1 Identification Information

1.1 Citation Information:

8.1 Originator: National Ocean Service

8.1 Originator: US Dept. of Commerce

8.2 Publication Date: Multiple

8.4 Title:

Coastal Shelf Bathymetry of the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas

8.6 Data Presentation Form: Map

8.7.1 Series Name: Bathymetric Maps

8.8.1 Publication Place:

Washington D.C.

8.8.2 Publisher:

U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, NOS

8.9 Other Citation Details:

maps available for purchase from National Geophysical Data Center, E/GC3, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80303-3228

1.2 Description

1.2.1 Abstract:

Bathymetric contours were generated from soundings collected by National Ocean Service vessels from ~1900 to ~1971. The 1:250,000 maps are available for U.S. coastal waters. Bathymetric contours are in meters, with 10 meter intervals out to 200 m, supplemented by 2 m contours. Beyond 200 m, contours are at 50 m intervals to maximum depth. The GIS database derived from these maps includes the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas in western and northern Alaska (~100 maps).

1.2.2 Purpose:

The Bathymetric Map series was developed to provide detailed contours of underwater features. The maps serve as a basic tool for performing scientific, engineering, marine geophysical, and marine environmental studies. The maps were not intended to be used for navigation.

1.2.3 Supplemental Information:

The completed coverage of the western and northern Alaska region is stored on ASC workstation GULO in the following directory: /gulo1/ecosys/bathy/final. The coverage is titled NOSBATH_3GEO (nosbath=National Ocean Service Bathymetry Maps, 3=polygon topology, geo=geographic projection).

1.3 Time Period Of Content

9.3 Range of Dates/Times

9.3.1 Beginning Date: 1899

9.3.3 Ending Date: 1971

1.4 Status

1.4.1 Progress: Complete

1.4.2 Maintenance and Update Frequency: None Planned

1.5 Geographic Extent

1.5.1 Description of Geographic Extent:

US waters (east of the Exclusive Economic Zone) of the Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas from shore to 200 m depth

1.5.2 Bounding Rectangle Coordinates

1.5.2.1 West Bounding Coordinate: -178

1.5.2.2 East Bounding Coordinate: -138

1.5.2.3 North Bounding Coordinate: 74

1.5.2.4 South Bounding Coordinate: 53

1.6 Keywords

1.6.1.1 Theme Keyword Thesaurus: None

1.6.1.2 Theme Keyword: Bathymetry

1.6.2.1 Place Keyword Thesaurus: None

1.6.2.2 Place Keyword: Alaska

1.6.2.2 Place Keyword: Bering Sea

1.6.2.2 Place Keyword: Chukchi Sea

1.6.2.2 Place Keyword: Beaufort Sea

1.6.3.1 Stratum Keyword Thesaurus: None

1.6.4.1 Temporal Keyword Thesaurus: None

1.8 Access Constraints:

None

1.9 Use Constraints:

None

1.10 Point of Contact

10.2 Contact Organization Primary

10.1.2 Contact Organization: Alaska Science Center, Marine and Fresh Water Ecology Branch

10.4 Contact Address

10.4.1 Address Type: Mailing and Physical Address

10.4.2 Address: Biological Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey

10.4.2 Address: 1011 E. Tudor Road

10.4.3 City: Anchorage

10.4.4 State or Province: Alaska

10.4.5 Postal Code: 99503

10.4.6 Country: USA

10.5 Contact Voice Telephone: (907) 786-3512

10.7 Contact Facsimile Telephone: (907) 786-3636

10.9 Hours of Service: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday Through Friday

10.10 Contact Instructions: None

1.14 Native Data Set Environment: UNIX-ARC/INFO

1.15 Cross Reference

8.1 Originator: The Geological Society of America

8.2 Publication Date: 1974

8.4 Title:

Bathymetric Map of the Bering Shelf

8.6 Data Presentation Form: Map

8.8.1 Publication Place:

Boulder, Colorado

8.8.2 Publisher:

The Geological Society of America, 3300 Penrose Pl., Boulder, CO 80301

8.9 Other Citation Details:

map compiled by Richard Pratt and Fred Walton, National Ocean Service

8.1 Originator: United States Geological Survey

8.2 Publication Date: 1976

8.4 Title:

Bathymetric Map of the Chukchi Sea and Arctic Ocean & Bathymetric Map of the Aleutian Trench and Bering Sea

8.7.1 Series Name: Open File Report

8.7.2 Issue Identification: 76-821 and 76-823

8.8.1 Publication Place:

Washington D.C.

