Interpretation of sea floor geologic units for offshore of western and southern Martha's Vineyard and north of Nantucket, Massachusetts

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
Interpretation of sea floor geologic units for offshore of western and southern Martha's Vineyard and north of Nantucket, Massachusetts
Abstract:
Geologic, sediment texture, and physiographic zone maps characterize the sea floor south and west of Martha's Vineyard and north of Nantucket, Massachusetts. These maps were derived from interpretations of seismic-reflection profiles, high-resolution bathymetry, acoustic-backscatter intensity, bottom photographs, and surficial sediment samples. The interpretation of the seismic stratigraphy and mapping of glacial and Holocene marine units provided a foundation on which the surficial maps were created. This mapping is a result of a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management to characterize the surface and subsurface geologic framework offshore of Massachusetts.
Supplemental_Information:
This data release is a companion publication to USGS OFR 2018-1181: Pendleton, E.A., Baldwin, W.E., Ackerman, S.D, Foster, D.S., Andrews, B.D., Schwab, W.C., and Brothers, L.L. 2018, Sea-floor texture and physiographic zones of the inner continental shelf from Aquinnah to Wasque Point, Martha’s Vineyard, and Eel Point to Great Point, Nantucket Island, Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2018–1181, https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20181181. The data in the source contributions used for this compilation are from field activities 2007-011-FA (https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2007-011-FA), 2011-004-FA (https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2011-004-FA), and 2013-003-FA (https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2013-003-FA).
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    U.S. Geological Survey, 2018, Interpretation of sea floor geologic units for offshore of western and southern Martha's Vineyard and north of Nantucket, Massachusetts: data release DOI:10.5066/P9E9EFNE, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Pendleton, Elizabeth A., Baldwin, Wayne E., Foster, David S., Ackerman, Seth D., Andrews, Brian D., Brothers, Laura L., and Schwab, William C., 2018, Geospatial Data Layers of Shallow Geology, Sea-Floor Texture, and Physiographic Zones from the Inner Continental Shelf of Martha’s Vineyard from Aquinnah to Wasque Point, and Nantucket from Eel Point to Great Point: data release DOI:10.5066/P9E9EFNE, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Suggested citation: Pendleton, E.A., Baldwin, W.E., Foster, D.F., Ackerman, S.D., Andrews, B.D, Brothers, L.L., and Schwab, W.C., 2018, Geospatial data layers of shallow geology, sea-floor texture, and physiographic zones from the inner continental shelf of Martha's Vineyard from Aquinnah to Wasque Point, and Nantucket from Eel Point to Great Point: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9E9EFNE.
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -70.8627
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -70.0341
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.3894
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.1958
  3. What does it look like?
    https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/file/get/5bfd606ee4b0815414ca39e5/?name=MV_ACK_surfgeology_browse.png (PNG)
    Image of the sediment texture shapefile for offshore of western and southern Martha's Vineyard and north of Nantucket. The browse graphic is derived from the companion OFR (Pendleton and others, 2018).
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 09-Aug-2007
    Ending_Date: 11-Jun-2013
    Currentness_Reference:
    ground condition of the source data used in this interpretation.
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
  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):
      • G-polygon (273)
    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 0.0197427722. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.0261514554. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal seconds. The horizontal datum used is WGS_1984.
      The ellipsoid used is WGS_84.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.0.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257223563.
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    MV_ACK_surfgeology.shp
    surficial geology shapefile (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
    FID
    Internal feature number. (Source: Esri) Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
    Shape
    Feature geometry (Source: Esri)
    Formal codeset
    Codeset Name:Polygon
    Codeset Source:Esri
    Coordinates defining the features.
    Geology
    Surficial geologic unit (Source: Seismic interpretations)
    Formal codeset
    Codeset Name:Qdt - Pleistocene glacial till and ice contact deposits - Drift composed of poorly sorted mud, sand, gravel, and boulders, that produce rugged topography where they crop out at the seafloor. While seismic penetration is typically limited, these units produce chaotic reflectors with common diffraction hyperbolae. Underlies Ut (transgressive unconformity) and Ur (regressive unconformity), and in places overlie the fluvial unconformity U1, and the tops of older Pleistocene till and drift and Cretaceous and Tertiary coastal plain deposits (QTKu?).
    Codeset Source:U.S. Geological Survey
    Formal codeset
    Codeset Name:Qdm - Pleistocene Martha's Vineyard and Buzzards Bay end moraine deposits - Drift composed of poorly sorted mud, sand, gravel, and boulders that produce rugged topography where they crop out at the seafloor. Seismic penetration is limited in chirp profiles. Similar to Qdt, boomer profiles locally penetrate Qdm. Internal reflections are irregular or parabolic. Underlies the transgressive (Ut) and regressive (Ur) unconformities and in places overlies the U1 unconformity, and the tops of older Pleistocene till and drift (Qpw?) and Cretaceous and Tertiary coastal plain deposits (TKu?). Qdm crops out at the sea-floor forming ridges and ledges, which are composed of sand, gravel, and in places, boulders.
    Codeset Source:U.S. Geological Survey
    Formal codeset
    Codeset Name:Qdl - Pleistocene glaciolacustrine (glaciodeltaic and lake floor) - Stratified drift composed of mud and sand that produce strong to weak, vertically laminated, horizontal to gently dipping reflectors. Underlies Ut and Ur, and typically drapes glacial till (Qdt) and moraine (Qdm).
    Codeset Source:U.S. Geological Survey
    Formal codeset
    Codeset Name:Qdf - Pleistocene glaciofluvial (outwash) - Stratified drift composed of sand and gravel that produce vertically laminated, roughly horizontal to broadly undulating reflectors, cut and fill structures, and zones of acoustic transparency. Underlies Ut and Ur, and typically overlies glaciolacustrine (Qdl) and glacial till (Qdt).
    Codeset Source:U.S. Geological Survey
    Formal codeset
    Codeset Name:Qfe - Holocene fluvial and estuarine - Fluvial sands and gravels, and estuarine sands and muds (locally > 11 m thick) that fill incised fluvial valleys. Produces vertically laminated, horizontal to concave-up reflectors and zones of acoustic transparency; local indications of cut-and-fill. Bounded above and below by Ut and the regressive unconformity (Ur), respectively.
    Codeset Source:U.S. Geological Survey
    Formal codeset
    Codeset Name:Qmn - Holocene nearshore marine - Mostly sandy deposits (typically less than 2 m but up to 17 m thick) that form tidal shoals and sand waves , and beaches and bars locally along their nearshore margins. Generally acoustically transparent with faint, flat-lying reflectors, except within the tidal shoals, where internal reflectors are indicative of morphologic evolution. Overlies transgressive unconformity (Ut) and grades to Qmd westward toward Rhode Island Sound.
    Codeset Source:U.S. Geological Survey

