Location and analysis of sediment samples collected in 2012 by the U.S. Geological Survey in the Connecticut River during field activity 2012-024-FA (point shapefile)

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
Location and analysis of sediment samples collected in 2012 by the U.S. Geological Survey in the Connecticut River during field activity 2012-024-FA (point shapefile)
Abstract:
A geophysical and geological survey was conducted at the mouth of the Connecticut River from Old Saybrook to Essex, Connecticut, in September 2012. Approximately 230 linear kilometers of digital Chirp subbottom (seismic-reflection) and 234-kilohertz interferometric sonar (bathymetric and backscatter) data were collected along with sediment samples, riverbed photographs, and (or) video at 88 sites within the geophysical survey area. Sediment grab samples were collected at 72 of the 88 sampling sites, video was acquired at 68 sites, and photographs of the river bottom were taken at 38 sites. These survey data are used to characterize the riverbed by identifying sediment-texture and riverbed morphology. More information can be found on the web page for the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center field activity: https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2012-024-FA. Data collected during the 2012 survey can be obtained here: https://doi.org/10.5066/F7PG1Q7V.
Supplemental_Information:
More information about this survey can be found on the WHCMSC Field Activity webpage: https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2012-024-FA. Data collected during the 2012 survey can be obtained here: https://doi.org/10.5066/F7PG1Q7V.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    U.S. Geological Survey, 2017, Location and analysis of sediment samples collected in 2012 by the U.S. Geological Survey in the Connecticut River during field activity 2012-024-FA (point shapefile): data release DOI:10.5066/F7PG1Q7V, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Ackerman, Seth D., Foster, David S., Moore, Eric M., Irwin, Barry J., Blackwood, Dann S., and Sherwood, Christopher R., 2017, High-Resolution Geophysical and Sampling Data Collected at the Mouth of the Connecticut River, Old Saybrook to Essex, Connecticut, 2012: data release DOI:10.5066/F7PG1Q7V, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Suggested citation: Ackerman S.D., Foster D.S., Moore E.M., Irwin B.J., Blackwood D.S., and Sherwood, C.R., 2017, High-resolution geophysical and sampling data collected at the mouth of the Connecticut River, Old Saybrook to Essex, Connecticut, 2012: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F7PG1Q7V.
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -72.4134517
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -72.3349667
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.3888817
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.265875
  3. What does it look like?
    https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/data/field-activity-data/2012-024-FA/data/samples/2012-024-FA_samples_browse.jpg (JPEG)
    Thumbnail image of sample locations collected in 2012 by the U.S. Geological Survey in the Connecticut River
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 21-Sep-2012
    Ending_Date: 23-Sep-2012
    Currentness_Reference:
    ground condition
  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):
      • Entity point (85)
    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 0.000001. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.000001. 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.
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    2012-024-FA_samples
    Sample locations and textural analysis for samples collected during USGS survey 2012-024-FA in 2012 by the U.S. Geological Survey in the Connecticut River. This dataset includes sites classified by visual observation of the video and/or photographs as well. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
    FID
    Internal feature number. (Source: Esri) Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
    Shape
    Feature geometry. (Source: Esri) Coordinates defining the features.
    GROUP
    Sample group assigned by USGS sediment laboratory (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    ValueDefinition
    3Sediment entirely or partially analyzed, processed, or visually described by USGS Woods Hole scientists.
    DB_ID
    Database identifier assigned by sediment laboratory (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary) Character String
    FIELD_NO
    Sample name or number as assigned in the field by the Chief Scientist (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary) Character string.
    PROJECT
    Survey area of the research project (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary) Character sting.
    CRUISE_ID
    Name or number of cruise on which sample collected. Historically cruise identifiers were a combination of ship name, year of cruise and cruise leg. In more recent years, cruise identifier is a sequential serial number assigned to field activities within a specific year (in the format YYYY-XXX-FA where YYYY is the year, XXX is the cruise number within that year and FA is Field Activity). (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary) Character string.
    CONTACT
    Name of Principal Investigator or Scientist responsible for data collection. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary) Character string.
    AREA
    General geographic area of data collection. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary) Character string.
    Latitude
    Latitude coordinate, in decimal-degrees, of sample location. South latitude recorded as negative values. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:41.265875
    Maximum:41.3888817
    Units:Decimal Degrees
    Resolution:0.0000001
    Longitude
    Longitude coordinate, in decimal degrees, of sample location. West longitude is recorded as negative values. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-72.4134517
    Maximum:-72.3349667
