Interpretation of Sea Floor Features of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) H11320 Sidescan Sonar and Bathymetric Data from Rhode Island Sound (H11320INTERP)

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
Interpretation of Sea Floor Features of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) H11320 Sidescan Sonar and Bathymetric Data from Rhode Island Sound (H11320INTERP)
Abstract:
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is working cooperatively with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to interpret the surficial geology in estuaries along the coast of the northeastern United States. The purpose of our present study is to define the sea floor morphology and sedimentary environments in an area of Rhode Island Sound using sidescan sonar imagery, multibeam bathymetry and seismic records. The mosaic, bathymetry, and their interpretations serve many purposes, including: (1) defining the geological variability of the sea floor, which is one of the primary controls of benthic habitat diversity; (2) improving our understanding of the processes that control the distribution and transport of bottom sediments and the distribution of benthic habitats and associated infaunal community structures; and (3) providing a detailed framework for future research, monitoring, and management activities. The sidescan sonar mosaics and bathymetry images also serve as base maps for subsequent sedimentological, geochemical, and biological observations, because precise information on environmental setting is important for selection of sampling sites and for accurate interpretations of point measures.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    McMullen, K.Y., 2007, Interpretation of Sea Floor Features of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) H11320 Sidescan Sonar and Bathymetric Data from Rhode Island Sound (H11320INTERP): Open-File Report 2007-1150, 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.

    McMullen, K.Y., Poppe, L.J., Twomey, E.R., Danforth, W.W., Haupt, T.A., and Crocker, J.M., 2007, Sidescan Sonar Imagery, Multibeam Bathymetry, and Surficial Geologic Interpretations of the Sea Floor in Rhode Island Sound, off Sakonnet Point, Rhode Island: Open-File Report 2007-1150, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 1 DVD-ROM
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -71.203795
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -71.086114
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.396375
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.319634
  3. What does it look like?
    http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1150/data/interpretation/mosaicinterp/h11320interp.gif (GIF)
    Image of the interpretations of NOAA H11320 sidescan sonar and bathymetric data
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Calendar_Date: 2004
    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):
      • G-polygon (345)
    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?
    h11320interp
    Information unavailable from original metadata. (Source: Information unavailable from original metadata.)
    FID
    Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI) Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
    Shape
    Feature geometry. (Source: ESRI) Coordinates defining the features.
    ID
    Information unavailable from original metadata. (Source: Information unavailable from original metadata.) Information unavailable from original metadata.
    LABEL
    Interpretation of features from NOAA H11320 sidescan sonar mosaic and multibeam bathymetry data (Source: compiler)
    ValueDefinition
    TabularTabular erosional outliers
    MottledMottled Backscatter
    RockyRocky and bouldery areas
    SandwavesSand wave fields
    ScarpAreas of small scarps or small elongate hills
    TrawlMarkAreas of trawl marks
    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
    Polygons are attributed as features based on the interpretation of the sidescan sonar mosaic and multibeam bathymetry, such as mottled backscatter, trawl marks, rocky areas, etc.
    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: 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)
    • K.Y. McMullen
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    Katherine McMullen
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Sediment Lab Technician
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    (508) 548-8700 x2277 (voice)
    (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
    kmcmullen@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

This data layer is a component of the H11320 Survey, Rhode Island Sound, GIS database and represents an interpretation of the sidescan sonar mosaic and multibeam bathymetry imagery for the study area. The interpretation can be used as an overlay for the mosaic image and shows areas of mottled backscatter, scarps, tabular erosional outliers, sand waves, rocky areas and trawl marks.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
    h11320_1m_sss_geo_en.tif (source 1 of 2)
    U.S. Geological Survey, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2004, H11320_1m_sss_geo_en.tif.

    Other_Citation_Details: 1-meter resolution
    Type_of_Source_Media: DVD-ROM
    Source_Contribution:
    Modified sidescan sonar mosaic (originally created by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). The sonar image was visually interpreted to create this data layer.
    H11320_geo_4m.tif (source 2 of 2)
    U.S. Geological Survey, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, unknown, H11320_geo_4m.tif.

