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USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program

High-Resolution Geologic Mapping of the Inner Continental Shelf: Boston Harbor and Approaches, Massachusetts

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Title Page
Table of Contents
List of Figures
Section 1
Introduction
Section 2
Maps
Section 3
Data Collection
and Processing
Section 4
Discussion
References
Acknowledgments
Appendix 1
Geographic
Information
System
Appendix 2
Sediment
Texture
Appendix 3
Bottom
Photographs

Appendix 2 - Sediment Texture

Fig A2.1. Texture of surficial sediment collected in grab samples shown on ternary diagrams. Figure A2.1. Texture of surficial sediment collected in grab samples shown on ternary diagrams. The stations are keyed to the map units (see fig. 4.21). Texture of the rough sea-floor zones is not represented, as samples could not be collected in areas of boulders or gravel pavement. . Click on figure for larger image.

Sediment texture analyses for all samples obtained in this study are presented in a summary table (below) and in table A2.1. The location of these samples and the texture data is also available in the Geographic Information System (see Appendix 1) where they can be viewed with other geologic data.  See Figure 3.7 for the location of sediment samples superimposed on a map of backscatter intensity.  Photographs of the sea floor obtained at these stations and at sites where grab samples could not be obtained are available in Appendix 3.

Fig 3.7. Map showing location of bottom samples on a map of acoustic backscatter intensity from sidescan sonar. Figure 3.7. Map showing location of bottom samples on a map of acoustic backscatter intensity from sidescan sonar. Each numbered circle indicates a station where photographs, video, and/or samples were collected. See map sheet 5 for figure at a scale of 1:60,000. Click on figure for larger image.

See Poppe and others (2000) for a description of the procedures for sediment texture analysis.  Hastings and others (2000) provide a data dictionary describing the column headings in the Excel spreadsheet.

Table A2.1.  Summary textural classification of bottom sediment samples from Boston Harbor and Approaches, Massachusetts.  Click on the Station number to view the sediment sample in the SEABOSS sampler following recovery and a summary of the sediment texture.  Click the Photo name to view the sample photo.  The complete sediment texture analysis is in table A2.1.

Station
Depth (m)
Shepard (1974) Classification
Photo
7.1
SAND
14.9
SAND
10.6
SAND
13.3
SAND
16.0
SAND
22.7
SAND
27.9
SAND
13.6
SAND
21.7
SILTY SAND
22.6
SAND
23.1
SANDY SILT
19.9
SANDY SILT
29.8
SILTY SAND
29.0
SILTY SAND
24.8
SAND
17.6
SAND
13.8
SAND SILT CLAY
6.9
SAND
8.9
SAND
9.7
SAND
12.5
SAND SILT CLAY
7.9
SAND SILT CLAY
6.9
GRAVELLY SEDIMENT
12.8
GRAVEL
6.6
SANDY SILT
7.0
SAND SILT CLAY
16.7
GRAVELLY SEDIMENT
5.7
CLAYEY SILT
6.6
SILTY SAND
8.5
GRAVEL
6.5
SAND SILT CLAY
5.3
GRAVELLY SEDIMENT
5.0
SILTY SAND
12.8
GRAVELLY SEDIMENT
7.1
SAND SILT CLAY
17.8
SAND
13.9
SAND
13.2
SILTY SAND
19.3
SILTY SAND
24.2
SANDY SILT
27.0
CLAYEY SILT
25.9
SILTY SAND
9.5
SAND
27.1
SAND
9.8
SAND
8.2
SAND
23.6
SAND
15.4
SAND
14.2
SAND
2.9
SILTY SAND
5.8
SAND SILT CLAY
5.4
CLAYEY SAND
4.8
SAND SILT CLAY
7.1
CLAYEY SILT
4.2
SAND SILT CLAY
10.2
SAND SILT CLAY
13.0
SILTY CLAY
13.1
SILTY SAND
12.9
SILTY CLAY
5.1
SILTY SAND
6.2
SAND SILT CLAY
13.0
CLAYEY SILT
5.7
CLAYEY SILT
6.7
CLAYEY SILT


