USGS Collection of Sea Bottom Photographs from the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Region (JPEG images)

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
USGS Collection of Sea Bottom Photographs from the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Region (JPEG images)
Abstract:
The U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Marine Sanctuary Program, conducted seabed mapping and related research in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region from 1994 to 2004. The mapped area is approximately 3,700 square km (1,100 square nm) in size and was subdivided into 18 quadrangles. Several series of sea floor maps of the region based on multibeam sonar surveys have been published. In addition, 2,628 seabed sediment samples were collected and analyzed and approximately 10,600 still photographs of the seabed were acquired during the project. These data provide the basis for scientists, policymakers, and managers for understanding the complex ecosystem of the sanctuary region and for monitoring and managing its economic and natural resources.
Supplemental_Information:
EXIF and Comment Excel spreadsheets for the 18 quadrangles were used in the creation of ESRI shapefile sb_photolocs; https://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/469/DataCatalog/sb_photolocs.zip.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Valentine, Page C., Gallea, Leslie B., Blackwood, Dann S., and Twomey, Erin R., 2010, USGS Collection of Sea Bottom Photographs from the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Region (JPEG images): U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 469, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Valentine, Page C., Gallea, Leslie B., Blackwood, Dann S., and Twomey, Erin R., 2010, Seabed Photographs, Sediment Texture Analyses, and Sun-illuminated Sea Floor Topography in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Region off Boston, Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 469, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    The images are also intended for access from a server: http://nantucket.er.usgs.gov/?level=collection&id=5
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -70.611900
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -70.033432
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 42.798817
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 42.084702
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Calendar_Date: 2010
    Currentness_Reference:
    ground condition
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: JPEG
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
      This is a Raster data set. It contains the following raster data types:
      • Dimensions, type Pixel
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    sb_jpegs
    High and medium resolution seafloor photographs (Source: U.S Geological Survey)
    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
    Each photographic image was taken at a height of approximately 76 cm (30 in) above the seabed and represents an area of 0.39 square m (4.17 square ft) that measures 76 cm (30 in) wide and 51 cm (20 in) high. The data chamber on the right-hand margin of the image displays information in the following format: NNNYYHHMM, where NNN is the image no. on the film roll, YY is the last 2 digits of the year, and HH and MM are time in hours and minutes. Image metadata is displayed in the image EXIF header comment box of JPG image files as follows:
    Station No.: number assigned to station. 
    >
    In a few instances, when multiple photographic transects were conducted at approximately the same site, the stations were named using a number and in some instances a letter (e.g. 3131a) or a decimal number (3131.1) suffix was appended. During the project, this station numbering scheme was not consistent, so that some station names used one format and some the other. For the purpose of these data, all photographic images were renamed using the number and letter format for the station name where necessary. For example, station 3131.1 is now named 3131a.;
    Image No.: file name of photo image 
    >
    (example: andr95036_q6_1128a_025.jpg); andr: vessel name code (Peter W. Anderson); 95036: USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Field Activity Number; 95: last two digits of year; 036: thirty-sixth field activity of the year; q6: location is Quadrangle 6; 1128a: Station number in Quadrangle 6; 025: Image number on archived CD ROM for the cruise (multiple images at a station are numbered in the sequence they were collected);
    Water Depth, m: depth of water at station location;
    Field of View, cm: dimensions of area of seabed in image;
    Geographic Location: Quadrangle number in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region;
    Time Zone: GMT, Greenwich Mean Time;
    Original YYYY:MM:DD HH:MM:SS: Original date and time (GMT) photo collected YEAR:MONTH:DAY HOUR:MINUTES:SECONDS;
    Julian Date and Time GMT: Julian Day:HH:MM:SS;
    Latitude N: latitude north (decimal degrees) of photo location;
    Longitude W: longitude west (decimal degrees) of photo location;
    Instrument: instrument used to collect photo;
    Link to Instrument Description: link to description of instrument on web;
    Organization: organization that collected the photo;
    WHCMSC Field Activity (cruise) No.: USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Field Activity (cruise) Number;
    example, 95003: 95: last two digits of year and 003: third field activity of the year;
    Principal Investigator: Page Valentine;
    Photo Credit: organization to credit when using this image.
