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Sonar Mapping

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Sonar Mapping:
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Sonar mapping of the sea floor provides CMG researchers with very useful data. Some sonar systems map the topography of the sea floor by recording large swaths of depth measurements. Others collect information useful in determining the geologic makeup of the sea floor and the sub-surface structure.

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Items below are listed from most recently updated to least recently updated.

These are results 1 through 25 of 116 matches.

General Information
USGS Open-File Report 03-320, Mapping the floor of Lake Mead (Nevada and Arizona): Preliminary discussion and GIS data release, Title Page
Description: This USGS Open-File Report describes the morphology of the floor of Lake Mead concentrating on post-impoundment sediment distribution and thickness.
updated: 2004-05-07 pages include:

General Information
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 03-221
Description: This report contains descriptions and ancillary information for 62 bedrock cores, most with associated photographs, from western Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
updated: 2004-05-03 pages include:

General Information
Cruise Report, G1-03-GM, USGS Gas Hydrates Cruise,
Description: A summary of the field program and instrumentation used on the R/V Gyre geophysics cruise in the Gulf of Mexico, May, 2003.
updated: 2004-03-05 pages include:

Publication
Predicting the Long-Term Fate of Sediments and Contaminants in Massachusetts Bay - USGS Fact Sheet 172-97
Description: Contaminants have accumulated in the sediments of Massachusetts Bay, typical of many coastal areas near major metropolitan centers that have been used for waste disposal since colonial times. Developing an understanding of where and why contaminants accumulate is essential for making informed management decisions about uses of these coastal areas and for developing sound strategies for monitoring environmental change.
updated: 2004-03-02 pages include:

Publication
Sedimentary Environments in Long Island Sound: A Guide to Sea-Floor Management in a Large Urbanized Estuary - USGS Fact Sheet 041-98
Description: Bottom sedimentary environments, defined by sidescan-sonar patterns, indicate where sea-floor sediments are moved and deposited in the Long Island Sound estuary. The patchy distribution of environments, which reflects both regional and local changes in geologic and oceanographic conditions, provides a predictive framework for those concerned with the management and utilization of the sea floor in this urbanized area.
updated: 2004-03-02 pages include:

Publication
Coastal Erosion of Southern Lake Michigan - USGS Fact Sheet
Description: Geological Survey studies the geologic processes at work in the Great Lakes region because they have direct bearing on the use, management, development, and preservation of the shoreline. It is important to understand how these processes shape our daily lives. About 15 percent of the United States' and 50 percent of Canada's population live along or near the 9,000-kilometer-long coastline of the Great Lakes. About 83 percent of the shoreline is privately-owned with property values as high as $10,000 per linear foot of lakefront.
updated: 2004-03-02 pages include:

Publication
The Escanaba Trough of Gorda Ridge: A Laboratory for Mineral-forming Processes - USGS Fact Sheet
Description: The Gorda Ridge is a unique geological system in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States. This tectonically and volcanically active plate boundary has an unusual morphology for spreading centers in the Pacific Ocean: a deep, wide axial valley flanked by high ridges. Because of its location near the continental margin, part of the axial valley known as the Escanaba Trough is covered by sediment. The Escanaba Trough provides opportunities for scientists to learn details about tectonics, volcanism, mineral formation, and biological activity that are not normally observed at mid-ocean ridges. It is a geological laboratory of grand proportions.
updated: 2004-03-02 pages include:

Publication
Gas (Methane) Hydrates -- A New Frontier - USGS Fact Sheet
Description: Methane trapped in marine sediments as a hydrate represents such an immense carbon reservoir that it must be considered a dominant factor in estimating unconventional energy resources; the role of methane as a 'greenhouse' gas also must be carefully assessed.
updated: 2004-03-02 pages include:

Publication
Geology of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary - USGS Fact Sheet
Description: The geology and oceanography of the Farallones and surrounding area is atypical and complex. These factors complicate the process of understanding the environmental effects of man's influence such as the disposal of dredge spoils and radioactive wastes. Our goal is to assemble, in a non-crisis mode, geological information to support sound management decisions for any purpose.
updated: 2004-03-02 pages include:

