Sea-floor environments in the Hudson Canyon region (polyline shapefile, geographic, WGS 84)

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?
Who produced the data set?
Why was the data set created?
How was the data set created?
How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?
How can someone get a copy of the data set?
Who wrote the metadata?

What does this data set describe?

Title:

Sea-floor environments in the Hudson Canyon region (polyline shapefile, geographic, WGS 84)

Abstract:

The Hudson Canyon begins on the outer continental shelf off the east coast of the United States at about 100-meters (m) water depth and extends offshore southeastward across the continental slope and rise. A multibeam survey was carried out in 2002 to map the bathymetry and backscatter intensity of the sea floor of the Hudson Canyon and adjacent slope and rise. The survey covered an area approximately 205 kilometers (km) in the offshore direction, extending from about 500 m to about 4,000 m water depth, and about 110 km in the alongshore direction, centered on the Hudson Canyon. The sea floor was mapped using a SeaBeam Instruments 2112 multibeam echosounder aboard the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ship Ronald H. Brown. Maps derived from the multibeam observations show sea-floor bathymetry and backscatter intensity (a measure of sea floor texture and roughness), geomorphic provinces, and sea-floor environments (Butman and others, 2006). The sea floor was mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with Rutgers University and with support from NOAA.

Supplemental_Information:

Maps and interpretations of the multibeam echosounder data from the 2002 multibeam survey of the sea floor of the Hudson Canyon region are published in Butman and others (2006) (see cross reference). This publication includes the previously unpublished digital multibeam data and interpretations with FGDC-compliant metadata (CSDGM format). The data were collected on Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center field activity 2002-050-FA (https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2002-050-FA). Other datasets from the 2002 survey may be found in Butman and others (2017) (see larger work citation). Andrews and others (2013) (see cross reference) present a bathymetric terrain model for the Atlantic margin which includes the Hudson Canyon region.

How might this data set be cited?
Twichell, David C., 2017, Sea-floor environments in the Hudson Canyon region (polyline shapefile, geographic, WGS 84): data release DOI:10.5066/F77H1GSF, U.S. Geological survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.
Online Links:
- https://doi.org/10.5066/F77H1GSF
- https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/58fa5eade4b0b7ea5452564d
This is part of the following larger work.
Butman, Bradford, Danforth, William W., Twichell, David C., and Rona, Peter A., 2017, Bathymetry, backscatter intensity, and geomorphology of the sea floor of the Hudson Canyon and adjacent slope and rise: data release DOI:10.5066/F77H1GSF, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.
Online Links:
- https://doi.org/10.5066/F77H1GSF
Other_Citation_Details:
Suggested citation: Butman, Bradford, Danforth, W.W., Twichell, D.C., and Rona, P.A., 2017, Bathymetry, backscatter intensity, and geomorphology of the sea floor of the Hudson Canyon and adjacent slope and rise: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F77H1GSF.
What geographic area does the data set cover?
West_Bounding_Coordinate: -72.487768
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -70.081818
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 39.846475
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 37.622188
What does it look like?

https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/file/get/58fa5eade4b0b7ea5452564d?name=hc_facies_browsegraphic.jpg (JPEG)
Browse graphic of sea-floor environments in the Hudson Canyon region.
Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

Calendar_Date: 2006
Currentness_Reference:

publication date of original release of maps (with no digital data)
What is the general form of this data set?
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
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):
  - G-polygon (49)
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 .000001. Longitudes are given to the nearest .000001. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees. The horizontal datum used is D_WGS_1984.
  The ellipsoid used is WGS_1984.
  The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.000000.
  The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257224.

How does the data set describe geographic features?

hc_facies

Sea-floor environments (geologic facies) of the Hudson Canyon and adjacent slope and rise. (Source: USGS)

FID

Feature number (Source: Esri) Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

Shape

Feature geometry (Source: Esri) Coordinates defining the features.

INTERP

Interpretation of sea-floor environments (geologic facies) of the Hudson Canyon region based on multibeam bathymetry and backscatter intensity data, and high-resolution seismic profiles. (Source: USGS)