    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: JPEG photographs

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
    • Page C. Valentine
    • Leslie B. Gallea
    • Dann S. Blackwood
    • Erin R. Twomey
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    Page C. Valentine
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Research Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    (508) 548-8700 x2339 (voice)
    (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
    pvalentine@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

The images were acquired to provide information on the geological and biological characteristics of the seabed to be used in groundtruthing multibeam sonar imagery and producing interpretive maps of the regional sea floor. This metadata represents the metadata for all the images although for convenience, the images are distributed based on quadrangle.

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: unknown (process 1 of 12)
    The SEABed Observation and Sampling System (SEABOSS) was designed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for rapid and effective collection of seabed images and sediment samples in coastal regions. The observations from video and still cameras and the sediment data are used to explore the nature of the seafloor and, in conjunction with high-resolution geophysical data, to make interpretive maps of sedimentary environments and validate the acoustic remote sensing data. The SEABOSS is a simple system that can be deployed from both small and large surface vessels and operates in water depths up to 200 m. It incorporates two video cameras, a still camera, a depth sensor, and a modified Van Veen sediment sampler. The elements of the SEABOSS system used on Stellwagen Bank are housed within a stainless steel framework that measures 1.2 x 1.2 meters and weighs approximately 136 kilograms overall. The frame has a stabilizer fin that orients the system as it drifts over the seabed. The height of the camera above the seabed (76 cm; 30 in) initially was determined by viewing an object hanging from the SEABOSS below the video camera; when the object touched the seabed, the camera height was appropriate for still photography. Later in the project, the camera height was determined by viewing a pattern of laser beams on the seabed. Two parallel lasers are set 20 cm apart on the SEABOSS frame and project onto the seabed for scale measurements. The red laser dots can usually be seen in the photo depending on the bottom type and the distance to the sea floor. A third laser is positioned at an angle on the SEABOSS frame so that when all three laser dots on the seabed are in alignment, the SEABOSS is at the optimum height (approximately 75 cm) off the bottom for a still photograph. All of the system's elements are powered from the surface vessel through a conducting cable. Video displays include station number, water depth (from the depth sensor), and date, time, and geographic position (provided by a shipboard navigation system). During deployment, the camera system hangs directly below the side of the ship, and the recorded navigation data closely approximates the position of the camera system near the seabed. The ship is oriented so that wind and waves will not cause it to drift over the conducting cable attached to the SEABOSS. The winch operator uses a video feed from the system to maintain the camera at the proper height above the seabed and to avoid obstacles; the scientist uses the video to decide when to trigger the still camera and record the time the photo was taken.