Publication
High-Energy Storms Shape Puerto Rico - USGS Fact Sheet
Description: Geologists have known for many years that damage inflicted by hurricanes on coastal areas may be less important for the long-term evolution of a coast than the effects of less intense, but more frequent, storm events. Indeed, high-energy storms may be needed to maintain the health of delicate marine ecologies in the coastal environment. Marine geologists of the U.S. Geological Survey working in Puerto Rico are confident that the long-term effects of Hurricane Hugo on the coastal environment are minimal, though the economic damage was significant. Detailed oceanographic studies are needed to define the sediment budget of the nearshore areas of Puerto Rico and to provide baseline information for studying storm effects.
updated: 2004-03-02 pages include:

Publication
Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary Geological Processes and Framework - USGS Fact Sheet
Description: The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) will move its Pacific Marine Geology program to a new location at the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC) and we are excited about our role in the marine sciences community around Monterey Bay. There is much to learn in the region, not only as a result of new opportunities in the Marine Sanctuary, but also that knowledge gained here may be transferred to our studies of similar environments in other parts of the world.
updated: 2004-03-02 pages include:

Publication
Seafloor Images Refine Petroleum Exploration Models - USGS Fact Sheet
Description: GLORIA mapping has shown that we need to think again about our conventional models for formation of deep-sea fans. Exploration for hydrocarbon accumulations in ancient fan environments may change dramatically as a consequence of our new understanding of deep-sea fan formation.
updated: 2004-03-02 pages include:

Publication
Seafloor Studies of Mamala Bay, Honolulu, Hawaii - USGS Fact Sheet
Description: Disposal of dredge spoils in the near offshore area, coupled with the rapid growth of Honolulu and other nearby municipalities, has placed increased stress on the environment of Mamala Bay. No satisfactory bathymetric map of the seafloor had existed, and little information has been compiled about the effects of these activities to determine whether modifications to the operation and management of the designated dump sites and sewage outfall locations were necessary.
updated: 2004-03-02 pages include:

Publication
Maps Showing the Stratigraphic Framework of South Carolina's Long Bay from Little River to Winyah Bay
Description: South Carolina's Grand Strand is a heavily populated coastal region that supports a large tourism industry. Like most heavily developed coastal communities, the potential for property damage and lost revenues associated with coastal erosion and vulnerability to severe storms is of great concern. In response to these concerns, the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium have chosen to focus upon the Grand Strand and immediately adjacent Long Bay as a portion of Phase II of the South Carolina/Georgia Coastal Erosion Study (SC/GCES).
updated: 2004-03-01 pages include:

General Information
High-Resolution Subsurface Imaging of Coastal Barriers, USGS Open-File Report 03-254, Home Page
Description: High-Resolution Subsurface Imaging of Coastal Barriers
updated: 2003-12-24 pages include:

Map
High-resolution seismic-reflection surveys in the nearshore of outer Cape Cod, Massachusetts, U.S. Open-File Report 03-235, Title Page
Description: High-Resolution Seismic-Reflection Surveys in the Nearshore of Outer Cape Cod, Massachusetts
updated: 2003-12-01 pages include:

Map
Topography, shaded relief, and backscatter intensity of the
Description: This CD_ROM presents maps of the sea floor topography, shaded relief, and backscatter intensity of the Hudson Shelf Valley, located offshore of New York and New Jersey, at a scale of 1:150,000 based on multibeam echo-sounder data. The multibeam surveys were conducted aboard the vessel Frederick G. Creed in fall 1996, 1998, and spring 2000. The maps and discussion are presented on two sheets in PDF format. The discussion is also presented in PDF format, with links to individual figures and tables on the map sheet.
updated: 2003-12-01 pages include:

Research Project
Pacific Sea-Floor Mapping
Description: Images of the sea floor off the coasts of California, Hawaii, Gulf of Mexico, and Lake Tahoe. Backscatter and swath bathymetry, regular and in 3-D!
updated: 2003-10-29 pages include:

