1-m Stretched Sidescan Sonar Image of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Survey H11321 in Central Rhode Island Sound (H11321_1M_SSS_UTM_STR.TIF, UTM)

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is working cooperatively with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to interpret the surficial geology in estuaries along the coast of the northeastern United States. The purpose of our present study is to define the sea floor morpholog...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: U.S. Geological Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Format: Dataset
Language:unknown
Published: USGS Science Data Catalog 2008
Subjects:
Online Access:https://search.dataone.org/view/66ec9382-0330-4a27-8ca7-70dd9f1dcbb2
Description
Summary:The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is working cooperatively with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to interpret the surficial geology in estuaries along the coast of the northeastern United States. The purpose of our present study is to define the sea floor morphology and sedimentary environments in an area of Rhode Island Sound using sidescan-sonar imagery, multibeam bathymetry, and seismic records. The mosaic, bathymetry, and their interpretations serve many purposes, including: (1) defining the geological variability of the sea floor, which is one of the primary controls of benthic habitat diversity; (2) improving our understanding of the processes that control the distribution and transport of bottom sediments and their distribution of benthic habitats and associated infaunal community structures; and (3) providing a detailed framework for future research, monitoring, and management activities. The sidescan-sonar mosaics and bathymetry images also serve as base maps for subsequent sedimentological, geochemical, and biological observations, because precise information on environmental setting is important for selection of sampling sites and for accurate interpretations of point measurements.