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
    • U.S. Geological Survey
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    Elizabeth A. Pendleton
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Rd.
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2226 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    ependleton@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

This dataset describes sea-floor geology Vineyard along the western and southern seafloor offshore of Martha’s Vineyard and north of Nantucket. Polygons are used to indicate the areal distribution of sea-floor outcrop for sub-surface stratigraphic units interpreted in high-resolution seismic reflection data. These data are useful for assessing relations between geologic framework, sea-bed morphology, and sediment textural trends.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
    Denny and others, 2009 (source 1 of 3)
    Denny, J.F., Danforth, W.W., Foster, D.S., and Sherwood, C.R., 2009, Geophysical data collected off the south shore of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts: Open-File Report 2008-1288, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    The SEG-Y data that was used to interpret geologic units with The KINGDOM Software 2d/3dPAK (ver. 8.8 - 64-bit) can be obtain by contacting the author of the Open-File Report.
    Type_of_Source_Media: online
    Source_Contribution:
    This report provided source geophysical data (sidescan-sonar bathymetry, and seismic-reflection profiles) for the area south of Martha's Vineyard surrounding the Martha's Vineyard Coastal Observatory. The 2007 mapping was conducted on the M/V Megan T. Miller. High-resolution chirp seismic-reflection profiles were collected during U.S. Geological Survey field activity 2007-011-FA using an EdgeTech Geo-Star full spectrum sub-bottom (FSSB) system and SB-0512i towfish. Thorough descriptions of acquisition and processing parameters for the survey are provided by Denny and others (2009) in the report and seismic-reflection metadata. Shallow geologic framework and surficial geology were interpreted from post-processed chirp seismic-reflection profiles.
    Andrews and others, 2014 (source 2 of 3)
    Andrews, B.D., Ackerman, S.D., Baldwin, W.E., Foster, D.S., and Schwab, W.C., 2014, High-Resolution Geophysical Data from the Inner Continental Shelf: Vineyard Sound, Massachusetts: Open-File Report 2012-1006, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    The SEG-Y data that was used to interpret geologic units with The KINGDOM Software 2d/3dPAK (ver. 8.8 - 64-bit) can be obtain by contacting the author of the Open-File Report.
    Type_of_Source_Media: online
    Source_Contribution:
    This report provided source geophysical data (sidescan-sonar bathymetry, and seismic-reflection profiles) for the study area on the western side of Martha's Vineyard. The 2011 mapping was conducted on the R/V Scarlett Isabella during U.S. Geological Survey field activity 2011-004-FA. Chirp seismic-reflection data were collected using an EdgeTech Geo-Star FSSB subbottom profiling system and an SB-0512i towfish. Thorough descriptions of acquisition and processing parameters for each survey are provided by Andrews and others (2014) in the methods section and seismic-reflection metadata. Shallow geologic framework was interpreted from post-processed chirp seismic-reflection profiles
    Ackerman and others, 2016 (source 3 of 3)
    Ackerman, S.D., L.L., Brothers, Foster, D.S., B.D., Andrews, W.E., Baldwin, and W.C., Schwab, 2016, High-Resolution Geophysical Data From the Inner Continental Shelf: South of Martha's Vineyard and North of Nantucket, Massachusetts: Open File Report 2016-1168, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    The SEG-Y data that was used to interpret geologic units with The KINGDOM Software 2d/3dPAK (ver. 8.8 - 64-bit) can be obtain by contacting the author of the Open-File Report.
    Type_of_Source_Media: online
    Source_Contribution:
    This report provided source geophysical data (sidescan-sonar bathymetry, and seismic-reflection profiles) for the majority of this study including offshore of southern Martha's Vineyard and north of Nantucket. These areas were surveyed with the Scarlett Isabella 2013 during U.S. Geological Survey field activity 2013-003-FA. Seismic-reflection data were collected using an EdgeTech Geo-Star FSSB subbottom profiling system and an SB-0512i towfish. Thorough descriptions of acquisition and processing parameters for each survey are provided by Ackerman and others (2016) in the methods section and seismic-reflection metadata. Shallow geologic framework and surficial geology were interpreted from post-processed chirp seismic-reflection profiles.
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    Date: 2017 (process 1 of 4)
    Chirp and boomer seismic-reflection data were interpreted using The IHS Kingdom Suite (version 8.8 - 64 bit) seismic interpretation software. Interpretation consisted of identifying and digitizing erosional unconformities defining the boundaries between Holocene, Pleistocene, and pre-Quaternary seismic units, and digitizing the extent over which each of the defined sub-surface seismic units crops out on the sea floor. The digitized sea-floor outcrop extents for each seismic unit were sampled at a 10-meter along track interval and exported from Kingdom as ASCII text. The resultant text file was imported into ArcMap (10.5) as point features (easting, northing, seismic unit) using the 'Add XY data' function, then saved as a point shapefile (UTM, Zone 19N, WGS84). Person who carried out this activity:
