USGS Sea Floor Mapping

USGS Cruise ALPH98013
F/V Alpha & Omega II

Metadata:

Return to USGS Cruise ALPH98013 home page

Identification_Information:
Citation:
Citation_Information: Open File Report 98-590
Originator:
Sea-Floor Mapping Project
USGS Woods Hole Field Center
384 Woods Hole Road
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
Publication_Date: 1998
Title: USGS
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: remote-sensing data archive
Online_Linkage:
 
Description:
Archive of raw digital sidescan-sonar data collected within New York Bight Apex.
Abstract:
This CD-ROM contains digital high resolution sidescan-sonar data collected during USGS cruise ALPH98013 aboard the F/V Alpha & Omega II. The coverage lies within the New York Bight Apex, offshore the Long Island and New Jersey coasts. This CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory) has been produced in accordance with the ISO 9660 CD-ROM Standard and is therefore capable of being read on any computing platform that has appropriate CD-ROM driver software installed. Access to the data and information contained on this CD-ROM was developed using the HyperText Markup Language (HTML) utilized by the World Wide Web (WWW) project. Development of the CD-ROM documentation and user interface in HTML allows a user to access the information by using a variety of WWW information browsers (i.e. NCSA Mosaic, Netscape) to facilitate browsing and locating information and data. To access the information contained on this disk with a WWW client browser, open the file 'index.htm' at the top level directory of this CD-ROM with your selected browser. The HTML documentation is written utilizing some HTML 3.0 enhancements. The disk should be viewable by all WWW browsers but may not properly format on some older WWW browsers. Also, some links to USGS collaborators are available on this CD-ROM. These links are only accessible if access to the Internet is available during browsing of the CD-ROM. The archived sidescan-sonar data may be downloaded and processed. Software is available on this CD-ROM for viewing the individual swaths using computer systems running the UNIX operating system.
Purpose:

In 1995, the USGS, in cooperation with the U.S Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE), New York District, began a program to generate reconnaissance maps of the sea floor offshore of the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area, one of the most populated coastal regions of the United States. The goal of this mapping program is to provide a regional synthesis of the sea-floor environment, including a description of sedimentary environments, sediment texture, sea-floor morphology, and geologic history to aid in understanding the impacts of anthropogenic activities, such as ocean dumping.   This mapping effort differs from previous studies of this area by obtaining digital sidescan-sonar images that cover 100 percent of the sea floor. 

This investigation was motivated by the need to develop an environmentally acceptable solution for the disposal of dredged material from the New York - New Jersey Port, by the need to identify potential sources of sand for renourishment of the southern shore of Long Island, and by the opportunity to develop a better understanding of the transport and long-term fate of contaminants by investigations of the present distribution of materials discharged into the New York Bight over the last 100+ years.

Sidescan-sonar data collected  in May 1995 and May 1996 (USGS Cruises Seax95007 and Seax96004, respectively) were digitally mosaicked to provide a base suitable for use in Geographic Information Systems of the New York Bight Apex region (Schwab, W.C., Corso, W., Allison, M.A., Butman, B., Denny, J.F., Lotto, L., Danforth, W.W., Foster, D.S., O'Brien, T.F., Nichols, D.A., Irwin, B.J., and Parolski, K.F., 1997, Mapping the Sea Floor Geology Offshore of the New York-New Jersey Metropolitan Area Using Sidescan-Sonar: Preliminary Report:U.S. Geological Survey Open-File REport 97-61, 3 Sheets).  The data collected during USGS Cruise ALPH98013 augment the New York Bight Apex Mapping Project by extending the sidescan-sonar and seismic reflection coverage to the east in an  ~ 23 km x ~32 km area. These data will be instrumental in developing a more comprehensive understanding of the inner shelf geology within the New York Bight Apex.

 

Time_Period_of_Content:
September 10 - September 23, 1998
Time_Period_Information:
Beginning_Date: 19980910
Beginning_Time: 254:14:18:39
Ending_Date: 19980923
Ending_Time: 265:10:12:46
Single_Date/Time:
Calendar_Date: 1998
Status:
Progress: field work complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None
 
Spatial_Domain:
Bounding_Coordinates:
West_Bounding_Coordinate: -75
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -73
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 41
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 40
 
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Theme_Keyword: Digital sidescan-sonar
Theme_Keyword: Raw sidescan-sonar data
Theme_Keyword: ISIS data collection system
Theme_Keyword: 40 centimeters / pixel
Theme_Keyword: high resolution
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Place_Keyword: Atlantic Ocean
Place_Keyword: New York Bight Apex
Place_Keyword: Long Island
Place_Keyword: New Jersey
Place_Keyword: USGS
Place_Keyword: Woods Hole Field Center (WHFC)
Place_Keyword: Eastern Regional Center
Temporal:
Temporal_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Temporal_Keyword: 1998
 
Access_Constraints: USGS access only until published.
 
