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Ocean characteristics
The attributes and process of seas and oceans.
Subtopics:
Ocean salinity (2 items)
Ocean temperature (12 items)
Sea-floor characteristics (37 items)
Sea-level change (11 items)

Ocean monitoring (31 items)
Oceans (13 items)
Related topics:
Results 1 - 64 of 66 listed by similarity [list alphabetically]
Global sea-surface temperature and sea-ice concentration: data display software [More info]
Downloadable data with software showing composite average ocean characteristics (sea-surface temperature and sea-ice concentration). Includes documentation, source code, data, and executable programs for Linux and Microsoft Windows.
PDF Beyond the Golden Gate--oceanography, geology, biology, and environmental issues in the Gulf of the Farallones [More info]
A geologic and oceanographic study of the waters and Continental Shelf of Gulf of the Farallones adjacent to the San Francisco Bay region. The results of the study provide a scientific basis to evaluate and monitor human impact on the marine environment.
Climate-Driven Ocean Changes Affect Estuaries [More info]
Research findings and examples of application to real problems--Pacific Ocean cooling triggers phytoplankton blooms in San Francisco Bay.
Coastal ocean modeling at the USGS Woods Hole Field Center [More info]
Fly-by and circulation movies, effluent concentration, tidal flushing, sea level, and temperature in Massachusetts Bay and Boston Harbor
Moderate-resolution sea surface temperature data and seasonal pattern analysis for the Arctic Ocean ecoregions [More info]
GIS data as grids, images, and shapefiles for monthly averages at 4km resolution from 1981 through 2009.
Oceanographic time series data [More info]
Oceanographic time-series data obtained from moored instruments, generally provided in NetCDF format.
PDF Science supporting Gulf of Mexico oil-spill response, mitigation, and restoration activities-Assessment, monitoring, mapping, and coordination [More info]
Explains and shows data and expertise we were able to provide to Federal agencies and decision makers to help them deal with this difficult situation.
The U.S. Geological Survey Ocean Bottom Seismometer Facility [More info]
The Ocean Bottom Seismometer facility provides technical support for a variety of scientific investigations ranging from deep crustal structure to gas hydrate and surface sediments.
What is an Ocean Bottom Seismometer? [More info]
Description and uses of the Ocean Bottom Seismometer; a self contained data-acquisition system which free falls to the ocean floor and records seismic data generated by airguns and earthquakes.
PDF A westward extension of the tropical Pacific warm pool leads to March through June drying in Kenya and Ethiopia [More info]
Analysis of sea-surface temperature in the Indian Ocean shows that warming correlates with east African rainfall; the effect on atmospheric convection and precipitation over the Indian Ocean is greater than that associated with El Niño (ENSO).
Bering and Chukchi Sea databases bathymetry coverages [More info]
Downloadable files of digital bathymetry of U.S. waters, the Bering and Chukchi Seas, Bering Strait, and Gulf of Anadyr in polygon ARC/INFO. Coverage generated from both digital and paper bathymetry sources developed to support marine research.
PDF Climate Variability and Change [More info]
This fact sheet focuses on climate variability and change and how USGS research can strengthen the Nation with information needed to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
Coastal and Marine Geology (CMG) InfoBank [More info]
Access to InfoBank, an online data catalog, to browse or retrieve coastal and marine geology program information, images, and data on gravity, bathymetry, seismic activity, magnetics, samples, facilities, cruises and equipment.
Coastal and Marine Geology Program [More info]
Home page for Coastal and Marine Geology with links to topics of interest (sea level change, erosion, corals, pollution, sonar mapping, and others), Sound Waves monthly newsletter, field centers, regions of interest, and subject search system.
Coastal and Marine Geology Program interactive map server [More info]
Interactive map server to view and create maps using available coastal and marine geology data sets of offshore and coastal U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico. Links to available data and metadata that can be downloaded.
Continental shelf GIS for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary [More info]
Interactive maps of the continental shelf of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary with GIS layers for sediment data, bathymetry, geology, bathymetry, sonar imagery, and tectonics.
PDF Coral Diseases Following Massive Bleaching in 2005 Cause 60 Percent Decline in Coral Cover and Mortality of the Threatened Species, Acropora Palmata, on Reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands [More info]
Record-high seawater temperatures and calm seas in the summer of 2005 led to the most severe coral bleaching (death) ever observed in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Cruise report by Coastal Surveyor Cruise C-1-99-SC: multibeam mapping of the Long Beach, California, continental shelf [More info]
Description of the work and results of a cruise by the Pacific Sea Floor Mapping project to map the Long Beach, California continental shelf based on data from high-resolution multibeam technology.
Digital library: USGS Monterey Bay science [More info]
Online catalog of scientific reports and data around and about Monterey Bay, California, indexed by author, agency, project, location, feature type, and topic
Erosion of a sea stack over 100 years [More info]
Series of photographs showing the demise of Jump-off Joe, a sea stack at Nye Beach, Newport, Oregon from 1890 as a result of erosion.