8.8.2 Publisher:

U.S. Geological Survey

8.9 Other Citation Details:

Schumacher, G. M. 1976. Bathymetric map of the Chukchi Sea and Arctic Ocean. USGS Open File Report 76-823. Schumacher, G. M. 1976. Bathymetric map of the Aleutian Trench and Bering Sea. USGS Open File Report 76-821.

8.1 Originator: United States Geological Survey

8.2 Publication Date: 1976

8.4 Title:

Plate 1. Topographic and Bathymetric map of the Northern Bering Sea Region

8.7.1 Series Name: Geological Survey Professional Paper

8.7.2 Issue Identification: 759-B

8.8.1 Publication Place:

Washington D.C.

8.8.2 Publisher:

U. S. Government Printing Office

8.9 Other Citation Details:

Hopkins, D. M., C. H. Nelson, R. B. Perry, and T. R. Alpha. 1976. Physiographic subdivisions of the Chirikov Basin, Northern Bering Sea (studies on the marine geology of the Bering Sea). Geological Survey Professional Paper 759-B. U.S. Government Printing Office. 7pp. 3 plates.

8.1 Originator: United States Geological Survey

8.2 Publication Date: 1984

8.4 Title:

Bathymetric map of the Chukchi Sea

8.7.1 Series Name: Miscellaneous Investigations Series

8.7.2 Issue Identification: Map I-1182-D

8.8.2 Publisher:

United States Geological Survey

8.9 Other Citation Details:

Hill, E. R., A. Grantz, S. D. May, and M. Smith. 1984. Bathymetric map of the Chukchi Sea. U.S. Geological Survey, Misc. Inves. Series I-1182-D.

2 Data Quality Information

2.1 Attribute Accuracy

2.1.1 Attribute Accuracy Report:

Attribute accuracy was tested by manually comparing hard copy plots to the source maps. Accuracy of the source maps is related to the contouring algorithm used to derive the contours and changes in bathymetry since the data were collected. The NOS point data near the Aleutian Islands was not well registered with the coastline. Depths up to 30 m crossed the digitized coastline by up to 200 m and were clipped from the final coverage. It is unknown which data were incorrect (digitized coastline or point locations).

2.2 Logical Consistency Report:

All polygon features are checked for topology using Arc/INFO software. Each polygon begins and ends with a node feature. All nodes are checked for errors so that there are no dangling features. There are no duplicate lines or polygons. All nodes will snap together and close polygons based on a specified tolerance. If the node is not within the tolerance it is adjusted manually. The tests for logical consistency are performed in Arc/INFO.

2.3 Completeness Report:

Contours were digitized from NOS bathymetric maps (~90%) or generated from NOS bathymetric sounding point data (~10%) where digitizing was difficult and high density point data were available. Contours are at 10 m intervals out to 200 m. Intermediate contours were not included, because many were dangling arcs which could not be used to build polygons. Contours beyond 200 m are available on the source maps, but were not included in the GIS database. The source maps included "holiday areas" where NOS collected no sounding data, and no bathymetric contours or points are available, these areas are defined in the coverage. A 1:250,000 Alaska Department of Natural Resources coastline was added to the coverage to provide a land reference.

2.4 Positional Accuracy

2.4.1 Horizontal Positional Accuracy

2.4.1.1 Horizontal Positional Accuracy Report:

Horizontal positional accuracy was tested using Arc/INFO's RMS errors generated when the digitized map is converted from table inches to real world coordinates. RMS errors averaged 150 m for the ~100 maps digitized.

