This sediment database contains location, description, and texture of samples taken by numerous marine sampling programs. Most of the samples are from the Atlantic Continental Margin of the United States, but some are from as diverse locations as Lake Baikal, Russia, the Hawaiian Islands region, Puerto Rico, the Gulf of Mexico, and Lake Michigan. The database presently contains data for over 23,000 samples, which includes texture data for approximately 3800 samples taken or analyzed by the Atlantic Continental Margin Program, a joint U.S. Geological Survey/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution project conducted from 1962 to 1970.
This ArcView shapefile contains the locations of marine sediment samples collected and analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole Science Center starting in 1962 thru 1999. Distribution of this dataset allows the user the ability to visualize the information in a Geographic Information system.
ground condition
Public domain data from the U.S. government is freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution.
384 Woods Hole Road
The U.S. Geological Survey must be referenced as the originator of the dataset in any future products or research derived from these data.
No additional checks for topological consistency were performed on this data.
This data set is complete inasmuch as it contains all the samples processed at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Woods Hole Science Center (WHSC) Sediment Laboratory through November 2004
Positional accuracy varies due to different systems, datums, and navigational equipment used over the years.
This Excel spread sheet contains the accumulated results of the surficial sediment analysis collected and processed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Woods Hole Science Center (WHSC). This spread sheet was the source of the data converted to the ESRI shapefile.
The requested surficial sediment data fields were exported from the most current Excel spreadsheet available as a comma delimited text file.
384 Woods Hole Road
The comma delimited source file was imported into ArcView to create a table. The table was then converted to an ArcView shapefile to be used as a GIS data layer.
384 Woods Hole Road
Errors found in the data were corrected for approximately 80 samples. The Excel file was edited and the shape and text files were regenerated.
384 Woods Hole Road
Feature geometry.
ESRI
Internal feature number.
ESRI
Number assigned to data based on source.
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Samples taken before start of the joint USGS/WHOI project.
USGS/WHOI Atlantic Continental Margin Program stations
samples analyzed by the USGS Branch of Atlantic Marine Geology Sediment Laboratory
Unique identification number generated in the sedimentation laboratory of the USGS's Woods Hole Science Center. For samples analyzed after 1980 this identifier consists of 2 characters and 3 numerics (e.g. AS114). For samples analyzed prior to 1980, this identifier consists of 4 numerics possibly followed by as many as 2 characters.
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Sample name or number as assigned in the field by the Chief Scientist
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Name of project or project number under which samples were taken or data generated; sometimes project name indicates a more specific area
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Name or number of cruise on which sample collected. Historically cruise identifiers were a combination of ship name, year of cruise and cruise leg. In more recent years, cruise identifier is a sequential serial number assigned to field activities within a specific year.
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Name of Principal Investigator or Chief Scientist responsible for data collection (usually first initial and last name)
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
General geographic area of data collection. Name is general enough to easily locate area on a state map.
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Latitude coordinate, in decimal-degrees, of sample location. South latitude recorded as negative values.
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Longitude coordinate, in decimal degrees, of sample location. West longitude is recorded as negative values.
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Measured depth of water overlying sediment at sample time, not corrected for tides, in
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Top depth of the sample below the sediment-water interface, in centimeters
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Bottom depth of the sample below the sediment-water interface, in centimeters
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Device used to collect the sample.
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
modified Van Veen grab sampler and gravity corer
small Van Veen grab sampler
Smith-MacIntyre grab sampler
sample collected with Van Veen grab sampler
sample collected with Van Veen grab sampler
Calendar month sample collected
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Month sample was collected is unknown.
Calendar day sample collected
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Day sample was collected is unknown.
Calendar year sample collected
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Year sample connected is unknown.
Calendar month sample analyzed
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Month sample was analyzed is unknown
Calendar day sample analyzed
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Month sample was analyzed is unknown.
Calendar year sample analyzed
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Year sample was analyzed is unknown.
Weight of wet sample in grams
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Weight not computed or recorded.
Gravel content in percent dry weight of the sample (particles with nominal diameters greater than 2 mm; -1Ø and larger)
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Value not computed or available for sample.
Sand content in percent dry weight of the sample (particles with nominal diameters less than 2 mm, but greater than or equal to 0.0625 mm ; 0Ø through 4Ø )
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Value not computed or available for sample.
