| Title | Mapping of the major morphologic features and seafloor sediments of the New Hampshire Continental Shelf using the Coastal and Marine Ecologic Classification Standard (CMECS) |
| Download | Download (whole publication) |
| |
| Licence | Please note the adoption of the Open Government Licence - Canada
supersedes any previous licences. |
| Author | Ward, L; McAvoy, Z; Nagel, E |
| Source | Program and abstracts: 2017 GeoHab Conference, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada; by Todd, B J ; Brown, C J; Lacharité, M; Gazzola, V; McCormack, E; Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 8295, 2017 p. 119, https://doi.org/10.4095/305940  Open Access |
| Links | GeoHab 2017
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| Year | 2017 |
| Publisher | Natural Resources Canada |
| Meeting | 2017 GeoHab: Marine Geological and Biological Habitat Mapping; Dartmouth, NS; CA; May 1-4, 2017 |
| Document | open file |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | on-line; digital |
| Related | This publication is contained in Program and abstracts: 2017
GeoHab Conference, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| File format | pdf |
| Area | New Hampshire; United States of America |
| Lat/Long WENS | -71.0000 -67.0000 44.0000 42.0000 |
| Subjects | marine geology; surficial geology/geomorphology; environmental geology; geophysics; mapping techniques; oceanography; marine environments; coastal studies; conservation; marine organisms; marine
ecology; resource management; biological communities; environmental studies; ecosystems; continental margins; continental shelf; seafloor topography; bedforms; bathymetry; erosion; grain size distribution; marine sediments; gravels; muds; sands;
glacial deposits; glacial landforms; glaciomarine deposits; drumlins; lag deposits; shoals; geophysical surveys; acoustic surveys, marine; sonar surveys; side-scan sonar; seismic data; core samples; software; Biology; geographic information systems
applications |
| Program | Offshore Geoscience |
| Released | 2017 09 26 |
| Abstract | The New Hampshire continental shelf is extremely heterogeneous and includes extensive bedrock outcrops, sand and gravel deposits, and muddy basins. Many of the depositional features are glacial in
origin and have been significantly modified by marine processes as sea level fluctuated since the end of the last major glaciation. Glacial deposits (e.g., drumlins) on the shelf have been eroded, leaving very coarse lag deposits, while supplying
sand to develop wave-formed features (shoals). Many of these features have positive relief standing above the seafloor, lending evidence of their formation by waves and shallow water currents. Some of these deposits may represent significant sand and
gravel deposits and have the potential for future use for beach nourishment and other efforts to build coastal resiliency.
Relatively recent high resolution multibeam echosounder (MBES) bathymetric and backscatter surveys have revealed features
of the New Hampshire shelf and vicinity seafloor in exceptional detail that has not been previously described. Synthesis of the MBES bathymetry and backscatter (along with bathymetric derivatives), coupled with an extensive archived database
consisting of subbottom seismics, bottom sediment grain size data, and vibracores, were used to develop new surficial geology maps based on CMECS (partially supported by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management). The new surficial geology maps of the
New Hampshire shelf produced in ArcGIS represent a major improvement over previous mapping efforts and provide ground truth for testing automated classification approaches. Presently, the CMECS maps are being refined and the classification of the
geoforms expanded for paraglacial environments. In addition, automated characterization and segmentation approaches using QPS Fledermaus Geocoder Toolbox Angle Range Analysis (ARA) and ESRI ArcGIS Spatial Analyst Tools are being evaluated. |
| Summary | (Plain Language Summary, not published)
The sixteenth annual GeoHab Conference was held this year (2017) at the Waterfront Campus of the Nova Scotia Community College in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia,
Canada. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 305940 |
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