    Units:Decimal Degrees
    Resolution:0.0000001
    Depth_M
    Depth in meters extracted from the a preliminary bathymetry dataset collected as part of USGS field activity 2012-024-FA. Note sample 63 has a nodata value of -9999 because it was collected 11 meters outside the acoustic survey bounds. The nearest bathymetry depth to sample 63 is approximately 2.8m water depth. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:2.3
    Maximum:18
    Units:Meters
    T_DEPTH
    Top depth of the sub-sample collected from the whole grab sample, in centimeters. Value also represents the top of a "surface sample" for the visually observed samples that had no physical sample collected. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:0
    Units:centimeters
    B_DEPTH
    Bottom depth of the sub-sample collected from the whole grab sample, in centimeters. Value also represents the base of a "surface sample" for the visually observed samples that had no physical sample collected. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:2
    Maximum:2
    Units:centimeters
    DEVICE
    Device used to collect the sample. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    ValueDefinition
    MicroSEABOSS (a.k.a. SEABOSSpro, a.k.a. GoProSEABOSS)sample was collected with a modified Van Veen grab sampler on the MicroSEABOSS (a.k.a. SEABOSSpro, a.k.a. GoProSEABOSS). Note this designation was used by the sediment lab however, elsewhere in this data release, this version of the SEABOSS is referred to as the modified SEABOSS or the SEABOSS (modified).
    MONTH_COLL
    Calendar month sample collected based on time in UTC. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:9
    Maximum:9
    DAY_COLL
    Calendar day sample collected based on time in UTC. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:21
    Maximum:23
    YEAR_COLL
    Calendar year sample collected based on time in UTC. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:2012
    Maximum:2012
    MONTH_ANAL
    Calendar month sample analyzed. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:12
    Maximum:12
    DAY_ANAL
    Calendar month sample analyzed. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:18
    Maximum:18
    YEAR_ANAL
    Calendar year sample analyzed. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:2012
    Maximum:2012
    WEIGHT
    Weight of dry sample in grams. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:13.9634
    Maximum:180.5749
    Units:grams
    Resolution:0.0001
    GRAVEL_PCT
    Gravel content in percent dry weight of the sample (particles with nominal diameters greater than 2 mm; -1 Phi and larger). No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:30.92
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    SAND_PCT
    Sand content in percent dry weight of the sample (particles with nominal diameters less than 2 mm, but greater than or equal to 0.0625 mm; 0 Phi through 4 Phi). No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:4.76
    Maximum:99.88
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    SILT_PCT
    Silt content in percent dry weight of the sample (particles with nominal diameters less than 0.0625 mm, but greater than or equal to 0.004 mm; 5 Phi through 8 Phi, inclusive). No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.03
    Maximum:77.86
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    CLAY_PCT
    Clay content in percent dry weight of the sample (particles with nominal diameters less than 0.004 mm; 9 Phi and smaller). No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:24.77
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    CLASSIFICA
    Sediment Classification - Sediment description based on a rigorous definition, usually Shepard (1954) as modified by Schlee (1973) and Poppe et al. (2014). This attribute heading is listed as CLASSIFICATION in the accompanying CSV file. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    ValueDefinition
    SANDSediment whose main phase is less than 2 mm, but greater than or equal to 0.0625 mm.
    SANDY SILTSediment whose main phase is silt, but with significant sand.
    CLAYEY SILTSediment whose main phase silt, but with significant clay.
    SILTSediment whose main phase is less than 0.0625 mm, but greater than or equal to 0.004 mm.
    SILTY SANDSediment whose main phase in sand, but with significant silt.
    GRAVELLY SEDIMENTSediment whose phase is equal to or greater than 10 percent, but less than 50 percent gravel, but with significant other sediment.
    BOULDERSRocks with diameters greater than 256 mm.
    MEDIAN
    Middle point in the grain size distribution in phi units. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.42
    Maximum:6.81
    Units:phi
    Resolution:0.01
    MEAN
    Average value in the grain size distribution in phi units. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.4
    Maximum:6.79
    Units:phi
    Resolution:0.01
    STDEV
    Standard deviation (root mean square of the deviations) of the grain size distribution in phi units (sorting). No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.34
    Maximum:3.38
    Units:phi
    Resolution:0.01
    SKEWNESS
    Skewness of sample (unitless measure) - a measure of sorting in the 'tails' of a grain-size population, where positive values show an excess of fine-grained sediments and negative values show an excess of coarse-grained sediments. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-0.51
    Maximum:3.46
    Units:unitless
    KURTOSIS
    Kurtosis of sample (unitless) - a measure of the peakedness of the probability distribution. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-1.5
    Maximum:39.63
    Units:unitless
    PHIM5
    -5 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the -5 Phi fraction and larger (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 32 mm); very coarse pebbles, cobbles, and boulders. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:0
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHIM4
