricanes On Long-term Sediment Accumulation in Two Micro-tidal Sub-estuaries: Barnegat Bay and Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, USA: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 993, 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: -74.32585
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -74.12662
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 39.57150
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 39.78782
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 12-May-2014
    Ending_Date: 14-May-2014
    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?
    14BRN Box Core Gamma Spec Data.xlxs
    Gamma spectroscopy radiochemistry results of sediment box cores collected in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. (Source: USGS)
    Core ID
    Box core site number (Source: USGS) Core site identification number assigned by USGS scientist
    Depth (cm)
    Sample interval depth range measured from top of the core in centimeters (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0-1
    Maximum:4-5
    Be-7 Activity (pCi/g)
    Beryllium-7 specific activity measured in picocuries per gram of dry sediment at the date of field collection. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:Not detected
    Maximum:4.55
    Be-7 Error (+/- pCi/g)
    Beryllium-7 specific activity counting error measured in picocuries per gram of dry sediment at the date of field collection. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:Null
    Maximum:1.35
    Cs-137 Activity (pCi/g)
    Cesium-137 specific activity measured in picocuries per gram of dry sediment at the date of field collection. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:Not detected
    Maximum:Not detected
    Cs-137 Error (+/- pCi/g)
    Cesium-137 specific activity counting error measured in picocuries per gram of dry sediment at the date of field collection. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:Null
    Maximum:Null
    Pb-210 Activity (pCi/g)
    Lead-210 specific activity measured in picocuries per gram of dry sediment at the date of field collection. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:2.33
    Maximum:5.41
    Pb-210 Error (+/- pCi/g)
    Lead-210 specific activity counting error measured in picocuries per gram of dry sediment at the date of field collection. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.32
    Maximum:0.83
    Ra-226 Activity (pCi/g)
    Radium-226 specific activity measured in picocuries per gram of dry sediment at the date of field collection. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1.10
    Maximum:2.00
    Ra-226 Error (+/- pCi/g)
    Radium-226 specific activity counting error measured in picocuries per gram of dry sediment at the date of field collection. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.11
    Maximum:0.27
    Th-234 Activity (pCi/g)
    Thorium-234 specific activity measured in picocuries per gram of dry sediment at the date of field collection. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1.62
    Maximum:3.97
    Th-234 Error (+/- pCi/g)
    Thorium-234 specific activity counting error measured in picocuries per gram of dry sediment at the date of field collection. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.34
    Maximum:0.87
    K-40 Activity (pCi/g)
    Potassium-40 specific activity measured in picocuries per gram of dry sediment at the date of field collection. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:28.10
    Maximum:43.65
    K-40 Error (+/- pCi/g)
    Potassium-40 specific activity counting error measured in picocuries per gram of dry sediment at the date of field collection. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:2.19
    Maximum:4.76

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
    • Marci E. Marot
    • U.S. Geological Survey
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
    U.S. Geological Survey
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    U.S. Geological Survey - St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Attn: Marci E. Marot
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    US

    (727) 502-8057 (voice)
    mmarot@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

The 14BRN_Gamma_Spec_Data.zip file includes all gamma spectroscopy analysis results from Barnegat Bay, New Jersey collected in May 2014 (USGS FAN 2014-310-FA) by the U.S. Geological Survey, 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: 2014 (process 1 of 3)
    In the field, the cores were sectioned at 1-cm intervals for the length of the core, placed in individual storage bags, and stored on ice. The section core 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: Marci E. Marot
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    U.S.

    (727) 502-8057 (voice)
    mmarot@usgs.gov
    Date: 2014 (process 2 of 3)
    Each subsample (approximately 35 - 50 g of wet sediment) was oven-dried at 60°C for 48 hours. The dried sediment was homogenized to a fine powder using a porcelain mortar and pestle. Dried ground sediments (15 g) were sealed in airtight polypropylene containers. The sample weights and counting container geometries were matched to pre-made calibration standards. The sealed samples were allowed to sit for a minimum of 3 weeks to allow Ra-226 to come into secular equilibrium with its daughter isotopes Pb-214 and Bi-214. The sealed samples were then counted for 24 - 48 hours on a planar-style, low energy, high purity germanium, gamma-ray spectrometer. Sample count rates were corrected for detector efficiency (referenced to the IAEA RGU-1 standard), standard photopeak intensity, and self-absorption corrections using a U-238 sealed source. Activities are decay-corrected to the date of field collection. Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Attn: Marci E. Marot
    Geologist
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    U.S.

    (727) 502-8057 (voice)
    mmarot@usgs.gov
    Date: 13-Oct-2020 (process 3 of 3)
    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 radioisotopic activities reported in the Excel spreadsheets include the counting error for all samples. The critical level is reported for each core set.
  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 gamma spectroscopy data file for Barnegat Bay sediments collected during U.S. Geological Survey Field Activity 2014-310-FA.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    The data include sample depth interval in core (cm), Be-7 activity and error, Cs-137 activity and error, Pb-210 activity and error, Ra-226 activity and error, Th-234 activity and error, K-40 activity and error.

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 referenced 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: Marci E. Marot
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL
    U.S.

    502-8057 (voice)
    mmarot@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?
    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. 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. 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 spreadsheet included in this .zip file was created for use with Microsoft Excel 2010. It may also be viewed with the Microsoft Excel viewer or by downloading a Microsoft Compatibility Pack to view with older versions of Microsoft Excel. The .zip file also contains a comma delimited file (.csv) of the gamma spectroscopy radioisotopic data for box core sediments. The .csv data file contains the tabular data in plain text and may be viewed with a standard text editor.

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 04-Jan-2021
Metadata author:
U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Attn: Marci E. Marot
Geologist
600 4th Street South
St. Petersburg, FL
U.S.

(727) 502-8057 (voice)
mmarot@usgs.gov
Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
This page is <https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/catalog/spcmsc/ds993_Gamma_Spec-metadata.faq.html>
Generated by mp version 2.9.50 on Wed Sep 22 17:19:08 2021