    Other_Citation_Details: 4-meter resolution
    Type_of_Source_Media: DVD-ROM
    Source_Contribution:
    Modified multibeam bathymetry data (originally created by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). The bathymetry image was visually interpreted to create this data layer.
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    Date: unknown (process 1 of 6)
    The sidescan sonar imagery and multibeam bathymetry was interpreted to create the shapefiles representing various geologic/bottom characteristic themes (sand wave fields, trawl marks, rocky areas). Person who carried out this activity:
    Katherine McMullen
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Sediment Lab Technician
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    (508) 548-8700 x2277 (voice)
    (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
    kmcmullen@usgs.gov
    Data sources used in this process:
    • h11320_1m_sss_geo_en.tif
    • h11320_geo_4m.tif
    Data sources produced in this process:
    • Tabular.shp
    • Mottled.shp
    • Rocky.shp
    • Sandwaves.shp
    • Striped.shp
    • TrawlMark.shp
    Date: 2007 (process 2 of 6)
    The shapefiles were merged into one shapefile and polygons were attributed. Person who carried out this activity:
    Katherine McMullen
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Sediment Lab Technician
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    (508) 548-8700 x2277 (voice)
    (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
    kmcmullen@usgs.gov
    Data sources used in this process:
    • Tabular.shp
    • Mottled.shp
    • Rocky.shp
    • Sandwaves.shp
    • Striped.shp
    • TrawlMark.shp
    Data sources produced in this process:
    • H11320interp.shp
    Date: 23-May-2016 (process 3 of 6)
    Edits to the metadata were made to fix any errors that MP v 2.9.32 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.). Fixed the link to the browse graphic. Minor fixes to the attribute format for some attributes were needed. 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 Rd.
    Woods Hole, MA

    508-548-8700 x2251 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    vatnipp@usgs.gov
    Date: 20-Jul-2018 (process 4 of 6)
    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: 18-Nov-2019 (process 5 of 6)
    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 6 of 6)
    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?

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

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
    Attributes have been visually checked by the compliers.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    Navigation was by differential GPS.
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    Layer is complete as interpreted for these features.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    Several shapefiles representing various features identified on the mosaic were combined to create this data layer. The layers were edited and processed in a consistent manner.

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 are freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution. Please recognize the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as the originators of this dataset.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    Lawrence Poppe
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    (508) 548-8700 x2314 (voice)
    (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
    lpoppe@usgs.gov
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? Downloadable Data: Interpretion of NOAA H11320 sidescan sonar mosaic and multibeam bathymetry.
  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
    Although these data have been used by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Department of the Interior, no warranty expressed or implied is made by the U.S. Geological Survey as to the accuracy of the data. 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?
    • Availability in digital form:
      Data format: The SHP file contains the geospatial data. The SHX file contains the index of the geospatial data. The DBF file contains the attribute data in dBase format. The PRJ file contains the coordinate system information (optional). The AVL file contains the legend information (optional). The SBN and SBX files contain the spatial index of the geospatial data (optional). The XML file contains the metadata describing the dataset <data set name>.shp.xml. An ASCII version of the metadata file. A browse graphic showing the data layer coverage and extent (optional). in format SHP (version Information unavailable from original metadata.) ESRI polygon shapefile Size: 0.125
      Network links: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1150/data/interpretation/mosaicinterp/H11320interp.zip
      http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1150/html/catalog.html
      Media you can order: DVD-ROM (Density 4.75 Gbytes) (format UDF)
    • Cost to order the data: None

  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 ArcGIS or ArcView 3.0 or greater software to read and process the data file. In lieu of ArcView or ArcGIS, the uesr may utilize another GIS application package capable of importing data. A free data viewer, arcexplorer, capable of displaying the data is available from ESRI at www.esri.com.

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 16-Nov-2021
Metadata author:
U.S. Geological Survey
Attn: Katherine McMullen
Sediment Lab Technician
384 Woods Hole Road
Woods Hole, MA
USA

(508) 548-8700 x2277 (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/open_file_report/ofr2007-1150/h11320interp.shp.faq.html>
Generated by mp version 2.9.50 on Tue Nov 16 10:06:34 2021