    Elizabeth Pendleton
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Rd.
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2259 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    ependleton@usgs.gov
    Data sources used in this process:
    • seismic horizon data
    Date: 2017 (process 2 of 4)
    A polygon feature class of the seismic-reflection survey area was created from the sediment texture feature class in ArcCatalog 10.5. A new attribute field named 'Geology' was added to the attribute table and fields associated with sediment texture were deleted. The point shapefile containing the along track extents of seismic unit outcrop was then used to guide the surficial geology interpretation (using editor processes 'cut polygon feature', 'intersect', 'merge', and 'clip' in ArcMap 10.5). As new polygons were created, the 'Geology' attribute field was populated with the appropriate geologic unit label. Polygon editing was done at scales between 1:8,000 and 1:25,000, depending on the size of the outcrop area. Person who carried out this activity:
    Elizabeth Pendleton
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Rd.
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2259 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    ependleton@usgs.gov
    Data sources used in this process:
    • shapefile of profile tracklines and point shapefile containing the along track extents of seismic unit outcrop.
    Date: 2017 (process 3 of 4)
    The polygon feature class containing the surficial geologic units was assigned topology rules, (i.e. no gaps and no overlaps). Topology errors were identified and remedied using the topology toolbar in ArcMap (10.5). Finally, the surficial geology was exported from the geodatabase as a shapefile Person who carried out this activity:
    Elizabeth Pendleton
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Rd.
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2259 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    ependleton@usgs.gov
    Data sources used in this process:
    • Polygon shapefile containing the surficial geologic units
    Date: 07-Aug-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?
    O'Hara, Charles J., and Oldale, Robert N., 1980, Maps showing geology and shallow structure of eastern Rhode Island Sound and Vineyard Sound, Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-1186, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 5 sheets
    O'Hara, Charles J., and Oldale, Robert N., 1987, Maps showing geology, shallow structure, and bedforms of Nantucket Sound, Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-1911, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 4 sheets
    U.S. Geological Survey, 2013, Geologic Mapping of the Seafloor Offshore of Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Geologic mapping of the Massachusetts inner continental shelf is a cooperative effort that was initiated in 2003 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA-NOS) is also an important partner and contributes hydrographic data that are integrated into the maps. The overall goal of this cooperative is to determine the geologic framework of the sea floor inside the 3-mile limit of State waters, using high-resolution geophysical techniques, sediment sampling, and sea-floor photography. Any source data used to generate interpretative maps and data products are cited in detail in the source citation section of this metadata file.
    Baldwin, Wayne E., Foster, David S., Pendleton, Elizabeth A., Barnhardt, Walter A., Schwab, William C., Andrews, Brian D., and Ackerman, Seth, 2016, Shallow geology, sea-floor texture, and physiographic zones of Vineyard and western Nantucket Sounds, Massachusetts: Open File Report 2016-1119, US Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Foster, David S., Baldwin, Wayne E., Barnhardt, Walter A., Schwab, William C., Ackerman, Seth D., Andrews, Brian D., and Pendleton, Elizabeth A., 2015, Shallow geology, sea-floor texture, and physiographic zones of Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts: Open File Report 2014-1220, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Pendleton, Elizabeth E., Barnhardt, Walter A., Baldwin, Wayne E., Foster, David S., Schwab, William C., Andrews, Brian D., and Ackerman, Seth D, 2015, Sea-floor texture and physiographic zones of the inner continental shelf from Salisbury to Nahant, Massachusetts, including the Merrimack Embayment and Western Massachusetts Bay: Open File Report 2015-1153, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Pendleton, Elizabeth A., Baldwin, Wayne E., Barnhardt, Walter A., Ackerman, Seth D., Foster, David S., Andrews, Brian D., and Schwab, William C., 2013, Shallow Geology, Seafloor Texture, and Physiographic Zones of the Inner Continental Shelf from Nahant to Northern Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts: Open File Report 2012-1157, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