2.5.1.2.2 Methodology Keyword: digitize

2.5.1.2.2 Methodology Keyword: generate contours

2.5.1.3 Methodology Description:

~100 maps from the NOS Bathymetric Map series were selected to be digitized. Ocean depth point data from National Ocean Service cruises (a subset of the data used to develop the bathymetric map series) was used to generate contours where the map contours were extremely difficult to digitize. The generated contours were usually similar to the map contours, and where large discrepencies occurred the lines were digitized from the maps and the generated contours removed. Contours were generated in north Bristol Bay, small areas on the northwest side of the Alaska Peninsula, around the eastern Aleutian Islands and St. Paul Island, and a large area from Seward Peninsula to St. Lawrence Island. All other areas were digitized from the NOS maps. Areas where NOS had no bathymetric data (defined by NOS as holiday areas) were blocked and defined as areas with no data, no attempt was made to generate contours in these areas. Small holiday areas occurred along the coast of the Aleutian Islands and Alaska Peninsula, west side of Nushagak Peninsula, north of Hagemeister Island, sourth side of St. George Island, north side of Nunavak Island, west and north sides of Seward Peninsula and a small pocket in the Beaufort Sea north of Prudhoe Bay. Larger holiday areas occur at the mouth of the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers and around the coast of St. Lawrence Island. Additionally, no map is available for the east end of Kotzebue Sound.

2.5.1.4 Methodology Citation:

8.1 Originator: Resource Data, Inc., Anchorage, Alaska

8.2 Publication Date: 1997

8.4 Title:

Western Alaska Bathymetry

8.6 Data Presentation Form: Map

8.8.1 Publication Place:

Anchorage, Alaska

8.8.2 Publisher:

Alaska Science Center, Biological Resources Division, US Geological Survey

3 Spatial Data Organization Information

3.1 Indirect Spatial Reference:

bathymetric contours

3.2 Direct Spatial Reference Method: Vector

3.3 Point and Vector Object Information

3.3.1.1 SDTS Point and Vector Object Type: arcs

3.3.1.2 Point and Vector Object Count: 14861

3.3.1.1 SDTS Point and Vector Object Type: polygons

3.3.1.2 Point and Vector Object Count: 10345

3.3.1.1 SDTS Point and Vector Object Type: label points

3.3.1.2 Point and Vector Object Count: 10345

4 Spatial Reference Information

4.1 Horizontal Coordinate System Definition

4.1.1 Geographic

4.1.1.3 Geographic Coordinate Units: Decimal Degrees

4.1 Horizontal Coordinate System Definition

4.1.2 Planar

4.1.2.1.1 Map Projection Name: Geographic

4.1.4.1 Horizontal Datum Name: North American Datum of 1927

4.1.4.2 Ellipsoid Name: Clarke 1866

4.2.2.1 Depth Datum Name: Mean Lower Low Water

4.2.2.2 Depth Resolution: 10

4.2.2.3 Depth Distance Units: Meters

4.2.2.4 Depth Encoding Method: Attribute Values

5 Entity and Attribute Information

5.1 Detailed Description

5.1.2 Attribute

5.1.2.1 Attribute Label: elevation

5.1.2.2 Attribute Definition:

polygon attribute calculated as the mid-point between bounding arcs, eg the elevation between -10 m and -20 m isobaths equals -15 m. Where a bathymetric contour was an "island" and there was no depth information inside the island, the elevation was coded as the bounding contour's depth. Elevations range from -5 to -195 m. Enclosed polygons deeper than 200 m are coded -999. "Holiday areas" with no bathymetric data are coded +999. enclosed polygons outside the map area are coded +998. All land polygons are labeled +5.

5.1.2.4.2 Range Domain -5

5.1.2.4.2.1 Range Domain Minimum: -5

5.1.2.4.2.2 Range Domain Maximum: -195

5.1.2.5 Attribute Units Of Measurement: meters

5.1.2.6 Attribute Measurement Resolution: 10

5.1.2.7 Beginning Date Attribute Values: 1900

5.1.2.8 Ending Date Of Attribute Values: 1970

5.1.2.10 Attribute Measurement Frequency: Irregular

5.1.2 Attribute

5.1.2.1 Attribute Label: elevation (arc attribute)

5.1.2.2 Attribute Definition:

depth of bathymetric contour lines, in negative meters. Used to calculate the polygon mid-depth elevation attribute. Arcs used to define the map boundary, holiday areas, and to clip dangling contours to the next shallowest contour are coded 999.