Use_Constraints:
None. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) Woods Hole Field Center asks to be credited in derived products.
Point_of_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: USGS, Woods Hole Field Center
Contact_Person: William Schwab
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: 384 Woods Hole Road
City: Woods Hole
State_or_Province: MA
Postal_Code: 02543
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: (508)-548-8700
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: (508)-457-2310
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: bschwab@usgs.gov

Browse_Graphic:
Browse_Graphic_File_Name:
Browse_Graphic_File_Type: JPG
Browse_Graphic_File_Description:
Final digital mosaic compiled from collected sidescan-sonar data (if available) online at kai.er.usgs.gov
Data_Quality_Information:
 
Attribute_Accuracy:
Attribute_Accuracy_Report:

Logical_Consistency_Report: None

 
Completeness_Report: None
 

Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report: The ship was navigated with differential GPS
Quantitative_Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Assessment:
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Value: 5-10 meters
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Explanation: DGPS is assumed to be accurate within 5-10 meters
Vertical_Positional_Accuracy:
Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report: The vertical position was local sea level and there was no correction to a datum
Quantitative_Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Assessment:
Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Value:
Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Explanation:
Lineage:
Process_Step:
Process_Description: No processing steps or corrections have been applied to these data. The files contain "raw" field data.
Process_Date: Unknown
Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: None
 
Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:
Indirect_Spatial_Reference:
 
Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method:
 
Raster_Object_Information:
Raster_Object_Type:
Row_Count:
Column_Count:
Vertical_Count:

Spatial_Reference_Information:

Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:
Geodetic_Model:

Horizontal_Datum_Name: NAD 83
Ellipsoid_Name:WGS 84
Semi-major_Axis:
Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio:

 
Entity_and_Attribute_Information:
Overview_Description:
Entity_and_Attribute_Overview: The data were collected using a Datasonics SIS-1000 sidescan-sonar towfish. The system emits a CHIRP (swept FM) signal from 100-113 kHZ. The return signal is correlated with the calibrated outgoing signal and matched filtered to extract the signal amplitude for each data sample. The signal is digitized at the towfish and sent up the cable where it is collected and merged with bathymetry, navigation and towfish telemetry (pitch, roll) using Triton Technologies Inc. ISIS system. The collected sidescan-sonar data are stored as 16 bit values representing a 0-10 volt range.
Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: None
 
Distribution_Information:
Distributor:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: USGS, Woods Hole Field Center
Contact_Person: William Schwab
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: 384 Woods Hole Road
City: Woods Hole
State_or_Province: MA
Postal_Code: 02543-1598
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: (508) 457-2299
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: (508) 457-2310
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: bschwab@usgs.gov
 
Resource_Description: None
 
Resource_Description: U.S. Geological Survey Internal CD-ROM Data Archive
Distribution_Liability:
This Compact Disc-Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) publication was prepared by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, make any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed in this report, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference therein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. Any views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Although all data published on this CD-ROM have been used by the USGS, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the USGS as to the accuracy of the data and related materials and/or the functioning of the software. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by the USGS in the use of this data, software, or related materials.
Standard_Order_Process:
Digital_Form:
Digital_Transfer_Information:
Format_Name: ISO 9660 CD-ROM
Format_Version_Number: ISO 9660
Format_Specification:
Format_Information_Content: QMIPS(tm)
File_Decompression_Technique: none
Transfer_Size: 650 MB
Format_Name: ISO 9660
Digital_Transfer_Option:
Offline_Option:
Offline_Media: CD-ROM
Recording_Format: ISO 9660
Fees: Contact USGS for more information.
 
Metadata_Reference_Information:
Metadata_Date: 19980910
 
Metadata_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization:
USGS Woods Hole Field Center
384 Woods Hole Road
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
Contact_Person: Chris Polloni
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing address
Address: 384 Woods Hole Road
City: Woods Hole
State_or_Province: MA
Postal_Code: 02543-1598
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: (508) 457-2280
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: cpolloni@usgs.gov
Contact_Instructions:
Another source at USGS of information about this metadata
is Nancy Soderberg (e-mail: nsoderberg@usgs.gov)
Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata
 
Metadata_Standard_Version: June 8, 1994
 
Metadata_Access_Constraints: None
 
Metadata_Use_Constraints: None
 

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