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

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    Navigational accuracy of the seismic-reflection data used for this interpretation was assumed to be ± 10 to 20 meters. Refer to seismic trackline metadata in Denny and others (2009), Ackerman and others (2016), and Andrews and others (2014) in the source information for specific seismic data acquisition parameters and accuracy reports. Additional navigational uncertainty in this interpretation arises from subjective digitizing of the seismic reflectors, sampling of the interpreted horizons at 10-m along track intervals prior to export from the seismic interpretation package.
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    All chirp seismic-reflection data collected within the study area during USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center field activities 2007-011-FA, 2011-004-FA, and 2013-003-FA were used to interpret the surficial geologic units. All of the interpretive layer bounds in this report are a little short of the data bounds in western Vineyard Sound, this is because this dataset abuts the interpretive layers of Baldwin and others (2016), and are not redundant with that interpretation.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    Chirp seismic-reflection data collected during USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center field activities 2007-011-FA, 2011-004-FA, and 2013-003-FA were used to interpret the geologic framework offshore of western and southern Martha's Vineyard and north of Nantucket. Because of the scale and line spacing of the source seismic profiles, not all changes in seafloor geology are captured. The boundaries of polygons are inferred between seismic lines, and polygon boundaries should be considered an approximation of the location of a change in geology. Further, some boundaries were refined using backscatter and bathymetry changes at the seafloor. A constant seismic velocity of 1,500 m/s was assumed for all profiles to compute depth in meters, through water and all sediment types, which may result in inaccurate depths of stratigraphic units.

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. Please recognize the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as the source of this information. Additionally, there are limitations associated with qualitative surficial geologic mapping interpretations. Because of the scale of the source geophysical data and the spacing of samples, not all changes in sea floor geology are captured. The data were mapped between 1:8,000 and 1:25,000, but the recommended scale for application of these data is 1:25,000.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Attn: GS ScienceBase
    Denver Federal Center, Building 810, Mail Stop 302
    Denver, CO
    United States

    1-888-275-8747 (voice)
    sciencebase@usgs.gov
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? MV_ACK_surfgeology (and associated shapefile components) contains qualitatively derived polygons that define sea floor geology offshore of western and southern Martha's Vineyard and north of Nantucket, MA and the associated metadata. The dataset also contains a browse graphic and the associated CSDGM metadata in XML format.
  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
    Neither the U.S. Government, the Department of the Interior, nor the USGS, 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 U.S. Geological Survey 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
  4. How can I download or order the data?
  5. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?
    These data are available in Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri) shapefile format. The user must have software capable of importing and processing this data type.

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 19-Mar-2024
Metadata author:
Elizabeth A Pendleton
U.S. Geological Survey
Geologist
384 Woods Hole Rd.
Woods Hole, MA
USA

508-548-8700 x2259 (voice)
508-457-2310 (FAX)
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_P9E9EFNE/MV_ACK_surfgeology_meta.faq.html>
Generated by mp version 2.9.51 on Wed Jun 26 15:25:05 2024