Backscatter – Outer Mainland Shelf and Slope, Gulf of Santa Catalina, southern California, U.S. Geological Survey, 2010-2011

In 2010 and 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC), collected bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter data from the outer shelf and slope offshore the Oceanside region in southern California. These data were acquired as part of the USGS Marine Geohazards Program. Assessment of the hazards posed by offshore faults, submarine landslides, and tsunamis are facilitated by accurate and detailed bathymetric data. The surveys were conducted using the USGS R/V Parke Snavely outfitted with a 100 kHz Reson 7111 multibeam echosounder. While the surveys were focused on the collection of bathymetric data, the limited acoustic backscatter data are made available. These metadata describe the backscatter data provided in the report. The backscatter from the three separate surveys were not merged and these metadata describe the three separate backscatter images.