    Date: 2004 (process 2 of 12)
    Annual research cruises visited 1616 stations from 1994-2004 and took seabed photographs using the SEABOSS that was equipped with a modified Van Veen grab sampler, a still camera and video cameras. Photographic images were acquired by a system having the following specifications: Photosea underwater still camera model no. 1000A; rated to 305 m (1,000ft); Photosea strobe model no. 1500S, rated to 457 m (1,500 ft) with a flash interval of 1/750 s; lens: Nikkor underwater 28 mm lens with a +1 diopter lens attachment, with aperture set between f11 and f16, and focus set at 0.8 m (2.5 ft); Kodak Portra 400 NC color film in bulk rolls 10 m (33 ft) long with 250 exposures, using an exposure time 1/150 s. The data chamber on the right-hand margin of the image (LED number) displays information in the following format: NNNYYHHMM, where NNN is the consecutive number of the exposure on the film roll, YY is the last 2 digits of the year, and HH and MM are time in hours and minutes. LED numbers are used for identification only, as the display shows only hours and minutes, not seconds, and also is not precise due to drift in the camera's clock. The UTC and Julian Day of each image is recorded in a logbook with data acquired from the shipboard navigation system and this time is the definitive time. Processing spanned the time period 1994 to 2004. Person who carried out this activity:
    Page C. Valentine
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Research Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    (508) 548-8700 x2339 (voice)
    (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
    pvalentine@usgs.gov
    Date: 2004 (process 3 of 12)
    Exposed film was developed in bulk 250-exposure rolls and converted to digital format by Two Cat Digital, a commercial film processing company. The bulk rolls of negatives were scanned using Kodak Photo CD (PCD) software. A PCD image file of each negative was generated and archived on CD ROM. Processing spanned the time period 1994 to 2004. Person who carried out this activity:
    Page C. Valentine
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Research Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    (508) 548-8700 x2239 (voice)
    (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
    pvalentine@usgs.gov
    Date: 2009 (process 4 of 12)
    The PCD images were converted to JPEG format using IrfanView Version 4.1 software and renamed. The new naming convention consists of: vessel name code; USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Field Activity number; quadrangle where station was visited and photographs taken; station number; image number for that station which is archived on CD ROM for the cruise, and file extension. The result looks like: andr95036_q6_1128a_025.jpg. The field activity number 95036 breaks down into cruise year (95) and field activity number of the year (036); q6 is the quadrangle number; 1128a is the station number; and 025 is the image number on the archival CD ROM. Person who carried out this activity:
    Leslie B. Gallea
    U.S. Geological Survey
    GIS Specialist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    (508) 548-8700 x2341 (voice)
    (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
    lgallea@usgs.gov
    Date: 2009 (process 5 of 12)
    EXIF (exchangeable image file format) metadata for each image was created in Microsoft Excel 2007 (12.0.6504.5001) SP2 MSO (12.0.6425.1000). All station numbers and cruise vessels were converted to lowercase where necessary. Person who carried out this activity:
    Leslie B. Gallea
    U.S. Geological Survey
    GIS Specialist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    (508) 548-8700 x2341 (voice)
    (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
    lgallea@usgs.gov
    Date: 2009 (process 6 of 12)
    The EXIF Excel files were loaded into MATLAB 7.7.0.427 (R2008b) and the EXIF metadata was embedded onto the converted medium (1536 x 1024) and high (3072 x 2048) resolution JPEG images in the EXIF comments section. Person who carried out this activity:
    Erin R. Twomey
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Research Assistant
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    (508) 548-8700 x2284 (voice)
    (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
    etwomey@usgs.gov
    Date: 2009 (process 7 of 12)
    JPEG images were then imported into FastStone Image Viewer Version 3.5 and checked for missing EXIF metadata. Once accuracy was determined, the high resolution JPEG images were uploaded onto a USGS website which houses the seabed photographs from the Stellwagen Bank region. The photographs are organized by quadrangle, then by station number, and lastly by image number. Individual high resolution JPEG images can be downloaded from the website and viewed with an image viewer that can read JPEG images. Person who carried out this activity:
    Page C. Valentine
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Research Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    (508) 548-8700 x2339 (voice)
    (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
    pvalentine@usgs.gov
    Date: 2009 (process 8 of 12)
    Medium and high resolution images for individual quadrangles along with their respective EXIF and Comment Excel file may be downloaded via zip file that were created with WinZip Version 9.0 SR-1 (6224) from the Data Catalog page. Person who carried out this activity:
    Page C. Valentine
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Research Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    (508) 548-8700 x2339 (voice)
    (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
    pvalentine@usgs.gov
    Data sources produced in this process:
    Date: 19-Oct-2017 (process 9 of 12)
    Edits to the metadata were made to fix any errors that MP v 2.9.36 flagged. This is necessary to enable the metadata to be successfully harvested for various data catalogs. In some cases, this meant adding text "Information unavailable" or "Information unavailable from original metadata" for those required fields that were left blank. Other minor edits were probably performed (title, publisher, publication place, etc.). Attempted to modify http to https where appropriate. Fixed the link to the catalog page. Moved the minimal source information provided to make it the first process step. Moved link to nantucket. Fixed the date format in the process steps. The metadata date (but not the metadata creator) was edited to reflect the date of these changes. The metadata available from a harvester may supersede metadata bundled within a download file. Compare the metadata dates to determine which metadata file is most recent. 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
    Date: 20-Jul-2018 (process 10 of 12)
    USGS Thesaurus keywords added to the keyword section. 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
    Date: 15-Nov-2019 (process 11 of 12)
    Crossref DOI link was added as the first link in the metadata. 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
    Date: 08-Sep-2020 (process 12 of 12)
    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?