Value	Definition
failed slope	Areas of the sea floor on the continental slope that have an extensive but subtle network of scarps revealed in the multibeam bathymetry. Most of the scarps, which are attributed to mass wasting, are 20-75 m high. High-resolution seismic profiles show that the scarps truncate reflectors that underlie the stable parts of the slope to either side of the failed areas. The sea floor below the scarps is rough and commonly interrupted by additional scarps.
hemipelagic	Hemipelagic deposit. Areas of the sea floor away from submarine canyons, primarily on the continental rise, identified by a smooth sea floor with low backscatter intensity, and where subbottom profiles show closely-spaced reflections that parallel the sea floor. On the continental slope, hemipelagic sediment occupies the inter-canyon sections of the upper slope and covers less of the lower part of the slope.
mtd	Mass-transport deposits (mtd) in an area southwest of Hudson Canyon are identified by long narrow 'fingers' of high backscatter intensity material that originate near the base of the slope and extend downslope as much as 120 km to the south in shallow depressions. Mass-transport deposits northeast of Hudson Canyon are identified by areas of moderate to high backscatter intensity that begin at the base of the continental slope and cover most of the upper rise. High-resolution seismic profiles show that this area is characterized by seismically transparent layers and a rough surface.
mtd_buried	seaward portions of two fingers of mass-transport deposits (mtd) on the continental rise southwest of Hudson Canyon covered by sediment waves.
eroded strata	Areas of the sea floor along the canyon axis that appear nearly flat in the shaded relief image and floored with material showing high backscatter intensity, and areas on the canyon walls with an intricate network of gullies that indicate slope failure.
sediment waves	A field of sediment waves lies on the upper continental rise on the southwest side of Hudson Canyon, and is shown most clearly on the image of backscatter intensity. The waves begin about 25 km seaward from the base of the continental slope and extend southward about 80 km across the upper rise. The sediment waves abut the rim of Hudson Canyon for approximately 50 km. These waves have crests oriented roughly east-west and wavelengths of 900-1,500 m.

PROVINCE

Regions of the Hudson Canyon and adjacent continental slope and rise. (Source: USGS)

Value	Definition
slope	continental slope; area of the sea floor extending from about 200 m water depth offshore to 2,000-2,200 m water depth.
rise	continental rise; area of the sea floor extending from about 2,000 meters water depth offshore to beyond the southeastern edge of the survey area.

AREA

Area in sea-floor environments polygons. (Source: USGS)

Range of values
Minimum:	5800
Maximum:	4432800000
Units:	square meters

Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:

This shapefile shows sea-floor environments (geologic facies) of the Hudson Canyon and adjacent slope and rise interpreted using the multibeam bathymetry and backscatter intensity data, and selected high resolution seismic profiles in the USGS archives. The geologic facies are: failed slope, mass-transport deposits, buried mass-transport deposits, sediment waves, eroded strata, and hemipelagic sediments. The province (slope or rise) identifies the location of the various facies.

Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: U.S. Geological Survey

Who produced the data set?

Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
- David C. Twichell
Who also contributed to the data set?
To whom should users address questions about the data?

U.S. Geological Survey

Attn: David C. Twichell

Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
Woods Hole, MA

USA

508-548-8700 (voice)

dtwichell@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

This shapefile shows sea-floor environments (failed slope, mass-transport deposits, buried mass-transport deposits, sediment waves, eroded strata, and hemipelagic sediments) in the Hudson Canyon region based on backscatter intensity, physiography, and sub-bottom characteristics.

How was the data set created?

From what previous works were the data drawn?
How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

Date: 2004 (process 1 of 3)
Geologic facies (eroded strata, failed slope, hemipelagic sediments, mass-transport deposits, buried mass-transport deposits, sediment waves) were identified using multibeam and high-resolution seismic data (Butman and others, 2006; EEZ-Scan Scientific Staff, 1991). Outlines of each facies were drawn by hand and converted to a shapefile. Person who carried out this activity:

U.S. Geological Survey

Attn: David C. Twichell

Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
Woods Hole, MA

USA

508-548-8700 x2266 (voice)

dtwichell@usgs.gov

Date: 2016 (process 2 of 3)
Data gaps and overlaps between the hand-drawn polygons were removed using the following steps:
1) Polygon shapefile with six individual interpreted layers was imported to a Feature Dataset (UTM 18) within a file geodatabase to build topology. (ArcMap 10.3.1) 2) Topology was created for each of the two feature classes (now in the Feature Dataset), with the topology rules "Must not overlap" and "Must not have gaps". Topology was then built and validated to identify those locations. 3) The topology and features were edited to remove/repair these topology errors. 4) Feature classes, were exported from the feature dataset back to shapefile using the geographic coordinate system. Person who carried out this activity:

