Sediments

The Smith-McIntyre grab sampler, nicknamed the Smith-Mac, scoops up sediment from any water depth.

The VibeCore DW is a small, portable, 24v DC vibracorer

USGS uses the vibracorer is best in locations where the seafloor, lakebed, bay-floor, or river-bottom sediment is unconsolidated and waterlogged.

A sub-bottom profiler like the EdgeTech SB-512i Chirp emits acoustic pulses to produce an image of the layers of sediment below the seafloor.

A sub-bottom profiler like the EdgeTech SB-516 Chirp emits acoustic pulses to produce an image of the layers of sediment below the seafloor.

Piston corers are generally used in areas with soft sediment, such as clay.

The USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center uses a wide variety of vessels, from kayaks to open-ocean ships, to conduct fieldwork. Most vessels are managed by our Marine Facility, or MarFac.

PCMSC uses the GOMEX box corer for collecting soft, deep-water sediment samples.

Here we describe the data collection methods and techniques of the California Seaflor Mapping Program: mapping, video and photography ground-truthing, and seismic profiling data collection.

USGS and the California Ocean Protection Council (COPC) are supporting development of peer-reviewed map sets for California’s mainland State Waters.

The map sheets display seafloor morphology and character, identify potential marine benthic habitats, and illustrate both the surficial seafloor geology and shallow (to about 100 m) subsurface geology. The total number of sheets varies by area.

Information about the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center's study from 2001-2004, on Englebright Dam and the science behind its removal.