Sediment samples collected by the USGS within Red Brook Harbor, MA, 2009 (RB_SedimentSamples)

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Frequently anticipated questions:


What does this data set describe?

Title:
Sediment samples collected by the USGS within Red Brook Harbor, MA, 2009 (RB_SedimentSamples)
Abstract:
These data were collected under a cooperative agreement with the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center (WHCMSC). Initiated in 2003, the primary objective of this program is to develop regional geologic framework information for the management of coastal and marine resources. Accurate data and maps of sea-floor geology are important first steps toward protecting fish habitat, delineating marine resources, and assessing environmental changes due to natural or human impacts. The project is focused on the inshore waters (5-30 m deep) of Massachusetts between the New Hampshire border and Cape Cod Bay. Data collected for the mapping cooperative have been released in a series of USGS Open-File Reports (http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/coastal_mass/). This is the spatial dataset for the Red Brook Harbor survey area within Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. These data are the results of a high-resolution geophysical (bathymetry, backscatter intensity, and seismic reflection) and ground validation (sediment samples and bottom photographs) survey, conducted in 2009. In addition to inclusion within the USGS-CZM geologic mapping effort, these Red Brook Harbor data will be used to assess the shallow-water mapping capability of the geophysical systems deployed for this project, with an emphasis on identifying resolution benchmarks for the interferometric sonar system. (http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/operations/ia/public_ds_info.php?fa=2009-018-FA)
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    U.S. Geological Survey, 2012, Sediment samples collected by the USGS within Red Brook Harbor, MA, 2009 (RB_SedimentSamples): Open-File Report 2011-1091, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole Science Coastal and Marine Center, Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Turecek, Aaron M., Danforth, William W., Baldwin, Wayne E., and Barnhardt, Walter A., 2012, High-Resolution Geophysical Data Collected Within Red Brook Harbor, Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, in 2009: Open-File Report 2011-1091, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -70.673530
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -70.620568
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.688820
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.666597
  3. What does it look like?
    http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2010/1091/GIS/browse_jpg/big/RB_SedimentSamples.jpg (JPEG)
    Sediment samples collected by the USGS within Red Brook Harbor, MA, 2009
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 16-Nov-2009
    Ending_Date: 17-Nov-2009
    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 (41)
    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?
    RB_SedimentSamples
    Point location of sediment samples (Source: USGS)
    FID
    Internal feature number (Source: ESRI) Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated
    Shape
    Feature geometry. (Source: ESRI) Coordinates defining the features
    GROUP
    Internal Value - Sediment Lab Grouping (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:3
    Maximum:3
    DB_ID
    Unique identifier consisting of two characters and three numerics assigned during lab analysis (Source: Scientist) Character string of width 254
    FIELD_NO
    Sample name assigned in the field (Source: Scientist) Character string of width 254
    PROJECT
    Project under which the samples were taken (Red Brook Harbor) (Source: Scientist) Character string of width 254
    CRUISE_ID
    Name or number of WHCMSC cruise during which the samples were collected (Source: Scientist) Character string of width 254
    CONTACT
    Name (initial and last name) of the principal investigator and/or survey data curator (Source: Scientist) Character string of width 254
    AREA
    General geographic where the samples were taken (Source: Scientist) Character string of width 254
    LATITUDE
    Latitude coordinate of sample location (decimal degrees, WGS84) (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:41.666861
    Maximum:41.688712
    Units:Decimal degrees
    Resolution:0.000001
    LONGITUDE
    Longitude coordinate of sample location (decimal degrees, WGS84) (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-70.673637
    Maximum:-70.62072
    Units:Decimal degrees
    Resolution:0.000001
    DEPTH_M
    Measured depth, in meters, of water overlying sediment at sample time. Depth value is not corrected for tides. (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1.8
    Maximum:10.5
    Units:meters
    T_DEPTH
    Top depth of the sample below sediment-water interface in centimeters (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:0
    Units:centimeters
    B_DEPTH
    Bottom depth of the sample below sediment-water interface in centimeters (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:2
    Maximum:2
    Units:centimeters
    DEVICE
    Device used to collect sample (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary) MINI-SEABOSS
    MONTH_COLL
    Calendar month sample collected based on time in UTC. (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:11
    Maximum:11
    DAY_COLL
    Calendar day sample collected based on time in UTC. (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:16
    Maximum:17
    YEAR_COLL
    Calendar year sample collected based on time in UTC. (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:9
    Maximum:9
    MONTH_ANAL
    Calendar month sample analyzed. (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:12
    Maximum:12
    DAY_ANAL
    Calendar day sample analyzed. (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:31
    Maximum:31
    YEAR_ANAL
    Calendar year sample analyzed. (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:2009
    Maximum:2009
    WEIGHT
    Weight of dry sample in grams (Source: Sediment Laboratory Analyst)
    Range of values
    Minimum:11.2049
    Maximum:578.48
    Units:grams
    Resolution:0.0001
    GRAVEL_PCT
    Gravel content in percent dry weight of the sample (particles with nominal diameters greater than 2 mm; -1phi and larger) (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:71.32
    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 ; 0phi through 4phi ) (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:5.94
    Maximum:96.92
    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; 5phi through 8phi, inclusive) (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.29
    Maximum:71.25
    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; 9phi and smaller) (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.15
    Maximum:22.81
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    CLASSIFICA
    Sediment description based on a rigorous definition (Shepard, 1954) (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary - USGS OFR 2005-1001)