PDF Evidence of multidecadal climate variability in the Gulf of Mexico [More info]
Direct measurement of an important indicator of interannual variability is extended, using geological proxy measures, farther back in time to well before modern measurements were made. This tells us about the history of climate variability.
Geologic history of Cape Cod, Massachusetts [More info]
Describes the history, geologic changes (including the glacial formation and sea level changes), and geologic mapping of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
GLORIA Mapping Program [More info]
GLORIA is a digital sidescan sonar capable of producing digital image maps of the sea floor from reflected sound waves. Site includes description of digital processing, mosaicking, and links to samples of image maps.
Gulf of Maine internet map [More info]
Gulf of Maine regional overview interactive map depicting research activities of the U.S. Geological Survey showing surficial sample sites, bathymetry, continental margin and coastal areas.
Gulf of Mexico Climate-History Calibration Study [More info]
Proxy methods allow us to estimate ancient ocean temperatures but only if the method is calibrated using modern samples for which we measure the temperature. This is a proxy method using a sediment trap to collect planktonic foraminifera.
Hydrates cruise in the Gulf of Mexico [More info]
Investigation of the upper- and middle continental slope of the Mississippi Canyon, including the Gulf of Mexico, for the distribution of gas-hydrate deposits with links to a DEM image map, bathymetry data, and research technology.
PDF Inventory and protection of salt marshes from risks of sea-level rise at Acadia National Park, Maine [More info]
Will salt marshes survive if sea level rises quickly? The answer depends on whether the areas surrounding them can allow salt marsh fauna and flora to migrate there. Local topography, both natural and manmade, is the main factor limiting this migration.
Long Island Sound [More info]
Long Island Sound interactive map with GIS datasets and sonar imagery.
Long Island Sound sidescan sonar mosaics [More info]
Sidescan sonar image, surficial geologic interpretation, and bathymetry of the Long Island Sound sea floor.
Louisiana continental slope [More info]
Louisiana continental slope interactive map with GIS datasets and sonar imagery.
Marine aggregate resources and processes [More info]
Regional studies mapping the seafloor sedimentary character and assessing marine sand and gravel resources around the United States, to inform beach nourishment and coastal restoration, benthic habitat and sediment transport studies
Mississippi Fan internet map [More info]
Mississippi River alluvial fan interactive map with GIS data and imagery depicting core sites, depositional and channel interpretation, Gloria and SeaMarc datasets.
Moderate-resolution sea surface temperature data for the nearshore North Pacific [More info]
Downloadable monthly average SST data along the north Pacific coast in 4km grid cells for 29 years as shapefile, CSV, GIS grids, and Microsoft Access databases.
Multibeam data and socio-economic issues in west-central San Francisco Bay [More info]
Webpage based on USGS Open File Report 98-139 links to information on the San Francisco Bay estuary to study dredge disposal effects, fish habitats, sediment transport, rock pinnacles and navigation, and consequences of a large oil spill.
Multibeam mapping of the Pinnacles region, Gulf of Mexico [More info]
Report on multibeam sonar imaging to produce bathymetric mapping of the reef tract known as The Pinnacles, northern Gulf of Mexico with links to images (ASCII or ArcInfo formats), data, metadata, ArcExplorer 2.0 project, and cruise report.
Multibeam mapping of the West Florida Shelf, Gulf of Mexico [More info]
Georeferenced high-resolution mapping of bathymetry of the West Florida Shelf, Gulf of Mexico of areas suspected to be critical benthic habitats for fisheries. Includes links to images, data, metadata, and TIFF image files.
National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards [More info]
The National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards is a multi-year undertaking to identify and quantify the vulnerability of U.S. shorelines to coastal change hazards such as the effects of severe storms, sea-level rise, and shoreline erosion and retreat.
National assessment of coastal vulnerability to sea-level rise: preliminary results for the U.S. Pacific Coast [More info]
Report on the potential of coastal change due to future sea level rise using the coastal vulnerability index (C.V.I.) with two regional examples in San Francisco and Monterey Bay and Tillamook Head, Oregon, to Ocean Shores, WA.
National assessment of coastal vulnerability to sea-level rise: preliminary results of the U.S. Atlantic coast [More info]
Brief report on map showing the relative vulnerability of the Atlantic coast to changes due to future rise in sea level. Includes links to similar maps in Open-file report 2000-178 on the Pacific Coast and 2000-179 on the Gulf of Mexico Coast.
National geologic studies of benthic habitats, northeastern United States : Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Region off Boston, Massachusetts [More info]
Geological research of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary sea floor are presented in the form of maps, posters, fact sheets, sonar images, and bottom photographs.
Nearshore Benthic Habitat Project [More info]
Homepage for the Nearshore Benthic Habitats Project for mapping geophysical characterization of the coastal sea floor to identify benthic fish and shellfish habitat with links to research cruises and preliminary results.