    -4 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the -4 Phi fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 16 mm, but less than 32 mm); coarse pebbles. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:0
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHIM3
    -3 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the -3 Phi fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 8 mm, but less than 16 mm); medium pebbles. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:17.78
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHIM2
    -2 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the -2 Phi fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 4 mm, but less than 8 mm); fine pebbles. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:8.82
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHIM1
    -1 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the -1 Phi fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 2 mm, but less than 4 mm); very fine pebbles (granules). No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:10.69
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_0
    0 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 0 Phi fraction (nominal diameters of particles greater than or equal to 1 mm, but less than 2 mm); very coarse sand. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.01
    Maximum:21.63
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_1
    1 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 1 Phi fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 0.5 mm, but less than 1 mm); coarse sand. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.15
    Maximum:62.11
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_2
    2 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 2 Phi fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 0.25 mm, but less than 0.5 mm); medium sand. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.38
    Maximum:85.57
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_3
    3 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 3 Phi fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 0.125 mm, but less than 0.25 mm); fine sand. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.36
    Maximum:70.78
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_4
    4 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 4 Phi fraction (nominal diameters of particles greater than or equal to 0.0625 mm, but less than 0.125 mm); very fine sand. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.11
    Maximum:28.33
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_5
    5 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 5 Phi fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 0.031 mm, but less than 0.0625 mm); coarse silt. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.01
    Maximum:26.39
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_6
    6 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 6 Phi fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 0.016 mm, but less than 0.031 mm); medium silt. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.01
    Maximum:22.02
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_7
    7 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 7 Phi fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 0.008 mm, but less than 0.016 mm); fine silt. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.01
    Maximum:31.28
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_8
    8 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 8 Phi fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 0.004 mm, but less than 0.008 mm); very fine silt. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:19.91
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_9
    9 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 9 Phi fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 0.002 mm, but less than 0.004 mm); coarse clay. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:14.28
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_10
    10 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 10 Phi fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 0.001 mm, but less than 0.002 mm); medium clay. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:7.26
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_11
    11 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 11 Phi fraction and smaller (nominal diameter of particles less than 0.001 mm); fine clay. No data value -9999. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:3.23
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    ANALYST
    Person who analyzed the sediment samples in the sediment lab or made the visual observation based on video and photo datasets. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary) Character string.
    COMMENTS
    Comments on sample collection or lithology, if available. Blank fields indicate no comment. This is where visual observations of the sediment texture based on other data, such as video or photos, were noted. (Source: Modified from USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary.) Character string.
    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
    The CSV file has the most of the same attributes with the same definitions. Exceptions are that the point shapefile was updated to fill the missing values for ANALYST of the Visual Observation sites, and to remove fields that were completely populated with the nodata value "-9999" (MODE1CLASS, MODE1FREQ, MODE2CLASS, MODE2FREQ, MODE3CLASS, MODE3FREQ, NMODES) or were completely empty for all records (ANAL_COMM, and LITHOLOGY). The csv file includes these deleted fields because it is the unaltered "raw" data downloaded from the USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database. The heading on the attribute field CLASSIFICATION in the CSV file was truncated automatically in the process of creating the shapefile so it appears as CLASSIFICA in the shapefile.
    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:
    USGS Open File Report 2005-1001 (https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2005/1001/)

