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Summary
ABSTRACT: Sediments off the eastern United States vary markedly in texture - the size, shape, and arrangement of their grains. However, for descriptive purposes, it is typically most useful to classify these sediments according to their grain-size distributions. Starting in 1962, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) began a joint program to ... study the marine geology of the continental margin off the Atlantic coast of the United States. As part of this program and numerous subsequent projects, thousands of sediment samples were collected and analyzed for particle size. The sediment map of the Continental Margin Mapping Program (CONMAP) series is a compilation of grain-size data produced in the sedimentation laboratory of the Woods Hole Science Center (WHSC) of the Coastal and Marine Geology Program (CMGP) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and from both published and unpublished studies. Sediment was classified using the Wentworth (1929) grain-size scale and the Shepard (1954) scheme of sediment classification. Certain grain-size categories are combined because of the paucity of some sediment textures; blank parts of the maps indicate areas where data are insufficient to infer sediment type. Bathymetry is used as a guide in placing some of the contacts between different sediment types. However, because the true boundaries between sediment types are probably highly irregular or gradational, because the extreme textural variability that characterizes some areas does not appear at this scale, and because the accuracy of the navigational systems used during the earlier studies is limited, all contacts should be considered to be inferred. The sediment classification for any given polygon (i.e. area) reflects the dominant surficial sediment type for that polygon. It does not mean that other sediment types are not present within the polygon, only that the dominant sediment type is the one that is most common.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the CONMAPSG sediment layer is to show the sediment grain size distributions. The maps depicted in this series are old and do not accurately depict small-scale sediment distributions or sea-floor variability. This data layer is supplied primarily as a gross overview and to show general textural trends.

CURRENTNESS REFERENCE: ground condition

SPATIAL DATA ORGANIZATION INFORMATION
Direct Spatial Reference: Vector
SDTS Point and Vector Object Type: G-polygon
Point and Vector Object Count: 19662

SPATIAL REFERENCE INFORMATION - GEODETIC MODEL
Horizontal Datum Name: North American Datum of 1983
Ellipsoid Name: Geodetic Reference System 80
Semi-major Axis: 6,378,137
Denominator of Flattening Ratio: 298.257

NATIVE: Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 2; ESRI ArcCatalog 9.0.0.535

Geographic Coverage Spatial coordinates   

N: 45.22

S: 24.01

E: -64.0

W: -82.04

Data Set Citation

Dataset Creator: U.S. Geological Survey Dataset Title: CONMAPSG: Continental Margin Mapping (CONMAP) sediments grainsize distribution for the United States East Coast Continental Margin Dataset Series Name: Open-File Report Dataset Release Date: 2005-06- Dataset Release Place: Woods Hole Science Center, Woods Hole, MA Dataset Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program Version: 1.1 Issue Identification: 2005-1001 Data Presentation Form: vector digital data Online Resource: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2005/1001/htmldocs/datacatalog.htm Dataset Creator: L.J. Poppe S.J. Williams V.F. Paskevich Dataset Title: U.S. Geological Survey East-Coast Sediment Analysis: Procedures, Database, and GIS Data Dataset Series Name: Open-File Report Dataset Release Date: 2005 Dataset Release Place: Woods Hole Science Center, Woods Hole, MA Dataset Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program Version: 1.0 Issue Identification: 2005-1001 Online Resource: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2005/1001/

Temporal Coverage

Start Date: 1982-01-01 Stop Date: 1999-12-31

Location Keywords

OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > MASSACHUSETTS

Data Resolution

Latitude Resolution: 0.00001 Decimal degrees Longitude Resolution: 0.00001 Decimal degrees

Science Keywords

OCEANS > MARINE SEDIMENTS > GEOTECHNICAL PROPERTIES

ISO Topic Category

OCEANS GEOSCIENTIFIC INFORMATION

Quality
ATTRIBUTE ACCURACY REPORT: The assigned sediment attributes in this data set are believed to be accurate. The sediment classification for any given polygon (i.e. area) reflects the dominant surficial sediment type for that polygon. It does not mean that other sediment types are not present within the polygon, only that the dominant sediment type is the one that is most common.

LOGICAL ... CONSISTENCY REPORT: These data are believed to be logically consistent, although not tested. Geometry appears to be topologically clean.

COMPLETENESS REPORT: This dataset covers the GLORIA project area for the United States East Coast Atlantic Ocean Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) area.

HORIZONTAL POSITIONAL ACCURACY REPORT: The accuracy of this dataset is based on source data that is assumed to have met National Map Accuracy Standards

Access Constraints

ACCESS CONSTRAINTS: None

DISTRIBUTION LIABILITY: Although this derived data set and its lineage dataset have been used by the USGS, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the USGS as to the accuracy of the data and/or related materials. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by the USGS in the use of these data or related materials. Trade, firm, or product names and other references to non-USGS products and services are provided for information only and do not constitute endorsement or warranty, express or implied, by the USGS, USDOI, or U.S. Government, as to their suitability, content, usefulness, functioning, completeness, or accuracy.

Use Constraints

USE CONSTRAINTS: Public domain data from the U.S. Government are freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution. Please recognize the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as the source of this information.

DISTRIBUTION INFORMATION
Technical Prerequisites: These data are available in Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) shapefile format. The user must have ArcGIS® or ArcView® 3.0 or greater software to read and process the data file. In lieu of ArcView or ArcGIS, the user may utilize another GIS application package capable of importing data. A free data viewer, arcexplorer, capable of displaying the data is available from ESRI at www.esri.com.

FEES: None

Ancillary Keywords

U.S. Geological Survey USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program CMGP Woods Hole Science Center WHSC ArcView shapefile surficial sediment polygons sediment type grain size sediment textural trends sediment distribution oceans and estuaries boundaries geoscientificInformation Eastern U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone coastal ocean Atlantic East Coast east coast Georges Bank Gulf of Maine Baltimore Canyon Trough Carolina Trough Blake Plateau

Data Set Progress

COMPLETE

Data Center

Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management Data Center URL: http://www.mass.gov/czm/ Dataset ID: Downloadable Data Data Center Personnel Name: LARRY POPPE Phone: (508) 548-8700 x2314 Fax: (508) 457-2310 Email: lpoppe at usgs.gov Contact Address: U.S. Geological Survey 384 Woods Hole Road City: Woods Hole Province or State: MA Postal Code: 02543-1598 Country: USA

Distribution

Distribution Media: ESRI Shapefile Distribution Size: 11.982 Kbytes Distribution Format: ShapefileArcView 3.3 Fees: See Use Constraints.

Personnel

LARRY POPPE Role: TECHNICAL CONTACT Phone: (508) 548-8700 x2314 Fax: (508) 457-2310 Email: lpoppe at usgs.gov Contact Address: U.S. Geological Survey 384 Woods Hole Road City: Woods Hole Province or State: MA Postal Code: 02543-1598 Country: USA VALERIE PASKEVICH Role: DIF AUTHOR Phone: (508) 548-8700 x2281 Fax: (508) 457-2310 Email: vpaskevich at usgs.gov Contact Address: 384 Woods Hole Road City: Woods Hole Province or State: MA Postal Code: 02543-1598 Country: USA

Related URL

Link: GET DATA Link: GET DATA Description: Data are downloadable via the World Wide Web (WWW). Link: VIEW EXTENDED METADATA Description: View Original Metadata document from the CZM website.

Creation and Review Dates

DIF Creation Date: 2004-12-20 Last DIF Revision Date: 2009-01-22

Reformat as FGDC document

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