U.S. Geological Survey

Attn: Brian D. Andrews

Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
Woods Hole, MA

USA

508-548-8700 x2348 (voice)

bandrews@usgs.gov

Date: 07-Aug-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
What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
Butman, Bradford, Twichell, D.C., Rona, P.A., Tucholke, B.E., Middleton, T.J., and Robb, J.R., 2006, Sea floor topography and backscatter intensity of the Hudson Canyon region offshore of New York and New Jersey: Open-File Report 2004-1441, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.
Online Links:
- https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2004/1441/
Butman, Bradford, Middleton, T.J., Thieler, E.R., and Schwab, W.C., 2003, Topography, shaded relief and backscatter intensity of the Hudson Shelf Valley, offshore of New York: Open-File Report 03-372, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.
Online Links:
- https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2003/of03-372/
Andrews, B.D., Chaytor, J.D., ten Brink, U.S., Brothers, D.S., and Gardner, J.V., 2013, Bathymetric terrain model of the Atlantic margin for marine geological investigations: Open-File Report 2012-1266, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.
Online Links:
- https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2012/1266/
Staff, EEZ-Scan Scientific, 1991, Atlas of the U.S. exclusive economic zone, Atlantic continental margin: Miscellaneous Investigation Series I-2054, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.
Online Links:
- https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/i2054/
Butman, Bradford, Danforth, W.W., Clarke, J.E.H., and Signell, R.P., 2017, Bathymetry and backscatter intensity of the sea floor of the Hudson Shelf Valley: data release DOI:10.5066/F7C53J1Z, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.
Online Links:
- https://doi.org/10.5066/F7C53J1Z

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

How well have the observations been checked?
How accurate are the geographic locations?
Accuracy of hand-drawn interpreted layer estimated to be several pixels (200 - 600 m) depending on water depth).
How accurate are the heights or depths?
Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
Bathymetry and backscatter intensity data from the 2002 Ronald H. Brown multibeam survey (field activity 2002-050-FA; https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2002-050-FA) and selected high-resolution profiling data in the USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center archives (EEZ Scan Scientific Staff, 1991; see cross reference) were used to make this interpretation of sea-floor environments in the Hudson Canyon region. See Butman and others (2006) (in cross references).
How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
Interpretations were based on bathymetry and backscatter intensity data from the Ronald H. Brown multibeam survey and high-resolution seismic profiling data in USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center archives (EEZ Scan Scientific Staff, 1991; see cross reference). Data gaps and overlaps were identified and corrected.

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	none

Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)

U.S. Geological Survey - ScienceBase

Denver Federal Center
Denver, CO

1-888-275-8747 (voice)

sciencebase@usgs.gov
What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? This dataset contains hc_facies.shp as well as the other shapefile components, and FGDC-compliant metadata (CSDGM format).
What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
Neither the U.S. Government, the Department of the Interior, nor the U.S. Geological Survey, nor any of their employees, contractors, or subcontractors, make any warranty, express or implied, nor assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, nor represent that its use would not infringe on privately owned rights. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by the USGS in the use of these data or related materials. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

How can I download or order the data?

Availability in digital form:

Data format:	Shapefile showing sea-floor environments of the Hudson Canyon region and associated metadata derived from a 2002 multibeam survey of the Hudson Canyon and adjacent slope and rise compressed in a zip file. in format shapefile (version ArcGIS 10.3.1) Esri shapefile Size: 0.1
Network links:	https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/file/get/58fa5eade4b0b7ea5452564d https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/58fa5eade4b0b7ea5452564d https://doi.org/10.5066/F77H1GSF

Data format:	Shapefile showing sea-floor environments of the Hudson Canyon region derived from a 2002 multibeam survey of the Hudson Canyon and adjacent slope and rise with the data provided through a WMS (web mapping service). in format WMS (version 1.3.0)
Network links:	https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalogMaps/mapping/ows/58fa5eade4b0b7ea5452564d?service=wms&request=getcapabilities&version=1.3.0 https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/58fa5eade4b0b7ea5452564d

Data format:	Shapefile showing sea-floor environments of the Hudson Canyon region derived from a 2002 multibeam survey of the Hudson Canyon and adjacent slope and rise with the data provided through a WFS (web feature service). in format WFS (version 1.0.0)
Network links:	https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalogMaps/mapping/ows/58fa5eade4b0b7ea5452564d?service=wfs&request=getcapabilities&version=1.0.0 https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/58fa5eade4b0b7ea5452564d

Cost to order the data: none

What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?
The shapefile of facies is compressed into a zip file (hc_facies.zip). To use these data, the user must have software capable of uncompressing the zip file and ArcGIS or another GIS application package capable of viewing the data.

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:

Last modified: 19-Mar-2024

Metadata author:

U.S. Geological Survey

Attn: Bradford Butman

Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Woods Hole, MA

USA

508-548-8700 x2212 (voice)

whsc_data_contact@usgs.gov

Contact_Instructions:

The metadata contact email address is a generic address in the event the person is no longer with USGS. (updated on 20240319)

Metadata standard:

FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)

This page is <https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/catalog/whcmsc/SB_data_release/DR_F77H1GSF/hc_facies.shp_meta.faq.html>