5.1.2.4.2 Range Domain -10

5.1.2.4.2.1 Range Domain Minimum: -10

5.1.2.4.2.2 Range Domain Maximum: -200

5.1.2.5 Attribute Units Of Measurement: meters

5.1.2.6 Attribute Measurement Resolution: 10

5.1.2.7 Beginning Date Attribute Values: 1900

5.1.2.8 Ending Date Of Attribute Values: 1970

5.1.2.10 Attribute Measurement Frequency: Irregular

5.1.2 Attribute

5.1.2.1 Attribute Label: methods

5.1.2.2 Attribute Definition:

an arc attribute describing the method used to develop contours. Contours digitized from the NOS maps are coded "DIGITIZE", and contours that were generated from the NOS survey point data are coded "GENERATE".

5.1.2.4.1 Enumerated Domain

5.1.2.4.1.1 Enumerated Domain Value: DIGITIZE or GENERATE

5.1.2.7 Beginning Date Attribute Values: 1997

6 Distribution Information

6.1 Distributor

10.2 Contact Organization Primary

10.1.2 Contact Organization: Alaska Science Center, Marine and Fresh Water Ecology Branch

10.4 Contact Address

10.4.1 Address Type: Mailing and Physical Address

10.4.2 Address: Biological Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey

10.4.2 Address: 1011 E. Tudor Road

10.4.3 City: Anchorage

10.4.4 State or Province: Alaska

10.4.5 Postal Code: 99503

10.4.6 Country: USA

10.5 Contact Voice Telephone: (907) 786-3512

10.7 Contact Facsimile Telephone: (907) 786-3636

10.9 Hours of Service: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday Through Friday

10.10 Contact Instructions: None

6.3 Distribution Liability:

Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the Alaska Science Center, Biological Resources Division, US Geological Survey, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the accuracy or utility of the data on any other system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. This disclaimer applies both to individual use of the data and aggregate use with other data. It is strongly recommended that these data are directly acquired from an Alaska Science Center server, and not indirectly through other sources which may have changed the data in some way. It is also strongly recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of the metadata file associated with these data. The Alaska Science Center shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein.

6.4 Standard Order Process

6.4.1 Non-Digital Form: map sheets

6.4.3 Fees: contact National Geophysical Data Center for fees

6.4.4 Ordering Instructions: pre-payment required; order from NGDC, E/GC3, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80303-3228

6.4.5 Turnaround Time: 1-2 weeks

6.4 Standard Order Process

6.4.2 Digital Form

6.4.2.1.1 Format Name: ARC/INFO

6.4.2.1.2 Format Version Number: Version 7.1

6.4.2.1.6 File Decompression Technique: Arc Export (full compression)

6.4.2.1.7 Transfer Size: 28857983

6.4.2.2 Digital Transfer Option

6.4.2.2.1.2 Access Instructions: FTP:ftp.asc.nbs.gov, access ftp site as anonymous, change directory to OUTGOING/BATHY, transfer under ASCII mode (type ascii), get NOSBATH_3GEO.E00

6.4.3 Fees: None

7 Metadata Reference Information

7.1 Metadata Date: 19970425

7.4 Metadata Contact:

10.2 Contact Organization Primary

10.1.2 Contact Organization: Alaska Science Center, Marine and Fresh Water Ecology Branch

10.4 Contact Address

10.4.1 Address Type: Mailing and Physical Address

10.4.2 Address: Biological Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey

10.4.2 Address: 1011 E. Tudor Road

10.4.3 City: Anchorage

10.4.4 State or Province: Alaska

10.4.5 Postal Code: 99503

10.4.6 Country: USA

10.5 Contact Voice Telephone: (907) 786-3512

10.7 Contact Facsimile Telephone: (907) 786-3636

10.9 Hours of Service: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday Through Friday

10.10 Contact Instructions: None

7.5 Metadata Standard Name: NBS Content Standards for National Biological Information Infrastructure Metadata

7.6 Metadata Standard Version: June 8, 1994

Please send comments or questions about the content of this page to Chad Jay or Tony Fischbach

Please send comments or questions about this web page to: mwhalen@usgs.gov