Pacific Seafloor Mapping Project [More info]
Homepage for the Pacific Sea floor Mapping Project with links to images, downloadable data, applications, fly-by movies, products, publications, and contacts for studies of San Francisco Bay, Puget Sound, Lake Tahoe, and other Pacific areas.
PDF Response of Florida shelf ecosystems to climate change: from macro to micro scales [More info]
Study of the effects of ocean acidification on regional carbonate processes, changes in individual estuaries, and organism-level response.
Salinity variation in an estuary used for oyster cultivation in southeastern North Carolina during the passover of the eye of Hurricane Bertha [More info]
Review of a study monitoring changes in salinity in Alligator Bay, NC during a 1996 hurricane due to the influx of fresh and saltwater and the effect it would have on oyster aquaculture.
Satellite imagery: Lake Pontchartrain Basin and Gulf of Mexico [More info]
Report on satellite imagery collected by the NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) on NOAA polar-orbiting weather satellites. Links are provided to imagery of north-central Gulf of Mexico and of the Lake Pontchartrain.
PDF Science-Based Strategies for Sustaining Coral Ecosystems [More info]
Explains the environmental factors that affect coral reef habitats and ecosystems, focusing on those that pose urgent problems.
Sea-floor mapping technology [More info]
Integrated shipboard data collection, processing, and archival system for digital sidescan sonar and seismic data used in mapping the inner continental shelf.
Sea-floor morphology between Año Nuevo and Santa Cruz, California [More info]
Report with preliminary sea floor map displaying submarine rock exposures found along the northern part of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, extent based on side-scan sonar records, seismic-reflection records, and underwater video.
Seabed Observation and Sampling System (SEABOSS) [More info]
Link to PDF fact sheet describing the SEABASS system that collects seabed images and sediment samples in coastal regions.
Sound waves [More info]
Monthly online newsletter covering coastal and marine science with links listed under sections titled fieldwork, meetings, outreach, and research.
PDF South Carolina coastal erosion study [More info]
USGS project to understand coastal evolution and modern beach behavior; to identify and model the physical processes affecting coastal ocean circulation and sediment transport; and to identify sediment sources and construct a regional sediment budget.
PDF St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center coral reef research [More info]
Describes ecological problems facing coral reef ecosystems and the research strategies we use to study the prevalence and severity of those problems.
Studies in Long Island Sound: geology, contaminants, and environmental issues [More info]
Description of Long Island Sound projects and links to research topics, data, publications, photos, and technology on sediment transport, sea floor mapping, contaminant sampling, sediment texture, and environmental issues.
Studies of polluted sediment offshore Los Angeles [More info]
Overview of studies of marine sediment on the continental shelf south of Los Angeles contaminated with DDT and PCBs from past sewage effluent discharges with links to research on Santa Monica Bay, Los Angeles Shelf and Palos Verdes Peninsula.
The role of climate in estuarine variability [More info]
Article from American Scientist on study of the San Francisco Bay estuary as a component of the global climate system showing that natural fluctuations might be mistaken for anthropogenic trends affecting waterflow and salinity.
The sea-floor mapping facility at the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Field Center, Woods Hole, Massachusetts [More info]
Fact sheet on the sea-floor mapping facility at Woods Hole describing state-of-the-art technology used to produce accurate geologic maps of the sea floor and reporting on its data-acquisition, data-processing, and archiving capabilities.
U.S. Atlantic East Coast [More info]
Atlantic East Coast interactive map with GIS datasets and sonar imagery.
U.S. Gulf of Mexico Shoreline Change [More info]
Interactive map of the Gulf of Mexico coast reflecting shoreline changes.
U.S. Pacific West Coast internet map server [More info]
Interactive map of the U.S. Pacific West Coast with data layers of Gloria sidescan data, multibeam backscatter and shaded relief imagery.
USGS East-coast sediment analysis: analysis, procedures, database and georeferenced displays [More info]
Grain-size analysis of marine sediments of the U.S. eastern coast with sampling and lab methods, surficial sediment database in three formats (Excel, Dbase IV, ASCII), and use of geographic mapping tools for visualizing sediment data layers.
PDF USGS science for the Nation's changing coasts; Shoreline change assessment [More info]
Shorelines are always changing, yet we use these areas heavily. This shows what we measure and how, to help adapt to changing coastal zones.
USGS studies in the New York Bight [More info]
Describes and provides links to USGS research in the location of the estuary and coast of Long Island, New York, to map the sea floor and to study sediment transport, contaminants, and sand resources and coastal vulnerability.
usSEABED (marine sediment and rock distribution) [More info]
Data on sediment and rock distributions in the waters off the United States, shown using an internet map service with links to downloadable data files
Western Region Coastal and Marine Geology [More info]
Western Region Coastal and Marine Geology science center conducts research in the coastal and offshore areas of California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, and other U.S. Pacific Islands.
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