    Blackwood, D., Parolski, K., and Valentine, P., 2000, Seabed Observation and Sampling System: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet FS-142-00, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Page C. Valentine, editor, 2005, 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: Scientific Investigations Map 2840, 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?
    The JPEG photos represent spatial data. These data were navigated with a Differential Global Position System (DGPS); they are accurate to +/- 10 meters horizontally. During deployment, the camera system hangs directly below the side of the ship, and the recorded navigation data closely approximates the position of the camera system near the seabed. The ship is oriented so that wind and waves will not cause it to drift over the conducting cable attached to the SEABOSS.
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
    Depth was acquired using the ship fathometer until 1998. After 1998 depth was acquired using the depth sensor on the SEABOSS. Depths are accurate to +/- 1 meter.
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    All seabed photographs were taken between 1994 and 2004. A USGS watermark was added to all high resolution JPEG images in 2009.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    For some stations, gaps exist in the sequential image numbers that are incorporated into image filenames. Image numbers were assigned during the digitization of the film images and their storage on an archival CD-ROM. The sequence of images from some stations was split among two CD-ROMs. This process created gaps in the image numbering sequence for those stations. For example, station 3948 has images numbered 1-17 and 62-100. The first photograph taken at station 3948 was digitized as image number 62 on a CD-ROM, and subsequent images from the station recorded on that CD-ROM were assigned numbers 63 to 100. The remaining images from station 3948 were recorded onto a new CD-ROM as images numbered 1 to 17. When the last photograph from station 3948 was digitized (CD-ROM image 17), a new station's photographs were loaded onto the CD-ROM beginning with image number 18 and so on. In addition, digitized images of tests on deck or blanks caused by a strobe malfunction have not been included in the photo collection. For all photographs, lowercase file names had to be used in the online seabed photograph collection due to restrictions within the database code. A combination of lowercase and uppercase was used in the file names that are available to download in zipped format from the data catalog page of this report. Each individual photograph in the online database and its respective copy available to download from the data catalog page, share the same seabed image and EXIF comment data.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
Access_Constraints:
To view EXIF comments users need to open downloaded photographs using an image viewer capable of reading the EXIF header.
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.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    Page C. Valentine
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Research Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Rd.
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    (508) 548-8700 x2239 (voice)
    (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
    pvalentine@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?
    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 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.
  4. How can I download or order the data?
  5. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?
    The data is available to download in WinZip format that was created with WinZip Version 9.0 SR-1 (6224). Users may download WinZip at http://www.winzip.com/index.htm or use WinRAR or Pkunzip.

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 16-Nov-2021
Metadata author:
U.S. Geological Survey
Attn: Leslie B. Gallea
GIS Specialist
384 Woods Hole Road
Woods Hole, MA
USA

(508) 548-8700 x2341 (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 metadata contact is no longer with the USGS or the email is otherwise invalid.
Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
This page is <https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/catalog/whcmsc/data_series/DS-469/sb_jpegs.faq.html>
Generated by mp version 2.9.50 on Tue Nov 16 10:06:29 2021