Silt content in percent dry weight of the sample (particles with nominal diameters less than 0.0625 mm, but greater than or equal to 0.004 mm; 5Ø through 8Ø , inclusive)
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Value not computed or available for sample.
Clay content in percent dry weight of the sample (particles with nominal diameters less than 0.004 mm; 9Ø and smaller)
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Value not computed or available for sample.
Sediment Classification - Sediment description based on a rigorous definition, usually Shepard, 1954
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Middle point in the grain size distribution in phi units
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Value not computed or available for sample.
Average value in the grain size distribution in phi units
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Value not computed or available for sample.
Standard deviation (root mean square of the deviations) of the grain size distribution in phi units (sorting)
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Value not computed or available for sample.
Skewness (deviation from symmetrical form) of the grain size distribution in phi units
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Value not computed or available for sample.
Kurtosis (degree of curvature near the mode) of the grain size distribution in phi units
USGS Eastcoast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Value not computed or available for sample.
Mode 1 class - First mode (particle size that occurs the most number of times) in phi units
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Value not computed or available for sample.
Mode 1 strength - Modal strength of the first mode in percent
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Value not computed or available for sample.
Mode 2 class - Second mode in phi units
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Value not computed or available for sample.
Mode 2 strength - Modal strength of the second mode in percent
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Value not computed or available for sample.
Mode 3 class - Third mode in phi units
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Mode 3 strength - Modal strength of the third mode in percent
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Value not computed or available for sample.
Number of modes
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Value not computed or available for sample.
-5 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the -5Ø fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 32 mm, but less than 64 mm); very coarse pebbles
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
-4 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the -4Ø fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 16 mm, but less than 32 mm); coarse pebbles
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
-3 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the -3Ø fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 8 mm, but less than 16 mm); medium pebbles
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
-2 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the -2Ø fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 4 mm, but less than 8 mm); fine pebbles
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
-1 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the -1Ø fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 2 mm, but less than 4 mm); very fine pebbles (granules)
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
0 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 0Ø fraction (nominal diameters of particles greater than or equal to 1 mm, but less than 2 mm); very coarse sand
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
1 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 1Ø fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 0.5 mm, but less than 1 mm); coarse sand
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
2 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 2Ø fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 0.25 mm, but less than 0.5 mm); medium sand
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
3 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 3Ø fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 0.125 mm, but less than 0.25 mm); fine sand
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
4 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 4Ø fraction (nominal diameters of particles greater than or equal to .0625 mm, but less than 0.125 mm); very fine sand
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
5 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 5Ø fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 0.031 mm, but less than 0.0625 mm); coarse silt
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
6 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 6Ø fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 0.016 mm, but less than 0.031 mm); medium silt
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
7 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 7Ø fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 0.008 mm, but less than 0.016 mm); fine silt
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
8 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 8Ø fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 0.004 mm, but less than 0.008 mm); very fine silt
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
9 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 9Ø fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 0.002 mm, but less than 0.004 mm); coarse clay
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
10 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 10Ø fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 0.001 mm, but less than 0.002 mm); medium clay
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
11 Phi - Weight percent of the sample in the 11Ø fraction (nominal diameter of particles greater than or equal to 0.5 µm, but less than 0.001 mm); fine clay
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Name(usually first initial and last name) of person who performed the grain size or physical properties analysis
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Comments on analyses - Any further information about sediment analysis for all or specific parameters in this table
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
General lithologic description of sample
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
Comments on sample collection or lithology
USGS East Coast Sediment Texture Database data dictionary
384 Woods Hole Road
Although this data set has been used by the U.S. Geological Survey (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.
ESRI Shapefile
The SHP file contains the geospatial data. The SHX file contains the index of the geospatial data. The DBF file contains the attribute data in dBASE format. The PRJ file contains the coordinate system information (optional). The AVL file contains the legend information (optional). The SBN and SBX files contain the spatial index of the geospatial data (optional). The XML file contains the metadata describing the data set <data set name>.shp.xml. An ASCII version of the metadata file. A browse graphic showing the data layer coverage and extent (optional).
384 Woods Hole Road
Although this data set has been used by the U.S. Geological Survey (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. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Microsoft Excel spreadsheet
Excel spreadsheet containing the data source.
Comma delimited text file
Data exported from the source spreadsheet.
384 Woods Hole Road