    ValueDefinition
    GRAVELSediment whose main phase (usually >50%) is >2 mm
    GRAVELLY SEDIMENTSediment whose main phase (usually >50%) is >2 mm, but with significant sand)
    SANDSediment whose main phase is <2 mm, but >0.062 mm
    SILTY SANDSediment whose main phase is sand (usually >50%), but with significant silt
    SAND SILT CLAYSediment with sand, silt, and clay concentrations all <20%)
    SANDY SILTSediment whose main phase is silt (usually >50%), but with significant sand
    CLAYEY SILTSediment whose main phase is silt (usually >50%), but with significant clay
    MEDIAN
    Middle point in the grain-size distribution in phi units (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-5.28
    Maximum:6.81
    Units:phi
    Resolution:0.01
    MEAN
    Average value in the grain-size distribution in phi units (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-3.41
    Maximum:6.67
    Units:phi
    Resolution:0.01
    STDEV
    Standard Deviation of the grain-size distribution in phi units (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1.26
    Maximum:3.67
    Units:phi
    Resolution:0.01
    SKEWNESS
    Deviation from symmetrical form of the grain-size distribution (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-0.5
    Maximum:1.3
    Resolution:0.01
    KURTOSIS
    Degree of curvature near the mode of the grain-size distribution (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-1.05
    Maximum:12.31
    Resolution:0.01
    MODE1CLASS
    First mode (particle size that occurs the most number of times) in phi units (Source: U.S. Geological Survey) null value
    MODE1FREQ
    Modal strength of the first mode in percent. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey) null value
    MODE2CLASS
    Second mode in phi units. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey) null value
    MODE2FREQ
    Modal strength of the second mode in percent. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey) null value
    MODE3CLASS
    Third mode in phi units. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey) null value
    MODE3FREQ
    Modal strength of the third mode in percent. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey) null value
    NMODES
    Number of modes (Source: U.S. Geological Survey) null value
    PHIM5
    Weight percent of the sample in the -5 phi fraction (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:69.67
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHIM4
    Weight percent of the sample in the -4 phi fraction (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:27.91
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHIM3
    Weight percent of the sample in the -3 phi fraction (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:41.47
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHIM2
    Weight percent of the sample in the -2 phi fraction (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:28.39
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHIM1
    Weight percent of the sample in the -1 phi fraction (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:12.68
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_0
    Weight percent of the sample in the 0 phi fraction (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.25
    Maximum:16.83
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_1
    Weight percent of the sample in the 1 phi fraction (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1.58
    Maximum:37.6
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_2
    Weight percent of the sample in the 2 phi fraction (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1.35
    Maximum:45.77
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_3
    Weight percent of the sample in the 3 phi fraction (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.69
    Maximum:38.98
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_4
    Weight percent of the sample in the 4 phi fraction (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.38
    Maximum:41.1
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_5
    Weight percent of the sample in the 5 phi fraction (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.02
    Maximum:7.65
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_6
    Weight percent of the sample in the 6 phi fraction (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.06
    Maximum:17.81
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_7
    Weight percent of the sample in the 7 phi fraction (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.09
    Maximum:22.85
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_8
    Weight percent of the sample in the 8 phi fraction (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.12
    Maximum:22.94
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_9
    Weight percent of the sample in the 9 phi fraction (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.09
    Maximum:13.69
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_10
    Weight percent of the sample in the 10 phi fraction (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.05
    Maximum:6.47
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    PHI_11
    Weight percent of the sample in the 11 phi fraction (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.01
    Maximum:2.65
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.01
    ANALYST
    Name(usually first initial and last name) of person who performed the grain size or physical properties analysis (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary) Character string of width 254
    ANAL_COMM
    Any further information about sediment analysis for all or specific parameters in this table (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary) Character string of width 254
    LITHOLOGY
    General lithologic description of sample (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary) Character string of width 254
    COMMENTS
    Comments on sample collection or lithology (Source: USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary) Character string of width 254
    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
    The Attribute Definition Source for most of these attributes is the USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary which can be found in USGS Open File Report 2005-1001 (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2005/1001/). The following seven fields in the attribute table are not populated with values: MODE1CLASS, MODE1FREQ, MODE2CLASS, MODE2FREQ, MODE3CLASS, MODE3FREQ, and NMODES. These fields were utilized in previous versions of the USGS sediment analysis process, but were not utilized in the sediment sample analysis for this project.
    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:
    USGS Open File Report 2005-1001 (http://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?
    Aaron Turecek
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geographer
    384 Woods Hole Rd.
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2230 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    aturecek@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