Publication
USGS OFR 03-250 - Bed-Sediment Grain-Size and Morphologic Data from Suisun, Grizzly, and Honker Bays, CA, 1998-2002
Description: The USGS Place Based Studies Program for San Francisco Bay investigates this sensitive estuarine system to aid in resource management. As part of the inter-disciplinary research program, the USGS collected side-scan sonar data and bed-sediment samples from north San Francisco Bay to characterize bed-sediment texture and investigate temporal trends in sedimentation. The study area is located in central California and consists of Suisun Bay, and Grizzly and Honker Bays, sub-embayments of Suisun Bay. During the study (1998-2002), the USGS collected three side-scan sonar data sets and approximately 300 sediment samples. The side-scan data revealed predominantly fine-grained material on the bayfloor. We also mapped five different bottom types from the data set, categorized as featureless, furrows, sand waves, machine-made, and miscellaneous. We performed detailed grain-size and statistical analyses on the sediment samples. Overall, we found that grain size ranged from clay to fine sand, with the coarsest material in the channels and finer material located in the shallow bays. Grain-size analyses revealed high spatial variability in size distributions in the channel areas. In contrast, the shallow regions exhibited low spatial variability and consistent sediment size over time.
updated: 2003-10-29 pages include:

Publication
USGS OFR 03-265 - Grand Canyon Riverbed Sediment Changes, Experimental Release of September 2000 - A Sample Data Set
Description: An experimental water release from the Glen Canyon Dam into the Colorado River above Grand Canyon was conducted in September 2000 by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted sidescan sonar surveys between Glen Canyon Dam (mile -15) and Diamond Creek (mile 220), Arizona (mile designations after Stevens, 1998) to determine the sediment characteristics of the Colorado River bed before and after the release. The first survey (R3-00-GC, 28 Aug to 5 Sep 2000) was conducted before the release when the river was at its Low Summer Steady Flow (LSSF) of 8,000 cfs. The second survey (R4-00-GC, 10 to 18 Sep 2000) was conducted immediately after the September 2000 experimental release when the average daily flow was as high as 30,800 cfs as measured below Glen Canyon Dam (Figure 2). Riverbed sediment properties interpreted from the sidescan sonar images include sediment type and sandwaves; overall changes in these properties between the two surveys were calculated.
updated: 2003-10-29 pages include:

Publication
USGS OFR 02-411 - Multibeam Mapping of Selected Areas of the Outer Continental Shelf, Northwestern Gulf of Mexico - Data, Images, and GIS
Description: Following the publication of high-resolution (5-meter spatial resolution) multibeam echosounder (MBES) images of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary area of the northwest Gulf of Mexico (Gardner et al., 1998), the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) and the Minerals Management Service (MMS) have been interested in additional MBES data in the area. A coalition of FGBNMS, MMS, and the US Geological Survey (USGS) was formed to map additional areas of interest in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico (Figure 1) in 2002. FGBNMS chose the survey areas and the USGS chose the MBES. MMS and FGBNMS funded the mapping and the USGS organized the ship and multibeam systems through a cooperative agreement between the USGS and the University of New Brunswick. The objective of the cruise was to map seven regions of interest to MMS and the FGBNMS. This report provides the multibeam bathymetry and acoustic backscatter data, images, FGDC-compliant metadata, and a geographic information system (GIS) project from the 2002 surveys. This report also provides the multibeam bathymetry and acoustic backscatter data, images, and metadata from the 1997 USGS survey of East and West Flower Garden Bank and Stetson Bank.
updated: 2003-10-29 pages include:

Publication
USGS OFR 02-410 - USGS Western Region Coastal and Marine Geology Cruise Report, R/V Ocean Surveyor Cruise O1-02-GM: Bathymetry and Acoustic Backscatter of Selected Areas of the Outer Continental Shelf, Northwestern Gulf of Mexico
Description: Following the publication of high-resolution multibeam echosounder (MBES) images and data of the Flower Gardens area of the northwest Gulf of Mexico outer continental shelf (Gardner et al., 1998), the Flower Gardens Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) and the Minerals Management Service (MMS) have been interested in additional MBES data in the area. A coalition of FGBNMS, MMS, and the US Geological Survey (USGS) was formed to map additional areas of interest in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico (Fig. 1) in 2002. The areas were chosen by personnel of the FGBNMS and the choice of MBES was made by the USGS. MMS and FGBNMS funded the mapping and the USGS organized the ship and multibeam systems through a Cooperative Agreement between the USGS and the University of New Brunswick. The University of New Brunswick (UNB) contracted the RV Ocean Surveyor and the EM1000 MBES system from C&C; Technologies, Inc., Lafayette, LA. C&C; personnel oversaw data collection whereas UNB personnel conducted the cruise and processed all the data. USGS personnel were responsible for the overall cruise including the final data processing and digital map products.
updated: 2003-10-29 pages include:

