Abstract:
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the National Marine Sanctuary Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has conducted seabed mapping and related research in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS) region since 1993. The interpretive datasets and source information presented here are for quadrangle 5, which is one of 18 similarly sized segments of the 3,700 square kilometer (km2) SBNMS region. The seabed of the SBNMS region is a glaciated terrain that is topographically and texturally diverse. Quadrangle 5 includes the shallow, rippled, coarse-grained sandy crest and upper eastern and western flanks of southern Stellwagen Bank, its fine-grained sandy lower western flank, and the muddy seabed in Stellwagen Basin. Water depths range from <25 m on the bank crest to ~100 m in the basin. The data presented here for quadrangle 5 are the foundation for Scientific Investigations Map 3515 (Valentine and Cross, 2024), which presents maps of seabed topography, ruggedness, backscatter intensity, distribution of geologic substrates, sediment mobility, distribution of fine- and coarse-grained sand, and substrate mud content. The maps of quadrangle 5 show the distribution of substrates across the southern part of Stellwagen Bank and the adjacent basins. Bathymetric and seabed backscatter imagery, photographs, video, and grain-size analyses were used to create the geologic interpretations presented here and have been reprocessed and released in segments to supports these interpretations. For the quadrangle 5 interpretations, data from 729 stations were analyzed, including 620 sediment samples. The seabed geology map of quadrangle 5 shows the distribution of 20 substrate types ranging from boulder ridges to mobile and rippled sand, to mud. Substrate types are defined or inferred through sediment grain-size composition, surface morphology, sediment layering, the mobility or immobility of substrate surfaces, and water depth range. Scientific Investigations Map 3515 portrays the major geological elements (substrates, topographic features, processes) of environments within quadrangle 5. It is intended to be a basis for the study of sediment transport processes that affect a shallow, offshore bank, for the study of the ecological requirements of invertebrate and vertebrate species that use these substrates, and to support seabed management in the region.
Purpose:
The purpose of this dataset is to release the 13-meter by 13-meter cell-size bathymetry grid that was used as the basis for analysis and the interpretation of quadrangle 5 of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region. Additionally this dataset was used to generate subsequent datasets, some of which are released in other publications. These derivative products include datasets such as 1-m contours and terrain ruggedgness.
Supplemental_Information:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Theme_Keyword: U.S. Geological Survey
Theme_Keyword: USGS
Theme_Keyword: Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program
Theme_Keyword: CMHRP
Theme_Keyword: Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
Theme_Keyword: WHCMSC
Theme_Keyword: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Theme_Keyword: NOAA
Theme_Keyword: sea-floor topography
Theme_Keyword: bathymetry
Theme_Keyword: Simrad EM1000
Theme_Keyword: Frederick G. Creed
Theme_Keyword: swath bathymetry
Theme_Keyword: Esri binary grid
Theme_Keyword: raster
Theme_Keyword: GeoTIFF
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category
Theme_Keyword: oceans
Theme_Keyword: geoscientificInformation
Theme_Keyword: elevation
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: USGS Thesaurus
Theme_Keyword: bathymetry
Theme_Keyword: multibeam sonar
Theme_Keyword: marine geology
Theme_Keyword: sea-floor characteristics
Theme_Keyword: geospatial datasets
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: USGS Metadata Identifier
Theme_Keyword: USGS:63a09196d34e0de3a1f27736
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Place_Keyword: Atlantic Ocean
Place_Keyword: North America
Place_Keyword: Stellwagen Bank
Place_Keyword: Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Place_Keyword: U.S. east coast
Place_Keyword: United States
Place_Keyword: Massachusetts
Place_Keyword: Massachusetts Bay
Public domain data from the U.S. government are freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution. Please recognize the U.S. Geological Survey as the source of this information.
Environment as of Metadata Creation: Microsoft Windows 7 Version 6.1 (Build 7601) Service Pack 1; Esri ArcGIS 10.3.1 (Build 4959) Service Pack N/A (Build N/A)
Citation_Information:
Originator: Page C. Valentine
Originator: Tanya S. Unger
Originator: Jessica L. Baker
Originator: Christopher F. Polloni
Publication_Date: 1999
Title:
Sun-illuminated sea floor topographic maps and perspective-view imagery of quadrangles 1-18, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary off Boston, Massachusetts
Series_Information:
Series_Name: Open-File Report
Issue_Identification: 99-363
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Reston, VA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey
Other_Citation_Details:
This publication describes data collection and initial processing of multibeam bathymetry collected on Stellwagen Bank.
Online_Linkage: https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr99363
Online_Linkage: https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/of99-363/
Citation_Information:
Originator: Page C. Valentine, editor
Publication_Date: 2005
Title:
Sea floor image maps showing topography, sun-illuminated topography, backscatter intensity, ruggedness, slope, and the distribution of boulder ridges and bedrock outcrops in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region off Boston, Massachusetts
Series_Information:
Series_Name: Scientific Investigations Map
Issue_Identification: 2840
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Reston, VA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey
Other_Citation_Details:
This publication describes data collection and initial processing of multibeam bathymetry collected on Stellwagen Bank.
Online_Linkage: https://doi.org/10.3133/sim2840
Online_Linkage: https://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/2005/2840/
Citation_Information:
Originator: Bradford Butman
Originator: Page C. Valentine
Originator: Tammie J. Middleton
Originator: William W. Danforth
Publication_Date: 2007
Title:
A GIS library of multibeam data for Massachusetts Bay and the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, offshore of Boston, Massachusetts
Series_Information:
Series_Name: Data Series
Issue_Identification: 99
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Reston, VA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey
Other_Citation_Details:
This publication describes data collection and initial processing of multibeam bathymetry collected on Stellwagen Bank.
Online_Linkage: https://doi.org/10.3133/ds99
Online_Linkage: https://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/99/
Citation_Information:
Originator: Page C. Valentine
Originator: Leslie B. Gallea
Publication_Date: 2015
Title:
Seabed maps showing topography, ruggedness, backscatter intensity, sediment mobility, and the distribution of geologic substrates in quadrangle 6 of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region offshore of Boston, Massachusetts
Series_Information:
Series_Name: Scientific Investigations Map
Issue_Identification: 3341
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Reston, VA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey
Other_Citation_Details:
This publication contains the equivalent information as this data release, but for quadrangle 6.
Online_Linkage: https://doi.org/10.3133/sim3341
Online_Linkage: https://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3341/
Citation_Information:
Originator: Page C. Valentine
Originator: VeeAnn A. Cross
Publication_Date: 2024
Title:
Seabed maps showing topography, ruggedness, backscatter intensity, sediment mobility, and the distribution of geologic substrates in quadrangle 5 of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region offshore of Boston, Massachusetts
Series_Information:
Series_Name: Scientific Investigations Map
Issue_Identification: 3515
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Reston, VA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey
Other_Citation_Details:
This report is the companion publication of the data release that provides the additional details and information related to the interpretation and methods. Additionally, the report contains PDF map representations of the seabed interpretation. The report also provides additional references related to the work in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.
Online_Linkage: https://doi.org/10.3133/sim3515