Sediment grab samples were collected from one onshore location and 32 undisturbed locations along the seafloor around Seven Mile Island, New Jersey (NJ) and Rockaway Peninsula, New York (NY). The sediment grab samples were collected in May and June of 2021 at locations within the area where multibeam bathymetry surveys were also conducted during the same trip. All sediment samples were analyzed using a laser diffraction Coulter LS13 320 particle-size analyzer to measure the grain size distribution of the sediments. All the samples within the dataset are referred to by field activity numbers (FANs) 2021-318-FA and 2021-319-FA and are part of the Coastal Sediment Availability and Flux (CSAF) research project which collects geophysical, remote sensing and sediment data to inform models for improving prediction of coastal systems’ response to extreme weather and sea-level rise. For further information regarding data collection and/or processing methods for this data release, refer to Wei and Miselis (2022).

This study was undertaken to provide information on the characteristics and distribution of surficial sediments off the eastern United States. Accordingly, long traverses were run across the continental shelf and in most case carrying over the shelf break. This data set includes data from those 9 traverses which were conducted north of Virginia. These data constitute the first systematic sampling of the U.S. Atlantic margin to show the effects of environmental factors (e.g. increasing distance from shore, water depth) on the sediment distribution. Sampling was performed with a primitive grab sampler; navigational methods were not discussed in this report.

This study was undertaken to provide information on the characteristics and distribution of surficial sediments off the eastern United States. Accordingly, long traverses were run across the continental shelf and in most case carrying over the shelf break. This data set includes data from those 9 traverses which were conducted north of Virginia. These data constitute the first systematic sampling of the U.S. Atlantic margin to show the effects of environmental factors (e.g. increasing distance from shore, water depth) on the sediment distribution. Sampling was performed with a primitive grab sampler; navigational methods were not discussed in this report.

This data release serves as an archive of sediment physical properties and grain-size data for surficial samples collected offshore of Assateague Island, Maryland and Virginia, for comparison with surficial estuarine and subaerial sedimentological samples collected and assessed following Hurricane Sandy (Ellis and others, 2015 (http://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151219); Smith and others, 2015 (http://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151169); Bernier and others, 2016 (https://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/0999/)). The sediment samples were collected by scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) office in Woods Hole, Massachusetts while aboard the motor vessel (M/V) Scarlett Isabella as part of a larger effort to map the inner continental shelf (Pendleton and others, 2016 (http://doi.org/10.5066/F7MW2F60)). Following field work, the sediment samples were shipped to the USGS Coastal and Marine Science Center in St. Petersburg, Florida, where they were renamed for consistency with a previously existing naming scheme and processed for bulk density, loss on ignition (LOI), and grain-size. The grain-size subsamples were processed on a Coulter LS200 particle-size analyzer for consistency regarding methods and output statistics with related data sets from Chincoteague Bay and Assateague Island. For more information regarding sample collection and site information or the related data sets, refer to USGS data release Pendleton and others, 2016 (https://doi.org/10.5066/F7MW2F60); for more information regarding processing methods refer to USGS Open-File Report 2015–1219 (http://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151219). Downloadable data are available as Excel spreadsheets (.xlsx), comma-separated values text files (.csv), and formal Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata.

This data release serves as an archive of sediment physical properties and grain-size data for surficial samples collected offshore of Assateague Island, Maryland and Virginia, for comparison with surficial estuarine and subaerial sedimentological samples collected and assessed following Hurricane Sandy (Ellis and others, 2015 (http://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151219); Smith and others, 2015 (http://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151169); Bernier and others, 2016 (https://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/0999/)). The sediment samples were collected by scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) office in Woods Hole, Massachusetts while aboard the motor vessel (M/V) Scarlett Isabella as part of a larger effort to map the inner continental shelf (Pendleton and others, 2016 (http://doi.org/10.5066/F7MW2F60)). Following field work, the sediment samples were shipped to the USGS Coastal and Marine Science Center in St. Petersburg, Florida, where they were renamed for consistency with a previously existing naming scheme and processed for bulk density, loss on ignition (LOI), and grain-size. The grain-size subsamples were processed on a Coulter LS200 particle-size analyzer for consistency regarding methods and output statistics with related data sets from Chincoteague Bay and Assateague Island. For more information regarding sample collection and site information or the related data sets, refer to USGS data release Pendleton and others, 2016 (https://doi.org/10.5066/F7MW2F60); for more information regarding processing methods refer to USGS Open-File Report 2015–1219 (http://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151219). Downloadable data are available as Excel spreadsheets (.xlsx), comma-separated values text files (.csv), and formal Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata.

This data release serves as an archive of sediment physical properties and grain-size data for surficial samples collected offshore of Assateague Island, Maryland and Virginia, for comparison with surficial estuarine and subaerial sedimentological samples collected and assessed following Hurricane Sandy (Ellis and others, 2015 (http://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151219); Smith and others, 2015 (http://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151169); Bernier and others, 2016 (https://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/0999/)). The sediment samples were collected by scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) office in Woods Hole, Massachusetts while aboard the motor vessel (M/V) Scarlett Isabella as part of a larger effort to map the inner continental shelf (Pendleton and others, 2016 (http://doi.org/10.5066/F7MW2F60)). Following field work, the sediment samples were shipped to the USGS Coastal and Marine Science Center in St. Petersburg, Florida, where they were renamed for consistency with a previously existing naming scheme and processed for bulk density, loss on ignition (LOI), and grain-size. The grain-size subsamples were processed on a Coulter LS200 particle-size analyzer for consistency regarding methods and output statistics with related data sets from Chincoteague Bay and Assateague Island. For more information regarding sample collection and site information or the related data sets, refer to USGS data release Pendleton and others, 2016 (https://doi.org/10.5066/F7MW2F60); for more information regarding processing methods refer to USGS Open-File Report 2015–1219 (http://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151219). Downloadable data are available as Excel spreadsheets (.xlsx), comma-separated values text files (.csv), and formal Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata.

Geophysical and geological survey data were collected off Town Neck Beach in Sandwich, Massachusetts, in May and July 2016. Approximately 130 linear kilometers of subbottom (seismic-reflection) and 234-kilohertz interferometric sonar (bathymetric and backscatter) data were collected along with sediment samples, sea floor photographs, and (or) video at 26 sites within the geophysical survey area. Sediment grab samples were collected at 19 of the 26 sampling sites and video and (or) photographic imagery of the sea floor were taken at all 26 sites. These survey data are used to characterize the sea floor by identifying sediment-texture, seabed morphology, and underlying geologic structure and stratigraphy. Data collected during these 2016 surveys are included in this data release: https://doi.org/10.5066/P9HZHXXV. More information can be found on the websites for the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center field activities at https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2016-017-FA and https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2016-037-FA.

Geophysical and geological survey data were collected off Town Neck Beach in Sandwich, Massachusetts, in May and July 2016. Approximately 130 linear kilometers of subbottom (seismic-reflection) and 234-kilohertz interferometric sonar (bathymetric and backscatter) data were collected along with sediment samples, sea floor photographs, and (or) video at 26 sites within the geophysical survey area. Sediment grab samples were collected at 19 of the 26 sampling sites and video and (or) photographic imagery of the sea floor were taken at all 26 sites. These survey data are used to characterize the sea floor by identifying sediment-texture, seabed morphology, and underlying geologic structure and stratigraphy. Data collected during these 2016 surveys are included in this data release: https://doi.org/10.5066/P9HZHXXV. More information can be found on the websites for the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center field activities at https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2016-017-FA and https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2016-037-FA.