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USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program

Field Activity Details for field activity 1981-032-FA

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Other ID: AST 81-2

Status: Completed

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

Funding Program(s):

Principal Investigator(s): Sally Needell

Affiliate Investigator(s): Ralph Lewis - CT DEP, LISRC

Information Specialist(s):

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

Scientific Purpose/Goals: Define the geology and shallow structure of Block Island Sound and eastern Long Island Sound; determine the geologic framework and Quaternary development of Block Island Sound; identify and map potential geologic hazards; and complement a similar study in Rhode Island Sound.

Vehicle(s):

Start Port/Location: Woods Hole, MA

End Port/Location: Woods Hole, MA

Start Date: 1981-09-10

End Date: 1981-09-18

Equipment Used: EG&G 234, Edo Western Sidescan and 2.5 kHz sub-bottom system, Loran-C, Single channel hydrophone

Information to be Derived: Sea floor map; Morphology;

Summary of Activity and Data Gathered: High-resolution seismic reflection profiling: 702 km; Sidescan sonar recording: 402 km.

Staff: Frank W. Jennings, Sally Needell

Affiliate Staff:
Ralph Lewis - geologist
CT DEP

Notes: Operational procedures: Seismic sound source/receiver position = 10 m astern; Seismic sound source/receiver separation = 10 m; Seismic recorder sweep rate = 0.25 s; Seismic sound source trigger interval = 0.5 s; Band pass filter setting = 400-4000 Hz; Sidescan sonar fish off starboard beam; Sidescan slant range varied 400, 200, 100 m each side of vessel; LORAN-C primary transmitter in Seneca, NY (9960 Northeast chain); LORAN-C secondary transmitters: W = Caribou, ME and Y = Carolina Beach, NC (9960 Northeast chain); Position logged at 5 min. intervals; Average ship speed = 5 kts. Original Center People field contained: Sally Wood Needell - Ch. Sci., Frank Jennings - ET.
Project = New England Coastal Geology, New England Coastal Geology

Location:

Block Island Sound, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Long Island Sound, United States, North America, North Atlantic;

Boundaries
North: 41.35298853 South: 41.053006 West: -72.21176147 East: -71.48117065

Platform(s):

photo of Asterias
Asterias

Publications

Needell, S.W., and Lewis, R.S., 1982, High-resolution seismic-reflection profiles and sidescan-sonar records collected on Block Island Sound by U.S. Geological Survey, R/V ASTERIAS Cruise AST 81-2: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 82-322, https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr82322.

Poppe, L.J., Paskevich, V.F., Lewis, R.S., and DiGiacomo-Cohen, M.L., 2002, Geological framework data from Long Island Sound, 1981-1990—A digital data release: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2002-002,

Portals/Viewers

Documents associated with this activity

Title Survey Equipment Description
Cruise report (document not focused on specific equipment) Chief Scientist's cruise report of personnel, equipment and operational procedures, and brief cruise narrative.

Data Acquired

Survey EquipmentSurvey InfoData Type(s)Data Collected
EG&G 234 --- Boomer
Edo Western Sidescan and 2.5 kHz sub-bottom system --- Sub Bottom Profiler
Sidescan
1981-032-FA-SO-001 (microfilm of )
Loran-C --- Navigation
1981-032-FA-LN-001 (Navigation trackline plot for field activity 81032)
1981-032-FA-LN-002 (Navigation data)
Single channel hydrophone --- Air Gun / Water Gun
Boomer
Bubble Gun
Sparker
Sub Bottom Profiler
1981-032-FA-SE-003 (analog tape of seismic data)
1981-032-FA-SE-001-01 (31 scanned record sections in TIFF format.)
1981-032-FA-SE-002 (microfilm of )
1981-032-FA-SE-001 ( Collection of paper record displays of seismic data( UNI) for lines )

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