Mid-Atlantic Deepwater Hard Bottom Habitats and Coral Communities Survey

A 2011 interagency study from June 4 to June 17 focused on exploration and research of deepwater hard bottom biological communities in the northwest Atlantic Ocean offshore Virginia and Maryland. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration conducted the investigation to address information needs for potential future offshore leasing in the mid-Atlantic region. The work included coral communities, shipwrecks, and some soft bottom habitats.

Use Cases

• Classify habitat types (hard bottom, soft bottom, coral community) using geospatial survey data and imagery.
• Map the distribution of biological communities and shipwrecks relative to submarine canyons and the continental shelf.
• Analyze correlations between habitat data and future offshore leasing areas designated to Virginia.

Strengths

• Focused temporal coverage of a specific research cruise from June 4 to June 17, 2011.
• Interagency study led by the authoritative National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Limitations

• Sample data, column names, and dataset size (rows, file size) are unknown, hindering technical assessment.
• Data is from a single, short-duration cruise in 2011, limiting temporal scope and potential for time-series analysis.
• Geographic scope is restricted to a specific area offshore Virginia and Maryland, not representative of the broader Atlantic.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Exploration and investigation via a research cruise, likely involving remote sensing, imagery, and sampling.

Time Range

20110604 to 20110617

Freshness

null

Geography

Northwest Atlantic Ocean offshore Virginia and Maryland, with emphasis on canyons and the outer continental shelf.