Station
Depth (m)
Lat
Long
Gravel %
Sand %
Silt %
Clay %
Shepard (1974) Classification
1
7.1
42.27
-70.84
0
98.65
0.89
0.45
SAND
3
14.9
42.28
-70.83
0
84.17
12.94
2.89
SAND
4
10.6
42.29
-70.86
0
97.28
1.96
0.77
SAND
5
13.3
42.3
-70.85
0
96.15
2.3
1.56
SAND
6
16.0
42.3
-70.83
0
94.99
3.29
1.72
SAND
14
22.7
42.34
-70.84
2.52
91.88
4.03
1.57
SAND
15
27.9
42.34
-70.83
0.06
84.43
11.64
3.86
SAND
18
13.6
42.32
-70.87
3.93
81.24
8.66
6.17
SAND
19
21.7
42.34
-70.86
0
67.28
24.9
7.82
SILTY SAND
20
22.6
42.35
-70.86
1.44
83.39
9.17
5.99
SAND
25
23.1
42.33
-70.85
0
32.39
54.64
12.97
SANDY SILT
27
19.9
42.31
-70.83
0
41.77
48.63
9.59
SANDY SILT
29
29.8
42.37
-70.84
0.03
49.87
37.38
12.72
SILTY SAND
30
29.0
42.36
-70.85
0.5
58.76
32.91
7.83
SILTY SAND
33
24.8
42.36
-70.86
1.37
75.83
19.12
3.68
SAND
36
17.6
42.37
-70.91
0
87.24
9.31
3.45
SAND
39
13.8
42.34
-70.91
0
31.09
43.19
25.72
SAND SILT CLAY
41
6.9
42.35
-70.92
0.29
98.89
0.43
0.39
SAND
45
8.9
42.34
-70.95
0
96.29
1.71
2
SAND
48
9.7
42.36
-70.94
0
97.89
1.32
0.79
SAND
52
12.5
42.34
-70.96
0
44.73
27.56
27.71
SAND SILT CLAY
55
7.9
42.32
-70.94
0.1
40.74
32.67
26.49
SAND SILT CLAY
56
6.9
42.32
-70.96
10.19
74.17
10.32
5.32
GRAVELLY SEDIMENT
58
12.8
42.3
-70.94
55.87
39.49
3.1
1.54
GRAVEL
60
6.6
42.3
-70.91
0
31.96
50.71
17.33
SANDY SILT
61
7.0
42.29
-70.92
0
31.33
42.57
26.1
SAND SILT CLAY
62
16.7
42.31
-70.92
23.23
66.33
5.46
4.97
GRAVELLY SEDIMENT
63
5.7
42.3
-70.97
0
15.25
49.67
35.08
CLAYEY SILT
64
6.6
42.32
-70.94
0
66.41
19.98
13.61
SILTY SAND
65
8.5
42.29
-70.96
67.41
39.72
0
0
GRAVEL
66
6.5
42.3
-70.94
0
28.71
33.6
37.69
SAND SILT CLAY
68
5.3
42.3
-70.98
19.39
16.2
32.02
32.4
GRAVELLY SEDIMENT
69
5.0
42.27
-70.93
0.04
69.8
19.35
10.81
SILTY SAND
70
12.8
42.33
-70.99
10.4
45.13
18.52
25.95
GRAVELLY SEDIMENT
71
7.1
42.33
-71
0
42.01
36.15
21.84
SAND SILT CLAY
72
17.8
42.38
-70.91
0.03
83.17
13.83
2.97
SAND
74
13.9
42.38
-70.93
0
90.41
8.36
1.22
SAND
76
13.2
42.38
-70.95
0
68.1
30.48
1.42
SILTY SAND
77
19.3
42.39
-70.92
0
54.89
33.5
11.61
SILTY SAND
78
24.2
42.4
-70.9
0
37.92
56.76
5.32
SANDY SILT
79
27.0
42.4
-70.89
0
13.22
64.19
22.59
CLAYEY SILT
85
25.9
42.41
-70.9
0
56.31
37.24
6.45
SILTY SAND
87
9.5
42.41
-70.95
0.26
89.9
9.06
0.77
SAND
88
27.1
42.42
-70.89
0.59
75.2
19.7
4.51
SAND
90
9.8
42.43
-70.91
0
95.21
2.16
2.63
SAND
91
8.2
42.4
-70.95
0.03
92.75
4.31
2.91
SAND
92
23.6
42.38
-70.88
0.35
75.9
10.16
13.59
SAND
93
15.4
42.4
-70.93
0.25
85.11
11.51
3.13
SAND
94
14.2
42.38
-70.93
0
87.73
9.69
2.58
SAND
95
2.9
42.35
-70.97
0
66.49
22.82
10.68
SILTY SAND
96
5.8
42.35
-70.98
0
25.61
49.58
24.81
SAND SILT CLAY
97
5.4
42.34
-70.99
1.59
58.92
18.63
20.86
CLAYEY SAND
98
4.8
42.35
-71
0
33.24
36.85
29.91
SAND SILT CLAY
99
7.1
42.35
-70.99
0
17.49
42.13
40.38
CLAYEY SILT
100
4.2
42.36
-70.98
0
21
50.06
28.93
SAND SILT CLAY
101
10.2
42.34
-71.01
0
21.91
49.13
28.95
SAND SILT CLAY
103
13.0
42.37
-71.04
0.11
15.21
38.47
46.21
SILTY CLAY
104
13.1
42.38
-71.05
2.24
64.92
21.63
11.22
SILTY SAND
105
12.9
42.36
-71.03
0.32
2.95
46.55
50.18
SILTY CLAY
106
5.1
42.32
-71.01
6.32
56.78
18.92
17.98
SILTY SAND
110
6.2
42.33
-70.97
1.07
50.79
25.28
22.86
SAND SILT CLAY
111
13.0
42.34
-71.03
0
6.8
53.67
39.54
CLAYEY SILT
112
5.7
42.37
-70.99
0.1
17.38
47.26
35.26
CLAYEY SILT
113
6.7
42.38
-71.01
0
6.73
63.3
29.97
CLAYEY SILT



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