Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program
Larger_Work_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Larry Poppe
Originator: Ralph S. Lewis
Originator: Harley J. Knebel
Originator: Eric A. Haase
Originator: Kenneth F. Parolski
Originator: Mary L. DiGiacomo-Cohen
Publication_Date: 1998
Title:
Sidescan sonar image, surficial geologic interpretations, and bathymetry of New Haven Harbor, Connecticut, and the New Haven Dumping Ground, north-central Long Island Sound
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: map
Series_Information:
Series_Name: Geologic Investigations Series Map
Issue_Identification: I-2736
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Woods Hole, MA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program
Other_Citation_Details: 2 sheets
Description:
Abstract:
Because of the enormous surrounding population of
Long Island Sound, large inputs of anthropogenic
wastes (e.g. fertilizers and sewage) and toxic
chemicals have produced stresses on the environment
of the Sound, causing degradation and potential loss
of benthic habitats. Anthropogenic wastes, toxic
chemicals, and changes in land use patterns from
residential, commercial, and recreational development
have stressed the environment of the Sound causing
degradation and potential loss of benthic habitats.
These studies build upon cooperative research with
the State of Connecticut that was initiated in 1982.
(1) define
the geological variability of the sea floor, one
of the primary controls of benthic habitat diversity;
(2) improve our understanding of the processes that
control the distribution and transport of bottom
sediments, benthic habitats, and associated infaunal
community structures; and (3) provide a detailed
framework for future research, monitoring, and
management activities. The sidescan mosaics also
serve as base maps for subsequent sedimentological,
geochemical and biological observations because
precise information on environmental setting is
important to the selection of sampling sites and to
the accurate interpretation of point measurements.
Purpose:
This dataset presents the completed sidescan sonar
mosaic for New Haven, Connecticut's dumping ground.
Supplemental_Information:
The New Haven Dumping Ground sidescan sonar image can
be divided into two general provinces. The first
province, which extends over the central and
northwestern parts of the study area, is characterized
by complex patches of high and low backscatter and
curvilinear streaks of high backscatter. The high
backscatter results from a combination of coarser
grained sediments in the dredge spoils or materials
used to cap the spoils, and the angle of incidence
of the sonar against the sides of disposal mounds. The
curvilinear streaks of high backscatter are best
developed in the central part of the study area
and represent disposal from hopper dredges or scows
that discharged the dredged materials while under
weigh, leaving a swath across the seabed. Halos of
low backscatter around some of the disposal piles
may represent the effect of density surges associated
with the impact of dredged materials on the bottom or
the subsequent slower hemipelagic sedimentation of
the diffuse plume of residual material.
The second province, which covers the eastern and
southernmost parts of the study area, is characterized
by low backscatter, caused by finer grained sediment,
and numerous linear depressions, interpreted to be
sedimentary furrows. These bedforms, which appear
as thin paired lines of high and low backscatter,
trend east-northeast, are irregularly spaced, and
have indistinct troughs with gently sloping walls.
Most of the furrows are symmetrical; but where
unsymmetrical, the southern wall is usually steeper.
Longitudinal ripples, bioturbation, and nutclam shell
debris are common within the furrows.
Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 19980306
Ending_Date: 19980317
Currentness_Reference: Ground Condition
Status:
Progress: Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned
Spatial_Domain:
Bounding_Coordinates:
West_Bounding_Coordinate: -072.916667
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -072.850000
North_Bounding_Coordinate: +41.299047
South_Bounding_Coordinate: +41.200097
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: General
Theme_Keyword: USGS
Theme_Keyword: U.S. Geological Survey
Theme_Keyword: Coastal and Marine Geology Program
Theme_Keyword: Long Island Sound Research Center
Theme_Keyword: Connecticut Geological and Natural History Survey
Theme_Keyword: sidescan sonar
Theme_Keyword: estuary
Theme_Keyword: benthic habitat
Theme_Keyword: hypoxia
Theme_Keyword: sediment distribution
Theme_Keyword: benthic community
Theme_Keyword: surficial geology
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: General
Place_Keyword: Long Island Sound
Place_Keyword: Connecticut
Place_Keyword: New Haven dumping ground
Place_Keyword: estuary
Place_Keyword: Central Long Island Sound
Access_Constraints: None
Use_Constraints:
The U.S. Geological Survey must be referenced as the
originator of the dataset in any future products or
research derived from these data.
Although this derived data set and it's lineage dataset
have been used by the USGS, no warrant, 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.
This sidescan sonar data were collected using an
Edgetech sidescan sonar system set to a 100-m range to
either side of the ship's track. These data were
logged digitally to 8mm tape.
Type_of_Source_Media: cartridge tape
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 19980306
Ending_Date: 19980317
Source_Currentness_Reference: Ground Condition
Source_Citation_Abbreviation: QMIPS
Source_Contribution:
These data were processed to apply radiometric and
geometric corrections. The processed swaths were
then mapped and digitally mosaicked to complete
the sidescan sonar mosaic for the study area.
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
QMIPS data were processed through a median
filtering routine to suppress speckle noise.
Navigation merged into the header record portion
of the data were plotted and checked. The QMIPS
data were exported for import to the WHIPS
processing.
Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: QMIPS
Process_Date: Unknown
Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: WHIPS
Process_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey
Contact_Person: Eric A. Haase
Contact_Position: Geologist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: 384 Woods Hole Road
City: Woods Hole
State_or_Province: MA
Postal_Code: 02532-1598
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: (508) 548-8700
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: (508) 457-2310
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
The individual sidescan swaths were processed
to apply a slant-to-ground range correction,
shading correction and striped noise removal.
the geometrically and radiometrically enhanced
swaths were then individually mapped to a user
specified scale and projection.
Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: WHIPS
Process_Date: Unknown
Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: WHIPS
Process_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey
Contact_Person: Eric A. Haase
Contact_Position: Geologist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: 384 Woods Hole Road
City: Woods Hole
State_or_Province: MA
Postal_Code: 02532-1598
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: (508) 548-8700
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: (508) 457-2310
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
The individually mapped swaths were imported
into a PCI "pix" database file for digital
mosaicking. The mosaicking procedure included
trimming off unwanted data where two sonar images
overlapped, tone matching the adjacent sonar
images if there are differences, and combining
the individual strips together into a
composite image.
Utilizing the PCI Remote Sensing Software
reprojection utility, the completed and
archived mosaic was reprojected to UTM to
be consistent with current Long Island
Sound GIS datasets.
Horizontal_Datum_Name: North American Datum of 1983
Ellipsoid_Name: WGS84
Semi-major_Axis: 6378137.00
Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 0.00335281066747
Distribution_Information:
Distributor:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: 384 Woods Hole Road
City: Woods Hole
State_or_Province: MA
Postal_Code: 02543-1598
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: (508) 548-8700
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: (508) 457-2310
Resource_Description:
New Haven, CT dumping ground sidescan sonar mosaic: GEOTIFF image.
Distribution_Liability:
Although this derived data set and it's 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.
The sidescan sonar mosaic is available as a
GEOTIFF image with accompanying world file and
georeference report. To utilize this data, the user
must have an image viewer, image processing or
GIS software package capable of importing a
GEOTIFF image. If the georeferencing information
cannot be imported, the user may wish to obtain
the georeference information contained in a separate
file, georep.txt, included in the zip file.
