Page C. Valentine
Jessica L. Baker
Tanya S. Unger
2005
Backscatter intensity and sun-illuminated topographic imagery of the seafloor in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region (bcksctter.tif)
1.0
remote-sensing image
Scientific Investigations Map
2840
Woods Hole Science Center, Woods Hole, MA
U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program
https://doi.org/10.3133/sim2840
http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/2005/2840/DATA/backscatter/bcksctter.zip
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
1.0
Scientific Investigations Map
2840
Reston, VA
U.S. Geological Survey
1:60,000, 6 maps, 12 sheets. Suggested citation: Valentine, P.C., Baker, J.L., Unger, T.S., Sculy, L.A., Fuller, S.J., 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: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 2840, https://doi.org/10.3133/sim2840.
https://doi.org/10.3133/sim2840
http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/2005/2840/
This data set contains the sun-illuminated topographic imagery and backscatter intensity generated from a multibeam sonar survey of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region off Boston, Massachusetts, an area of approximately 1100 square nautical miles. The Stellwagen Bank NMS Mapping Project is designed to provide detailed maps of the Stellwagen Bank region's environments and habitats and the first complete multibeam topographic and sea floor characterization maps of a significant region of the shallow EEZ.
Data were collected on four cruises over a two year period from the fall of 1994 to the fall of 1996. The surveys were conducted aboard the Canadian Hydrographic Service vessel Frederick G. Creed, a SWATH (Small Waterplane Twin Hull) ship that surveys at speeds of up to 16 knots. The multibeam data were collected utilizing a Simrad Subsea EM 1000 Multibeam Echo Sounder (95 kHz) that is permanently installed in the hull of the Creed.
Development of interpretive seabed maps, sea floor imagery, and a GIS database that are accessible to scientists, policymakers, managers, and the general public.
For additional information about the field activities associated with this dataset, see https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=1994-008-FA, https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=1995-013-FA, https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=1996-032-FA, https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=1996-043-FA.
1994
1998
ground condition
As needed
-70.600
-70.0333
42.800
42.0833
USGS Metadata Identifier
USGS:de6a9ef2-0f4d-4586-aca5-12c55027d0ee
None
Geographic Information Systems
U.S. Geological Survey
USGS
Coastal and Marine Geology Program
CMGP
Woods Hole Science Center
WHSC
SIMRAD SUBSEA EM 1000
Frederick G. Creed
Multibeam Echo Sounder
Sea floor topography
bathymetry
shaded relief imagery
backscatter intensity
psuedo color encoded
GeoTIFF image
ISO 19115 Topic Category
oceans
geoscientificInformation
imageryBaseMapsEarthCover
elevation
USGS Thesaurus
marine geology
sea-floor acoustic reflectivity
multibeam sonar
sea-floor characteristics
marine geophysics
geospatial datasets
image mosaics
None
Massachusetts
MA
Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
SBNMS
Shallow EEZ
EEZ
Gulf of Maine
Atlantic Ocean
North Atlantic
Boston
None
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.
Page C. Valentine
U.S. Geological Survey
Research Geologist
mailing and physical address
U.S. Geological Survey
384 Woods Hole Rd.
Woods Hole
MA
02543-1598
USA
(508) 548-8700 x2239
(508) 457-2310
pvalentine@usgs.gov
http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/2005/2840/data/backscatter/bcksctter-thumb.gif
Thumbnail image showing backscatter intensity and sun-illuminated topography of the seafloor in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region.
GIF
http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/2005/2840/data/backscatter/bcksctter-browse.gif
Browse image showing backscatter intensity and sun-illuminated topography of the seafloor in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region.
GIF
Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 2; ESRI ArcCatalog 9.0.0.535
Page C. Valentine
Tammie J. Middleton
Sarah J. Fuller
2001
Sea floor maps showing topography, sun-illuminated topography, and backscatter intensity of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region off Boston, Massachusetts
1.01
Open-File Report
2000-410
Woods Hole Science Center, Woods Hole, MA
U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/of00-410/
https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr00410
Page C. Valentine
Jessica L. Baker
Tanya S. Unger
2003
Backscatter intensity and sun-illuminated sea Floor topography of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary off Boston, Massachusetts
1.0
map
Geologic Investigations Map
I-2676-C
Woods Hole Science Center, Woods Hole, MA
U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program
https://doi.org/10.3133/i2676C
The ship's position was determined with an accuracy of 10 m or better using a Magnavox 4200 geographic positioning system (GPS) receiver in conjunction with differential GPS corrections transmitted by U.S. Coast Guard radio beacons. At the start of each day, casts were made to record the sound velocity profile of the water column in the area to be surveyed. This information is used by the data acquisition system to correct for the refraction of the transmitted multibeam sound signal as it travels through the water to and from the sea floor.
