U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Field CenterU.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Field Center

Background, Data & VisualizationBackground, Data & Visualization

Matthew Arsenault USGS

Woods Hole Science Center

Current usSEABED data coverage (~340,000 data pts) and sediment mean grain size

Coastal & Marine Geology Program Coastal & Marine Geology Program (CMGP)(CMGP)

Publications: usSEABED Sediment Database

Integration of surficial & sub-bottom geophysical data, sediment grab, core, video, and photographic data

Sidescan Sonar Swath Bathymetry Seismic Reflection

Bottom Video and Photographs Samples

Sediment Core and Grab Samples

WHSC Sea Floor MappingWHSC Sea Floor Mapping

Geologic Mapping of the Sea FloorGeologic Mapping of the Sea Floor

USGS Coastal & Marine Geology ProgramUSGS Coastal & Marine Geology Program

Why Visualization?Why Visualization?

Just a few years Just a few years ago…we were still ago…we were still here in “flat mapland”here in “flat mapland”

USGS Coastal & Marine Geology ProgramUSGS Coastal & Marine Geology Program

Why Visualization?Why Visualization?

Just a few years Just a few years ago…we were still ago…we were still here in “flat mapland”here in “flat mapland”

USGS Coastal & Marine Geology ProgramUSGS Coastal & Marine Geology Program

Why Visualization?Why Visualization?

Cognitive learning studies show that geologists & earth scientists self-select to be able to understand the relationship between 2D maps and the 3D world.

Complexities of High-Resolution dataComplexities of High-Resolution data

RepeatabilityRepeatabilityMonitoring Change in Shoal MorphologyMonitoring Change in Shoal Morphology

1200 m

800 m

Rich Signell, USGS

Middle Ground (sand shoal), Vineyard Sound, Massachusetts

Water Depth ~5 – 20 m

Woods Hole, MA

Martha’s Vineyard Bedform Height~1- 6 m