Publication
USGS OFR 02-396 - Cruise Report: R/V Moana Wave Cruise M-1-02-GM: Bathymetry and Acoustic Backscatter of the Mid and Outer Continental Shelf, Head of De Soto Canyon, Northeastern Gulf of Mexico
Description: The mid to outer continental shelf off Mississippi-Alabama and off northwest Florida were the focus of US Geological Survey (USGS) multibeam echosounder (MBES) mapping cruises in 2000 and 2001, respectively. These areas were mapped to investigate the extent of "deep-water reefs" first suggested by Ludwick and Walton (1957). The reefs off Mississippi and Alabama were initially described in water depths of 60 to 120 m (Ludwick and Walton, 1957) but the 2000 mapping found reef and hardgrounds to be much more extensive than previously thought (Gardner et al., 2001). The persistent trend of reef-like features along the outer shelf of Mississippi-Alabama suggested the trend might continue along the northwest Florida mid and outer shelf so a MBES-mapping effort was mounted in 2001 to test this suggestion. It is critical to determine the accurate location, geomorphology, and types of the ridges and reefs that occur in this region to understand the Quaternary history of the area and to assess their importance as benthic habitats for fisheries. The 2001 survey found a series of shelf-depth platforms with ridges (possibly reefs) constructed on their surfaces (Gardner et al., 2002).
updated: 2003-10-29 pages include:

Publication
USGS OFR 02-391 - USGS Western Region Coastal and Marine Geology, Multibeam Bathymetry and Selected Perspective Views of Main Part of Glacier Bay, Alaska
Description: Glacier Bay is a diverse fjord ecosystem with multiple tidewater glaciers and complex biological, geological, and oceanographic patterns that vary greatly along its length. The bay was completely glaciated prior to the 1700's, and subsequently experienced the fastest glacial retreat recorded in historical times (Fig. 1). As a result, some of the highest rates of glacial sedimentation and uplift are observed here. Glacier Bay is the deepest silled fjord in Alaska, with depths of over 450 meters. The variety of physical processes (for example icebergs gouging, see Fig. 2) and depths creates many diverse habitats within a relatively small area. Mapping benthic (seafloor) habitats is thus crucial to understanding and managing Glacier Bay's complex marine ecosystem and the marine species therein. High-resolution multibeam mapping of the bay, funded jointly by USGS and the National Park System, provides an unprecedented new baseline for resource and habitat assessment. Full integration of the new data set will require additional ground-truthing data (sampling) and analysis. The USGS goal is to develop integrated geological and oceanographic habitat models for the marine benthos in Glacier Bay, as a step toward determining the habitat relationships of critical species and resources within the Park. This Open-File Report publishes the multibeam bathymetry along with images.
updated: 2003-10-29 pages include:

Publication
USGS OFR 03-110 - Cruise Report for A1-02-SC: Southern California CABRILLO project, Earthquake Hazards Task
Description: A two-week marine geophysical survey obtained sidescan-sonar images and multiple sets of high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles in the southern California offshore area between Point Arguello and Point Dume. The data were obtained to support two project activities of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal and Marine Geology (CMG) Program: (1) the evaluation of the geologic hazards posed by earthquake faults and landslides in the offshore areas of Santa Barbara Channel and western Santa Monica Basin and (2) determine the location of active hydrocarbon seeps in the vicinity of Point Conception as part of a collaborative study with the Minerals Management Service (MMS). The 2002 cruise, A1-02- SC, is the fourth major data-collection effort in support of the first objective (Normark et al., 1999a, b; Gutmacher et al., 2000). A cruise to obtain sediment cores to constrain the timing of deformation interpreted from the geophysical records is planned for the summer of 2003.
updated: 2003-10-01 pages include:

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