Multibeam echo sounder data was collected aboard the Canadian Hydrographic Service vessel Frederick G. Creed, an aluminum SWATH (Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull) ship that surveys at speeds up to 16 knots. The ship has two submerged torpedo-shaped hulls that support the main deck via two thin struts. This design reduces wave motion on the ship and resistance to the ship's forward motion through the water, thus making it a very stable platform at high survey speeds. Stability of the ship is also enhanced by the computer-controlled action of four stabilizer fins located fore and aft on the inboard side of the hulls. The stabilizers control the pitch and roll of the vessel and allow adjustment of the heel and trim of the ship while under way.
An Applied Analytics POS/MV motion sensor located in the hull near the EM 1000 transducer detects changes in pitch, roll, and heave of the vessel. The motion information is recorded concurrently with the acquired multibeam signal and both are logged in a single file on the Sun workstation and made available to other workstations for further processing.
The sidescan-sonar backscatter data are displayed in real time on the Sun workstation using software designed and written by the Ocean Mapping Group, University of New Brunswick. This display allows data gaps to be identified during the survey and also gives a measure of the data quality.
Sounding rates depend on water depth but vary from 2 to 4 per second in water depths less than 100 meters. Horizontal spatial resolution at these sounding rates is on the order of 10% of the water depth at 16 knots; however, vertical resolution is approximately 1% or better in the same depth range.
Sounding rates depend on water depth but vary from 2 to 4 per second in water depths less than 100 meters. Horizontal spatial resolution at these sounding rates is on the order of 10% of the water depth at 16 knots; however, vertical resolution is approximately 1% or better in the same depth range.
Multibeam data were processed using SwathEd, a suite of multibeam software editing and display tools developed by Dr. John Hughes Clarke of the Ocean Mapping Group, University of New Brunswick (UNB).
unknown
The metadata was edited to remove errors as well as update some information. Edits include modifying the title to move the dataset name to the end of the title, adding the DOI link in the identification section, added the suggested citation, added supplemental information with link to the related field activity pages on CMGDS, added the USGS Thesaurus keywords, added keywords section with USGS persistent identifier as theme keyword, added online links to cross-references, replaced distribution liability with FSP statement, used a generic email address in metadata. The metadata date (20050822), but not the contact (except email and contact instructions) was updated. The metadata available from a harvester may supersede metadata available from the publication. Compare the metadata dates to determine which metadata file is most recent. Original edits on 20210816. An additional author name fix on 20210908. Links to the data were fixed with respect to case-sensitivity issues. Added file transfer size. (20230428)
20230428
U.S. Geological Survey
VeeAnn A. Cross
Marine Geologist
Mailing and Physical
384 Woods Hole Road
Woods Hole
MA
02543-1598
508-548-8700 x2251
508-457-2310
vatnipp@usgs.gov
Raster
Pixel
6199
3631
1
Mercator
41.650000
-70.316667
0
0
row and column
13.000000
13.000000
meters
North American Datum of 1983
Geodetic Reference System 80
6378137.000000
298.257222
Backscatter imagery combines the sun-illuminated topography with the backscatter intensity (shown here in color) of the sea floor. Backscatter intensity is a measure of the hardness and roughness of the sea floor as determined from the strength of sound waves reflected from the seabed during the survey. High-backscatter materials (red and orange) are coarse sand, gravel (including piles and ridges of boulders), and rock outcrops. Moderate backscatter (green) represents sand or muddy sand. Low backscatter (blue) represents sandy mud and mud. These interpretations apply best in region's of low regional topography, because steep slopes can divert the paths of some of the reflected sound waves away from the survey vessel. Thus, seabed that slopes steeply away from the survey track can produce a lower backscatter intensity than if it were level. Unnatural-looking stripes and patterns oriented parallel or perpendicular to survey track lines are artifacts of data collection. Blank areas represent places where no data exists.
Information unavailable from original metadata file.
Page C. Valentine
U.S. Geological Survey
Research Geologist
mailing and physical address
U.S. Geological Survey
384 Woods Hole Rd.
Woods Hole
MA
02543-1598
USA
(508) 548-8700 x2239
(508) 457-2310
pvalentine@usgs.gov
Downloadable Data
Unless otherwise stated, all data, metadata and related materials are considered to satisfy the quality standards relative to the purpose for which the data were collected. Although these data and associated metadata have been reviewed for accuracy and completeness and approved for release by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the display or utility of the data for other purposes, nor on all computer systems, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty.
TIFF
Information unavailable from original metadata file.
GeoTIFF
A zip archive containing the GeoTIFF image, associated world file, and metadata.
zip
34
http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/2005/2840/DATA/backscatter/bcksctter.zip
DVD-ROM
4.75
Gbytes
UDF
None
This image is available as a GEOTIFF image with an accompanying world file. To utilize this data, the user must have an image viewer, image processing or GIS software package capable of importing a GeoTIFF image.
20230408
U.S. Geological Survey
Page C. Valentine
Research Geologist
mailing and physical address
U.S. Geological Survey
384 Woods Hole Rd.
Woods Hole
MA
02543-1598
USA
(508) 548-8700 x2239
(508) 457-2310
whsc_data_contact@usgs.gov
The metadata contact email address is a generic address in the event the contact person is no longer with the USGS.
FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata
FGDC-STD-001-1998
local time