Recurrence interval of sediment mobility at select points in the Gulf of Maine south into the Middle Atlantic Bight for May, 2010 - May, 2011 (GMAINE_mobile_freq, Geographic, WGS 84)

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 0.03 degree (2.5-3.75 km, depending on latitude) 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）一直通过统计描述量，表征海底剪切应力的区域差异与沉积物活动性。本项目旨在识别剪切应力的分布模式，为大陆架的生境划分或人类活动利用决策提供依据。本次统计表征覆盖了从沿岸至约120米水深的大陆架区域，空间分辨率约为0.03度（依纬度不同约2.5-3.75公里）。研究通过数值模型生成波浪与环流的时间序列，并利用近底输出的定常、振荡流速数据以及底床粗糙度估算值，以1小时间隔计算底剪切应力的时间序列。随后计算中位数、95分位数等统计描述量（即本数据库包含的输出结果），以此构建剪切应力区域分布模式的二维图景。此外，本研究将应力时间序列与从观测表层沉积物粒度数据计算得到的选定点位临界剪切应力值进行对比，以估算海底沉积物活动性。