This data set includes the locations, identifiers, grain-size data, and textural descriptions of surficial sediments collected at 41 sample stations in Red Brook Harbor, MA, during USGS survey 09018. Sediment sampling was conducted November 16th and 17th, 2009, aboard the R/V Rafael. Samples were collected with a modified Van Veen grab device (the USGS Mini-SEABed Observation and Sampling System (Mini SEABOSS)). This dataset was collected to ground-truth (verify) the acoustic datasets that were acquired in Red Brook Harbor. Samples were analyzed in the sediment laboratory at the USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
    Information unavailable from original metadata. (source 1 of 1)
    The source information was incomplete and had to be modified to meet the standard. Assumed to be USGS., unknown, Information unavailable from original metadata..

    Type_of_Source_Media: Information unavailable from original metadata.
    Source_Contribution:
    Sediment samples were collected with the USGS Mini-SEABOSS sampling device equipped with a Van Veen grab sampler in areas where the sea floor composition permitted sampling without damaging equipment. Half of the 48 planned sample locations were chosen based on interferometric sonar backscatter intensity values, with a focus on collecting samples in areas of transition between high and low backscatter, and areas of homogeneous backscatter. The remaining 24 sample locations were chosen by a randomized GIS routine. In addition to being used for ground-truthing the Red Brook Harbor geophysical data, these random sediment samples will be used in future habitat modeling efforts.
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    Date: 2009 (process 1 of 9)
    Position data for each sediment sample location was acquired from an Ashtech BR2G DGPS unit and recorded within a HYPACK survey software target file (TGT). Person who carried out this activity:
    Aaron Turecek
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geographer
    384 Woods Hole Rd.
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2230 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    aturecek@usgs.gov
    Date: 2009 (process 2 of 9)
    The HYPACK target file (with eastings and northings) was added to ArcMap v9.3 as an event theme (Tools/Add XY Data, UTM, Zone 19, WGS84), and then converted to a shapefile. Planned sample sites where the sea floor composition prohibited collecting a sample are not included in this dataset. Person who carried out this activity:
    Aaron Turecek
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geographer
    384 Woods Hole Rd.
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2230 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    aturecek@usgs.gov
    Date: 31-Dec-2009 (process 3 of 9)
    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, Williams, and Paskevich (2005) for analytical specifics. The sediment analyses were returned from the lab as a Microsoft Excel file (XLS). Person who carried out this activity:
    Kate McMullen
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geologist
    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:
    • bagged sediment samples
    Data sources produced in this process:
    • RB_SedimentAnalysis.xls
    Date: 2010 (process 4 of 9)
    The sediment analysis XLS file (previous process step) was imported into Microsoft Access (version 2007). Person who carried out this activity:
    Aaron Turecek
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geographer
    384 Woods Hole Rd.
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2230 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    aturecek@usgs.gov
    Data sources used in this process:
    • RB_SedimentAnalysis.xls
    Data sources produced in this process:
    • SedLabResults_09018.mdb
    Date: 2010 (process 5 of 9)
    The sediment analyses Access file was imported into ArcMap (version 9.3), and joined with the sediment sample location shapefile using join field of "FIELD_NO". The shapefile was then reprojected from UTM to Geographic (WGS 1984). Person who carried out this activity:
    Aaron Turecek
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geographer
    384 Woods Hole Rd.
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2230 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    aturecek@usgs.gov
    Data sources used in this process:
    • SedLabResults_09018.mdb
    Date: 15-Apr-2016 (process 6 of 9)
    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 URL in abstract. The source information was incomplete and had to be modified to meet the standard. 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 7 of 9)
    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 8 of 9)
    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 9 of 9)
    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?
    Poppe, L.J., Williams, S.J., and Paskevich, V.F., 2005, U.S. Geological Survey East-Coast Sediment Analysis: Procedures, Database, and GIS Data: Open-File Report 2005-1001, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Shepard, F.P., 1954, Nomenclature based on sand-silt-clay ratios: Journal Sedimentary Petrology 24 (3), Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists, Tulsa, OK.

