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USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program

Field Activity Details for field activity 1988-007-FA

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Other ID: POWL 88-1

Status: Completed

Organization(s): USGS, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Funding Program(s):

Principal Investigator(s): Page Valentine

Affiliate Investigator(s):

Information Specialist(s):

Data Type(s): Seismics: Sub Bottom Profiler, Seismics: Boomer, Sampling: Geology, Location-Elevation: Navigation

Scientific Purpose/Goals: Determine the Quaternary stratigraphy, and map and assess the mineral content of fine-grained sediment deposits in Wilkinson-Murray Basin. Conduct seismic and bathymetric surveys, and collect piston cores and grab samples.

Vehicle(s):

Start Port/Location: Woods Hole, MA

End Port/Location: Woods Hole, MA

Start Date: 1988-06-30

End Date: 1988-07-06

Equipment Used: 3.5 kHz, Boomer, Van Veen grab sampler, Loran-C, GPS (wh)

Information to be Derived: Grain size analysis;Morphology;

Summary of Activity and Data Gathered: 3.5 kHz: 180 km; Huntec sub-bottom: 526 km; Gravity cores: 17; Piston cores: 17; Van Veen grabs: 2.

Staff: Lawrence Poppe, Richard Rendigs, Page Valentine, William Winters, Kenneth F. Parolski, Dave Lubinski, John Risch

Affiliate Staff:
Eric Strom; Joe Uzmann - NMFS; Jim Broda - WHOI; Tom Davis - WHOI

Notes: All 17 cores have been x-rayed and reveal interesting sedimentary textures and fabrics correlated to distinctive seismic stratigraphic units. Presently, cores are being split, sampled, photographed, and analyzed for sediment texture, mineral content (by XRF), water content and bulk density, geotechnical properties, and paleo. TiO2 content (fine-grained rutile) of Quaternary sediment in Wilkinson-Murray Basin increases with depth from 0.7 wt pct at sea floor to 0.9 wt pct at 9 m sub-bottom. These values are similar to those previously determined for a core from Stellwagen Basin. Texture of Quaternary units is correlated to seismic units. Mud of variable thickness (2-9 m) is seismically transparent and overlies a distinctively layered unit containing ice-rafted sand and gravel in a mud matrix. Seismic profiles in the basin provide preliminary assessment of thickness, geographic distribution and volume of TiO2-bearing Quaternary strata. Seismic stratigraphy, sediment texture, mineral content, and geotechnical properties provide a basis for determining provenance and glacial/post-glacial environment of deposition of the Wilkinson-Murray Basin strata. Original Center People field contained: Page Valentine, Kenneth Parolski, Richard Rendigs, David Lubinski, William Winters, Eric Strom, John Risch, Lawrence Poppe.

Location:

Wilkinson-Murray Basin, Gulf of Maine, United States, North America, North Atlantic;

Boundaries
North: 43.25 South: 41.5 West: -70.1 East: -68.5

Platform(s):

photo of John Wesley Powell
John Wesley Powell

Publications

Valentine, P.C., and Commeau, J.A., 1989, The Gulf of Maine rutile province; accumulation of fine-grained, authigenic titanium oxide from sandstone and shale source rocks: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 89-532, https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr89532.

Portals/Viewers

Documents associated with this activity

Title Survey Equipment Description
Cruise report (document not focused on specific equipment) Chief Scientist's report including personnel, purpose, equipment, tabulated information, station locations, trackmap, narrative of preliminary results, and a listing of physical media and material associated with the cruise.
Seismic log (document not focused on specific equipment) Seismic log containing line start and ends for 3.5 kHz and Huntec seismic systems and system settings.

Data Acquired

Survey EquipmentSurvey InfoData Type(s)Data Collected
3.5 kHz --- Sub Bottom Profiler
1988-007-FA-SE-001 ( Collection of paper record displays of seismic data( 3.5K) for lines )
1988-007-FA-SE-002 (microfilm of )
Boomer --- Boomer
Van Veen grab sampler --- Geology
1988-007-FA-SC-001 (CORE samples)
Loran-C --- Navigation
GPS (wh) --- Navigation

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