Spatial extent of digital products for Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Project, conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Biogeography Program. Created in 2005.

Surface and sub-surface current model outputs were obtained from researchers at the University of Massachusetts-Boston to examine spatial and temporal current variability within the region around Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sancutary.

Surface and sub-surface current model outputs were obtained from researchers at the University of Massachusetts-Boston to examine spatial and temporal current variability within the region around Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sancutary.

This geodatabase contains Synthetic Aperture Radar images (SAR), which consist of a fine resolution (12.5-50m), two-dimensional radar backscatter map of the roughness of the ocean surface. The interaction between the SAR pulse of microwave energy---X-band (3cm), C-band (6cm) and L-band (24 cm) ---and the ocean surface is complex, as it is dependent on wavelength, polarization, geometry, environmental conditions and the electrical properties of the oceans surface. Ocean features commonly seen on SAR imagery include surface waves, mesocscale ocean circulation structures such as eddies and currents, oily slicks and surface manifestations of ocean dynamics present below the surface, including internal waves and currents passing over shallow shoals. NAMING CONVENTION: The naming convention of the imagery is as follows: SAR_Year_JulianDay_Month_Day_Time(in GMT)_Scene#So for example, SAR_1997_134_5_14_T223315 would read as SAR imagery taken on May 14 (JulianDay 134), 1997 at 22:33:15 GMT time.

This feature class contains internal wave packets digitized from SAR imagery at 1:350,000 scale in Massachusetts Bay. Internal waves are nonsinusoidal waves that occur at the interface between two layers of ocean water of differing densities (Brown et al., 1989 p.9). They occur when seasonally stratified water is forced by diurnal tides over abrupt topographic features, such as banks or ledges. These processes often produce several internal waves at once and as a result, internal waves usually propagate horizontally in groups or packets. As these packets approach shallow water (typically 25 to 40 m in depth), they gradually disappear due to increasing bottom attenuation, disrupting the pycnocline and vertically mixing water of differing densities (Jackson and Apel, 2004 p.198).

Average monthy Sea Surfact Temperature http://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/ Naming Convention: XXXX_YYYYMM_SST.tif XXXX=location (Stell) YYYY=year MM=month Example filename: Stell_198501_SST.tif

These data show the geographic representation of Federal and State Waters for the purpose of display in the MarineCadastre.gov OceanReports application. The boundary between state and federal waters was determined by consulting The Submerged Lands Act (43 U.S.C. §§ 1301 et seq.), 48 U.S.C. §§ 1705 and The Abandoned Shipwreck Act (43 U.S.C. §§ 2101). Some boundary delineations based on the SLA were approximated in this data set, including areas in Hawaii, Alaska, and Washington State. Although state boarders do not extend over water, it was necessary to approximate these borders to produce this data set. The boundaries depicted in this data set are for visual purposes only. The placement of these boundaries was extrapolated from the Federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Administrative Boundaries as described here http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/05-24659.pdf. The delineation between waters under US sovereign territory jurisdiction and that of federal governance is also approximate. Although based upon legislation, these data do not represent legal boundaries, especially in the case of Navassa Island, The Northern Mariana Islands, Baker Island, Howland Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Palmyra Atoll, Wake Islands and Jarvis Island.The seaward limit of this data set is the boundary of the 200nm US Exclusive Economic Zone. The EEZ is measured from the US baseline, recognized as the low-water line along the coast as marked on NOAA's nautical charts in accordance with articles of the Laws of the Sea. These limits are ambulatory and subject to revision based on changes in coastline geometry. This dataset was produced based on an update to the Maritime Limits published in September, 2013. To view the most up-to-date Maritime Limits, please see http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/csdl/mbound.htm. Navassa Island does not have an EEZ around it, so the seaward extent of the federal waters surrounding it were based on the 12 mile offshore boundary of the USFWS National Wildlife Refuge established on the island. All data is displayed in WGS_1984_World_Mercator. Area calculations for all states except Alaska were completed in the same projection. Area calculations for Alaska were completed in Alaska Albers Equal Area Conic.

GeoTif images of chlorophyll, turbidity, and SST were created of the region. Then an EASI script was run on the geotifs to extract the data (drill the data) from specific points (or bitmaps) in each scene for the timeseries. After the output was created in text file format, they were opened up in Microsoft Excel and spreadsheets were created for each location. Chlorophyll, turbidity, and SST are all contained in one spreadsheet bearing the name of the location. The drilled data shows the files used for the data drill, the mean of the pixels used in the data drill, and the number of pixels used to calculate the mean for each image used.

Water column sonar data are an important component of fishery independent surveys, habitat studies and other research. NMFS water column sonar data are archived here.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has the statutory mandate to collect hydrographic data in support of nautical chart compilation for safe navigation and to provide background data for engineers, scientific, and other commercial and industrial activities. Hydrographic survey data primarily consist of water depths, but may also include features (e.g. rocks, wrecks), navigation aids, shoreline identification, and bottom type information. NOAA is responsible for archiving and distributing the source data as described in this metadata record.