    Online Links:

    Blackwood, D., and Parolski, K., 2001, Seabed observation and sampling system: Sea Technology v. 42, no. 2, p. 39-43.

    Barnhardt, Walter A., Andrews, Brian D., and Butman, Bradford, 2006, High-Resolution Geologic Mapping of the Inner Continental Shelf: Nahant to Gloucester, Massachusetts: Open-File Report 2005-1293, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Ackerman, Seth D., Butman, Bradford, Barnhardt, Walter A., Danforth, William W., and Crocker, James M., 2006, High-Resolution Geologic Mapping of the Inner Continental Shelf: Boston Harbor and Approaches, Massachusetts: Open-File Report 2006-1008, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Barnhardt, Walter A., Andrews, Brian D., Ackerman, Seth D., Baldwin, Wayne E., and Hein, Christopher J., 2009, High-Resolution Geologic Mapping of the Inner Continental Shelf: Cape Ann to Salisbury Beach, Massachusetts: Open-File Report 2007-1373, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Barnhardt, Walter A., Ackerman, Seth D., Andrews, Brian D., and Baldwin, Wayne E., 2010, Geophysical and Sampling Data from the Inner Continental Shelf: Duxbury to Hull, Massachusetts: Open-File Report 2009-1072, 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?
    All attributes were checked in a consistent manner.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    Horizontal positions for sediment samples were provided by a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) with an estimated accuracy of ± 2 meters. However, the recorded position of each sediment sample is actually the position of the DGPS antenna on the survey vessel, not the Mini-SEABOSS sampler. The Mini-SEABOSS was deployed approximately 5 meters astern of the DGPS antenna, off the starboard side of the R/V Rafael. In addition to this 5-meter offset, currents may have caused the Mini-SEABOSS to drift horizontally from the survey vessel. Based on the various horizontal offsets, a conservative estimate for the horizontal accuracy of the Mini-SEABOSS locations for the Red Brook Harbor survey is 10-15 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 41 of the 48 planned sampling sites within the Red Brook Harbor survey area. Samples were not collected in areas where real-time video and photography indicated the sea bed composition might damage the sampling equipment. Samples were collected with the USGS Mini-SEABOSS.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    Gaps in sequential sample numbers may exist.

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 source of this information.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    Aaron Turecek
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geographer
    384 Woods Hole Rd.
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2230 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    aturecek@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?
    • Availability in digital form:
      Data format: Point shapefile with locations of sediment samples collected in Red Brook Harbor, Massachusetts, and associated metadata in format SHP (version ArcGIS 9.3) ESRI point shapefile Size: 0.02
      Network links: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2010/1091/GIS/shapefile/RB_SedimentSamples.zip
      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?
    This data is an Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) point shapefile. 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 user may utilize another GIS application package capable of importing the 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:
Aaron Turecek
U.S. Geological Survey
Geographer
384 Woods Hole Rd.
Woods Hole, MA
USA

508-548-8700 x2230 (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/ofr2010-1091/RB_SedimentSamples.shp.faq.html>
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