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?
    Seth Ackerman
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Rd.
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2315 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    sackerman@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

This data set includes the locations, identifiers, and grain-size analysis for 72 surficial samples collected at 88 sample locations in 2012 by the U.S. Geological Survey in the Connecticut River during survey 2012-024-FA. This data set was collected to ground-truth (verify) acoustic data also collected during USGS cruise 2012-024-FA.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
    Sediment sample locations with sediment grain size analysis (source 1 of 1)
    U.S. Geological Survey, Unpublished Material, Sediment Textural Data.

    Type_of_Source_Media: disc
    Source_Contribution:
    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 riverbed/seafloor and, in conjunction with high-resolution geophysical data, to make interpretive maps of sedimentary environments and validate the acoustic remote sensing data. This particular setup of the SEABOSS was ultra simplified using only a GoPro HD Hero2 camera, a black and white drop video camera with topside feed, lights and a depth sensor attached to a ultra-lightweight square frame. At station 1 and stations 22-30, this small, simplified SEABOSS frame with the GoPro and video was hand deployed from the starboard side of the R/V Rafael. At these sites, no sediment sample was collected, however visual observations made from the video and photos at sites 22-30 were made and are included in this sediment sample dataset. Due to the poor visibility, the imagery portion of the sampling was halted and at stations 2-21 only the modified Van Veen sampler was used to collect sediment samples (without imagery). Beginning with station 31, through the end of the end of the sampling survey, the imagery frame (with the GoPro and video cameras) was attached to the modified Van Veen grab sampler and deployed together from the starboard side of the R/V Rafael. This sampler with the combined capability of collecting imagery and a sediment sample, a modified version of the original USGS SEABOSS, is known as the mircoSEABOSS or the SEABOSSpro or the GoProSEABOSS. At a typical sampling site, the vessel occupied one of the target stations and deployed this modified SEABOSS. Usually at the end of a short photograph/video survey at each sampling site the winch operator lowered the Van Veen sampler until it rested on the riverbed. When the system was then raised a sample was taken from the riverbed and the sampler recovered to the deck of the survey vessel where a subsample was taken for analysis at the USGS Sediment Laboratory in Wood Hole, MA. The camera time during this survey was set to UTC; calibration photographs with the navigation system indicate that the camera time was 23 seconds ahead of GPS times, therefore a time offset was applied during photo processing. The GoPro camera was set to take a photo every 2 seconds while deployed. The best photos were acquired when the sampler was briefly set down on the riverbed. Likewise, the best video was typically acquired when the sampler was briefly set down on the riverbed prior to taking a sediment sample.
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    Date: 2012 (process 1 of 4)
    Eighty-eight target sampling sites were occupied aboard the R/V Rafael during USGS Cruise 2012-024-FA with some version of a modified SEABOSS (Blackwood and Parolski, 2001) that was equipped with a modified Van Veen grab sampler, a GoPro HD Hero2 camera shooting digital still images and a black and white dropcam video camera collecting standard definition video (sites 1 and 21-30 did not have the sediment sampler; sites 2-20 did not have the cameras). Physical sediment samples were collected at 72 of the 88 sites. Locations for sediment samples were manually recorded in a log book using navigation data from the Hemisphere DGPS receivers during retrieval of the SEABOSS, as it was lifted off the riverbed. Visual observations at an additional 13 sites made from the video and/or riverbed photographs were also added to this dataset. The sediment samples and a list of sampling metadata (including the sample locations) were submitted to the sediment lab at the conclusion of the survey. Person who carried out this activity:
    Seth Ackerman
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Rd.
    Woods Hole, MA

    (508) 548-8700 x2315 (voice)
    (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
    sackerman@usgs.gov
    Date: 2012 (process 2 of 4)
    Samples were analyzed in the sediment laboratory at the USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center. Coarse fraction determined by sieve; fine fraction determined by Coulter Counter. See Poppe et al. (2014) for analytical specifics for grain size measurement processes. Sediment statistics were recorded in MS Excel file (XLS) and saved as Comma Separated Value file (CSV). Person who carried out this activity:
    Kate McMullen
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Rd.
    Woods Hole, MA

    (508) 548-8700 x2277 (voice)
    (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
    kmcmullen@usgs.gov
    Date: Oct-2017 (process 3 of 4)
    The data from this survey (2012-024-FA) were extracted from the published U.S. Geological Survey East Coast Sediment Texture Database (Poppe and others, 2014) and saved as a CSV file. In ArcMap (version 10.3.1), the ASCII comma-delimited file (2012-024-FA_samples.csv) was converted to a point feature class by selecting the 'comma separated value' text file -- Create Feature Class -- from XY table using the defined geographic coordinate system (Decimal_Degrees_WGS84.prj). The point feature class was updated to fill the missing values for ANALYST of the Visual Observation sites, and to remove fields that were completely populated with the nodata value "-9999" (MODE1CLASS, MODE1FREQ, MODE2CLASS, MODE2FREQ, MODE3CLASS, MODE3FREQ, NMODES) or were completely empty for all records (ANAL_COMM, and LITHOLOGY). The csv file includes these deleted fields because it is the unaltered "raw" data downloaded from the USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database. Person who carried out this activity:
    Seth Ackerman
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Rd.
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2315 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    sackerman@usgs.gov
    Date: 12-Jul-2024 (process 4 of 4)
    Added keywords section with USGS persistent identifier as theme keyword (20200908). Fixed a USGS Thesaurus term (20240712). 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?
    Poppe, L.J., McMullen, K.Y., Williams, S.J., and Paskevich, V.F., 2014, USGS East-Coast Sediment Analysis: Procedures, Database, and GIS Data: Open File Report 2005-1001, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia.

