October 1999 data collection from a USGS cruise along the North Carolina coast. The dataset contains sidescan-sonar imagery and DGPS navigation data for mapping the seafloor's geologic framework. It was gathered by the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program with collaborators including the North Carolina Geological Survey.
Use Cases
- Map seafloor morphology and sedimentary environments using sidescan-sonar backscatter intensity.
- Analyze sediment texture and distribution patterns from sidescan-sonar imagery data.
- Reconstruct DGPS navigation tracks to geolocate sonar survey lines and create mosaics.
- Study shallow stratigraphy and geologic framework for coastal evolution models.
- Identify potential sand and gravel resource zones from seafloor feature classification.
Strengths
- Data collected during a focused 21-day cruise from 7-27 October 1999.
- Multimodal dataset combining acoustic imagery (sidescan-sonar) with precise navigation (DGPS).
- Produced by authoritative USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program for a specific mapping initiative.
Limitations
- Specific row counts, file sizes, and data formats are unknown.
- Data is from a single cruise in 1999, offering a historical snapshot rather than recent conditions.
- Potential for geographic bias limited to the surveyed area of the North Carolina coast.
Provenance
- Source
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal and Marine Geology Program.
- Collection Method
- Collected via ship-based sidescan-sonar and Differential GPS (DGPS) systems during cruise ATSV 99045.
- Time Range
- 7-27 October 1999
- Freshness
- 1999-10-27
- Geography
- North Carolina coast, USA, including shoreface and inner continental shelf.