Boulder ridges less than 1 m high on the sea floor of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region (ridges0.shp)

Frequently anticipated questions:

• What does this data set describe?
  1. How might this data set be cited?
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
• Who produced the data set?
  1. Who are the originators of the data set?
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
• Why was the data set created?
• How was the data set created?
  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
  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?
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the data, including topology?
• How can someone get a copy of the data set?
  1. Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
  2. Who distributes the data?
  3. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?
  4. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
  5. How can I download or order the data?
• Who wrote the metadata?

What does this data set describe?

1. How might this data set be cited?
   Valentine, Page C., Scully, Lian A., and Fuller, Sarah J., 2005, Boulder ridges less than 1 m high on the sea floor of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region (ridges0.shp): Scientific Investigations Map 2840, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.

   Online Links:

   • https://doi.org/10.3133/sim2840
   • http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/2005/2840/data/ridges/ridges0.zip

   This is part of the following larger work.
   Page C. Valentine (editor), 2005, Sea floor image maps showing topography, sun-illuminated topography, backscatter intensity, ruggedness, slope, and the distribution of boulder ridges and bedrock outcrops in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region off Boston, Massachusetts: Scientific Investigations Map 2840, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

   Online Links:

   • https://doi.org/10.3133/sim2840
   • http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/2005/2840/

   Other_Citation_Details:

   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.

2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

   West_Bounding_Coordinate: -70.599891
   East_Bounding_Coordinate: -70.036156
   North_Bounding_Coordinate: 42.792679
   South_Bounding_Coordinate: 42.116601
   

3. What does it look like?
4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

   Calendar_Date: 2005

   Currentness_Reference:

   publication date

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 (513)
   2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
      The map projection used is Mercator.
      

      Projection parameters:

      Standard_Parallel: 41.650000
      Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -70.316667
      False_Easting: 0.000000
      False_Northing: 0.000000
      

      Planar coordinates are encoded using coordinate pair
      Abscissae (x-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.000128
      Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.000128
      Planar coordinates are specified in meters
      The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
      The ellipsoid used is Geodetic Reference System 80.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.000000.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257222.
      
7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

   ridges0

   Shapefile Attribute Table (Source: ESRI)

   FID

   Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI) Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

   Shape

   Feature geometry. (Source: ESRI) Coordinates defining the features.

   Area

   Area (square meters) covered by each boulder ridge. (Source: USGS)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	507.166806
   Maximum:	44182.282778
   Units:	square meters
   Resolution:	.000001

   Perimeter

   Perimeter (meters) of each boulder ridge. (Source: USGS)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	93.035378
   Maximum:	977.777809
   Units:	meters
   Resolution:	.000001

   Hectares

   Hectares covered by each boulder ridge (Source: USGS)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	0.050717
   Maximum:	4.418228
   Units:	hectares
   Resolution:	.000001

   MIN

   Base of ridge, in meters above sea level (a negative value). (Source: USGS)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	-93.919998
   Maximum:	-19
   Units:	meters
   Resolution:	.000001

   MAX

   Top of ridge, in meters above sea level (a negative value). (Source: USGS)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	-93.209999
   Maximum:	-18.080000
   Units:	meters
   Resolution:	.000001

   RANGE

   Height of ridge (meters), calculated by subtracting top of ridge (max) from base of ridge (min). (Source: USGS)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	0.129997
   Maximum:	0.990002
   Units:	meters
   Resolution:	.000001

Who produced the data set?

1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
   • Page C. Valentine
   • Lian A. Scully
   • Sarah J. Fuller
2. Who also contributed to the data set?
3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
   Page C. Valentine

   U.S. Geological Survey

   Research Geologist

   U.S. Geological Survey

   Woods Hole, MA
   

   USA

   (508) 548-8700 x2239 (voice)

   (508) 457-2310 (FAX)

   pvalentine@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

Development of interpretive seabed maps, sea floor imagery, and a GIS database that are accessible to scientists, policymakers, managers, and the general public.

How was the data set created?

1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

   Date: unknown (process 1 of 2)

   Boulder ridges were visually identified using the Stellwagen Bank sun-illuminated multibeam sonar image combined with backscatter intensity images, and where available, video and/or photographic imagery from the region and then digitized using the Editor toolbar in ArcMap. Data sources produced in this process:

   • ridges0.shp
   • ridges.dbf
   • ridges.shx

   Date: 08-Sep-2021 (process 2 of 2)

   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. 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?
   
2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
   
3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
   
4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
   Information not available from original metadata.
5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
   No additional checks for topological consistency were performed on the 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 (USGS) as the source of this information.

1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
   
   Page C. Valentine

   U.S. Geological Survey

   Research Geologist

   U.S. Geological Survey

   Woods Hole, MA
   

   USA

   (508) 548-8700 x2239 (voice)

   (508) 457-2310 (FAX)

   pvalentine@usgs.gov
2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? Downloadable Data
3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

   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.

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 data set <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 3.3) ESRI shapefile Size: 0.442
     Network links:	http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/2005/2840/data/ridges/ridges0.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?

   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 user may utilize another GIS application package capable of the 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: 08-Sep-2021

Metadata author:

U.S. Geological Survey

Attn: Page C. Valentine

Research Geologist

U.S. Geological Survey

Woods Hole, MA

USA

(508) 548-8700 x2239 (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 contact person is no longer with the USGS.

Metadata standard:

FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)