U.S. Geological Survey calculated median of wave-current bottom shear stress in the South Atlantic Bight from May 2010 to May 2011 (SAB_median, polygon shapefile, Geographic, WGS84)

The U.S. Geological Survey has been characterizing the regional variation in shear stress on the sea floor and sediment mobility through statistical descriptors. The purpose of this project is to identify patterns in stress in order to inform habitat delineation or decisions for anthropogenic use of the continental shelf. The statistical characterization spans the continental shelf from the coast to approximately 120 m water depth, at approximately 5 km resolution. Time-series of wave and circulation are created using numerical models, and near-bottom output of steady and oscillatory velocities and an estimate of bottom roughness are used to calculate a time-series of bottom shear stress at 1-hour intervals. Statistical descriptions such as the median and 95th percentile, which are the output included with this database, are then calculated to create a two-dimensional picture of the regional patterns in shear stress. In addition, time-series of stress are compared to critical stress values at select points calculated from observed surface sediment texture data to determine estimates of sea floor mobility.

美国地质调查局（U.S. Geological Survey）长期以来通过统计描述指标，表征海底剪切应力与沉积物活动性的区域变化特征。本项目旨在识别剪切应力的分布模式，为栖息地划定或大陆架的人类开发利用决策提供科学参考。本次统计表征的范围覆盖从沿岸至约120米水深的大陆架区域，空间分辨率约为5千米。研究借助数值模型生成波浪与环流的时间序列数据，并利用近底输出的稳态、振荡流速数据以及底床粗糙度估算值，以1小时间隔计算海底剪切应力的时间序列。随后计算得到中位数、95百分位数等统计描述指标（本数据库即收录此类输出结果），以此构建剪切应力区域分布模式的二维图景。此外，研究将剪切应力时间序列与通过实测表层沉积物粒度数据计算得到的选定点位临界应力值进行比对，以估算海底沉积物的活动性。