    Online Links:

    Blackwood, D., and Parolski, K., 2001, Seabed observation and sampling system: Sea Technology v.42, no.2, p. 29-43, Compass Publications, Inc., Arlington, VA.

    Schlee, J., 1973, Atlantic continental shelf and slope of the United States -- sediment texture of the northeastern part: Professional Paper 529-L, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia.

    Shepard, F.P., 1954, Nomenclature based on sand-silt-clay ratios: Journal Sedimentary Petrology: Journal of Sedimentary Petrology v. 24, p. 151-158, Society for Sedimentary Geology, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
    All attributes were evaluated during data processing as standard quality control to ensure attributes contain accurate and relevant information and values. See the "USGS East-Coast Sediment Analysis: Procedures, Database, and GIS Data" for information about the process and standards used in the sediment laboratory (Poppe and others, 2014)
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    Navigation for the sampling survey 2012-024-FA used the Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) from the Hemisphere DGPS which had an antenna mounted on the aft of the R/V Rafael's cabin just port of the centerline. The recorded position of each photo is actually the position of the GPS antenna on the survey vessel, not the SEABOSS sampler. The SEABOSS was deployed appropriately 2 meters to the starboard side of the DGPS antenna. No layback or offset was applied to the recorded position. In addition to the +/- 2 meters offset the SEABOSS may drift additionally away from the survey vessel when deployed to the riverbed. Based on the various sources for horizontal offsets, a conservative estimate the horizontal accuracy of the bottom photograph locations is 2-4 meters.
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    Sediment samples were collected at 72 of 88 sampling stations. These 72 samples were analyzed for grain-size as the Sediment Laboratory at the USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center. Visual observations from co-located riverbed videos and photographs were used to note the sediment texture of 13 additional sites where a successful sediment grab sample was not (or could not be) collected. These visual observation analyses are noted in the comments field of this dataset. A CSV file containing sediment lab analysis data was used to create the sample location shapefile. There was no sample, no photograph and the visibility in the video was not good enough to confidently classify the sediment texture at sampling sites 1, 70 and 73.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    All samples were collected with the same modified Van Veen sampler mounted on a SEABOSS frame. A no data value of -9999 is used in number formatted columns where no data were collected or recorded. These cells were originally blank in the Excel file, but in an effort to prevent ArcGIS software from filling those blank cells with 0s in the shapefile, a no data value was added to all blank numerical cells. Many of the no data values were then changed to 0s in the phi percents and gravel/sand/silt/clay percents where it looked like a full coarse (sand and gravel) or fine (silt and clay) analysis was completed and the original blanks likely should have been 0s.
    Sediment sample data can be used in conjunction with the riverbed photographs and videos to help classify sediment texture. Beginning with sampling site 31, where the sediment sampler and the imagery frame were tethered to each other, the location of sediment samples, photographs and videos are often coincident as they were collected during the same deployment of the modified SEABOSS. A notable exceptions to this are at sample sites 31 and 36, where the sampler did not collect a successful sample during the original deployment so a sample was taken approximately 100 meter south (sample 31) and 30 meters west (sample 36) of where video and photos were collected.
    No additional checks for topological consistency were performed on these data.

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 as the originator of the dataset.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    Seth Ackerman
    U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole Science Center
    Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Rd.
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2315 (voice)
    sackerman@usgs.gov
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? USGS data release 2012-024-FA contains sediment sample locations and grain size analysis collected in the Connecticut River in 2012 (2012-024-FA_samples.zip). The zip file contains a folder with the following shapefile: (2012-024-FA_samples.shp), a CSV file used to generate the shapefile with sample analysis (2012-024-FA_samples.csv) and Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) metadata files (2012-024-FA_samples.xml) in standard formats.
  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?
    This zip file contains data available in shapefile format. The user must have software capable of reading shapefile format to use these data. The CSV file can be read with a text editor.

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 12-Jul-2024
Metadata author:
Seth Ackerman
U.S. Geological Survey
Geologist
384 Woods Hole Rd.
Woods Hole, MA
USA

508-548-8700 x2315 (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 20240318)
Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
This page is <https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/catalog/whcmsc/field_activities/2012_024_fa/2012-024-FA_samples.faq.html>
Generated by mp version 2.9.51 on Tue Jul 16 09:57:53 2024