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USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program

Field Activity Details for field activity 1994-004-FA

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Other ID: 9409; FERL9409

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): Sampling: Geology, Imagery: Photo, Imagery: Video, Sonar: Sidescan, Sonar: Single Beam, Location-Elevation: Navigation

Scientific Purpose/Goals: Document character/distribution of fisheries habitats in SE Stellwagen Bank w/ sidescan sonar, video, photo, and samples. Resurvey/sample areas surveyed April and Sep. 1993 to evaluate changes in dredge disturbance on sea bed; prepare sediment distribution/bio habitat maps.

Vehicle(s):

Start Port/Location: Woods Hole, MA

End Port/Location: Woods Hole, MA

Start Date: 1994-10-11

End Date: 1994-10-25

Equipment Used: Van Veen grab sampler, Osprey camera system, Klein 595 100/500kHz sidescan sonar, Benthos fish tracking system, DGPS

Information to be Derived:

Summary of Activity and Data Gathered: Previous cruises have imaged the southwestern part of Stellwagen Bank. This cruise expanded sidescan sonar coverage to the east. Bottom sediment is coarse sand and gravel on the southeastern part of the bank, and it is the source of the sand that is moved westward during large storms from the northeast. Several sidescan lines that were surveyed in April and September 1993 were resurveyed on this cruise. The distribution of storm deposits has not changed since the earlier surveys, and no large nor'easters have occurred since December 1992. These observations support the hypothesis that the bank surface is unaffected by tidal currents and minor storms. Large storms and fishing gear (dredges and trawls) apparently are the major causes of habitat disturbance on the bank.

Staff: Dann Blackwood, Page Valentine, Kenneth F. Parolski, Eric A. Schmuck

Affiliate Staff:

Notes: Field work conducted in two parts: October 11-16 and October 23-25.
Project = Sea floor habitat mapping, Sea floor habitat mapping

Location:

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, United States, North America, North Atlantic;

Boundaries
North: 42.2627 South: 42.16787 West: -70.3925 East: -70.1826

Platform(s):

photo of Ferrel
Ferrel

Publications

Valentine, P.C., Baker, J.L., Unger, T.S., Scully, L.A., and 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.

Valentine, P.C., and Cross, V.A., 2023, Geospatial datasets of seabed topography, sediment mobility, and the distribution of geologic substrates in quadrangle 5 of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region offshore of Boston, Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9W9BN3S.

Valentine, P.C., and Gallea, L.B., 2015, Seabed maps showing topography, ruggedness, backscatter intensity, sediment mobility, and the distribution of geologic substrates in quadrangle 6 of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region offshore of Boston, Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3341, 10 sheets, scale 1:25,000, and 21-p. pamphlet, https://doi.org/10.3133/sim3341.

Valentine, P.C., Gallea, L.B., Blackwood, D.S., and Twomey, E.R., 2010, Seabed photographs, sediment texture analyses, and sun-illuminated sea floor topography in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region off Boston, Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 469, available at https://doi.org/10.3133/ds469.

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, preliminary results, station locations and data acquired at the station, trackmap.

Data Acquired

Survey EquipmentSurvey InfoData Type(s)Data Collected
Van Veen grab sampler --- Geology
1994-004-FA-SC-001 (GRAB samples)
Osprey camera system --- Photo
Video
1994-004-FA-PH-001 (CD ROM disk of BOTTOMPHOTO STELL JD284, BOTTOMPHOTO STELL ROV)
Klein 595 100/500kHz sidescan sonar --- Sidescan
Benthos fish tracking system --- Single Beam
DGPS --- Navigation

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