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MMS Central/Northern California Low-altitude birds and mammals

Entry ID: seamap41

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Summary

Abstract: Principal Investigator(s)/Affiliation: Thomas P. Dohl, Center for Marine Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz.Marine Mammal and Seabird Surveys Of Central And Northern California Studies: -- Central/Northern Calif - Low Aerial [Birds and Mammals] Study Code: CL Contract Number: 14-12-0001-29090

Purpose: To determine species composition, distribution, abundance, and seasonal variation for marine mammal and seabird populations, provide a description of habitat use, and identify areas of special biological importance to these populations in the central and northern California study area.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

DATA COLLECTION:
TIME ... PERIOD: February 1980 through June 1983
STUDY AREA: Shelf, slope, and offshore waters to a distance of 100 nm off the California coast from Point Conception to the California-Oregon boundary.

METHODOLOGY: Offshore transect surveys were flown twice-monthly at two different altitudes (200 ft and about 750-1,000 ft ASL) along approximately 40 east-west transect lines extending an average of 60 nm offshore. The transects sampled on a given survey were selected randomly from a set of 92 standard (predetermined) lines spaced at intervals of 5' of latitude. Standard transects provided systematic coverage of shelf, slope, and offshore waters in the study area. Sightings of seabirds, pinnipeds, and sea otters were recorded only on low-altitude surveys. Sightings of cetaceans and turtles were recorded on both low- and high-altitude surveys. Seabird sightings were recorded only on the shaded side of the aircraft within a strip transect of 50 m width. Marine mammal and turtle sightings were recorded within an unbounded corridor on both high- and low-altitude surveys, but only the shaded side of the aircraft was searched on the low-altitude surveys. Cross-legs connecting standard transects were searched only on high-altitude surveys. Offshore cross-legs were searched on both sides of the aircraft, while only the nearshore side was searched on cross-legs along the coast. Declination angle was measured and noted for each marine mammal/turtle sightings and later used to calculate a probability density function of frequency with right-angle sighting distance. Navigation was by Loran and VLF-Omega.

DATABASES PRODUCED: Three databases of sightings at sea were produced by these studies (data on numbers of seabirds and pinnipeds on land were also collected but are not addressed in the present study). These include 1) sightings of cetaceans and turtles recorded on 36 high-altitude aerial surveys, 2) sightings of cetaceans, pinnipeds, sea otters, and turtles recorded on 36 low-altitude aerial surveys, and 3) sightings of seabirds on 36 low-altitude aerial surveys. Each sighting database is accompanied by files providing the search effort on transect and environmental characteristics of the waters surveyed (e.g., sea surface temperature).

CURRENTNESS REFERENCE: ground condition

SPATIAL REFERENCE INFORMATION - GEODETIC MODEL
Horizontal Datum Name: D_WGS_1984
Ellipsoid Name: WGS_1984
Semi-major Axis: 6378137.000000
Denominator of Flattening Ratio: 298.257224

Related URL

Link: GET DATA

Description: Access data from the OBIS and OBIS-SEAMAP websites.

Multimedia Sample

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Caption: Birds and Mammals Survey

Geographic Coverage

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Spatial coordinates

N: 42.07

S: 34.03

E: -119.43

W: -126.48

Data Set Citation

Dataset Originator/Creator: Minerals Management Service

Dataset Title: MMS Central/Northern California Low-altitude birds and mammals

Dataset Series Name: OBIS-SEAMAP

Dataset Release Date: 2006-03-21 17:34:57-05

Dataset Release Place: http://seamap.env.duke.edu/

Dataset Publisher: OBIS-SEAMAP

Data Presentation Form: vector digital data

Online Resource: http://www.mms.gov/

Parent DIF

This data set description is a member of a collection. The collection is described in
OBIS-SEAMAP

Temporal Coverage

Start Date: 1980-02-25

Stop Date: 1983-01-29

Location Keywords

OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN

GEOGRAPHIC REGION > ARCTIC

GEOGRAPHIC REGION > POLAR

CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > CALIFORNIA

Science Keywords

ATMOSPHERE > ATMOSPHERIC WATER VAPOR > HUMIDITY

ATMOSPHERE > ATMOSPHERIC WATER VAPOR > WATER VAPOR

SPECTRAL/ENGINEERING > MICROWAVE > BRIGHTNESS TEMPERATURE

ISO Topic Category

CLIMATOLOGY/METEOROLOGY/ATMOSPHERE

IMAGERY/BASE MAPS/EARTH COVER

Platform

NASA DC-8 > NASA Douglas DC-8

Instrument

PSR > Polarimetric Scanning Radiometer

Project

CAMEX > Convection and Moisture Experiment

EOSDIS > Earth Observing System Data Information System

ESIP > Earth Science Information Partners Program

CWIC > CEOS WGISS Integrated Catalog

Access Constraints none

Use Constraints none

Ancillary Keywords

CAMEX-3

EOSDIS

Data Set Progress

COMPLETE

Data Center

Global Hydrology Resource Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA

Data Center URL: http://ghrc.nsstc.nasa.gov/

Data Center Personnel
Name: GHRC USER SERVICES OFFICE Phone: 256-961-7932 Fax: 256-961-7859 Email: ghrcdaac at itsc.uah.edu Contact Address: GHRC User Services Office Global Hydrology Resource Center (GHRC) 320 Sparkman Drive City: Huntsville Province or State: AL Postal Code: 35805 Country: USA