Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the 

U.S. Government

This map was printed on an electronic plotter directly from digital files. Dimensional calibration may vary between electronic plotters 

and between X and Y directions on the same plotter, and paper may change size due to atmospheric conditions; therefore, scale and 

proportions may not be true on plots of this map.

For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services, Box 25286, Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225, 1–888–ASK–USGS

Digital files available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3302/

Suggested Citation: Conrad, J.E., Hart, P.E., Sliter, R.W., Johnson, S.Y., Ritchie, A.C., Draut, A.E., and Phillips, E.L., 2014, Seismicreflection profiles, Offshore of Coal Oil Point map area, California, sheet 8 in Johnson, S.Y., Dartnell, P., Cochrane, G.R., Golden, N.E., 

Phillips, E.L., Ritchie, A.C., Kvitek, R.G., Dieter, B.E., Conrad, J.E., Lorenson, T.D., Krigsman, L.M., Greene, H.G., Endris, C.A., Seitz, G.G., 

Finlayson, D.P., Sliter, R.W., Wong, F.L., Erdey, M.D., Gutierrez, C.I., Leifer, I., Yoklavich, M.M., Draut, A.E., Hart, P.E., Hostettler, F.D., 

Peters, K.E., Kvenvolden, K.A., Rosenbauer, R.J., and Fong, G. (S.Y. Johnson and S.A. Cochran, eds.), California State Waters Map 

Series—Offshore of Coal Oil Point, California: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3302, pamphlet 57 p., 12 sheets, 

scale 1:24,000, http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sim3302.

ISSN 2329-132X (online)

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sim3302

US Army Corps

of Engineers

DISCUSSION

This map sheet shows seismic-reflection profiles from three different surveys of the Offshore of Coal Oil 

Point map area, providing imagery of the subsurface geology. The area extends from the nearshore across the 

continental shelf to the shelf break (water depth, about 90 m) and upper slope, with maximum water depths 

more than 300 m. Geologic units exposed on the shelf, which are Miocene and younger in age, include the 

Miocene Monterey Formation, the upper Miocene and lower Pliocene Sisquoc Formation, and younger 

unnamed Pliocene and Pleistocene marine sedimentary rocks. These rocks are warped into asymmetric folds 

that generally strike west to northwest, roughly parallel to the coastline; some of these folds probably root into 

blind faults at depth. Faults known to be present in the subsurface include the Isla Vista Fault (fig. 5; see also, 

Minor and others, 2009) and the Red Mountain Fault (fig. 7; see also, Redin and others, 2005; Leifer and others, 

2010). In addition, the Pitas Point Fault underlies the upper slope at depth in the eastern part of the map area 

(fig. 7; see also, Fisher and others, 2009). The North Channel Fault also is present at depth beneath the upper 

slope in the western part of the map area (fig. 6; see also, Redin and others, 2005; Fisher and others, 2009).

Pliocene and older rocks are unconformably overlain by upper Pleistocene and Holocene marine sediments 

(blue shading in profiles; Sommerfield and others, 2009; Draut and others, 2009) deposited in the last about 

21,000 years, following the last major glaciation and sea-level lowstand (see, for example, Fleming and others, 

1998). This postglacial stratigraphic unit has a maximum thickness of about 18 m (fig. 2) in the map area, but it 

typically is less than 5 m thick and pinches out locally over bedrock highs. Two or three submerged and buried 

shoreline angles and wave-cut platforms (see, for example, Kern, 1977) may have formed during relative 

stillstands during late Quaternary sea-level fluctuations (figs. 1, 2, 5). Nearshore and shelf sediment is derived 

mainly from eastward littoral drift, bluff erosion, and local coastal watersheds (Warrick and Farnsworth, 2009; 

see also, fig. 1–2 in pamphlet).

A substantial part of the large, compound, submarine Goleta landslide complex is located along the shelf 

break and upper slope in the southwestern part of the map area (fig. 3; see also, sheet 10). This landslide 

complex, which is about 11 km wide, extends about 14 km downslope into Santa Barbara Channel, much of it 

beyond the limit of California’s State Waters. The most recent large slide events for the Goleta landslide 

complex probably occurred about 8,000 to 10,000 years ago (Eichhubl and others, 2002; Fisher and others, 

2005; Greene and others, 2006). 

All but two profiles displayed on this map sheet (figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9) were collected in 2007 on U.S. 

Geological Survey (USGS) cruise Z–3–07–SC (Sliter and others, 2008). Single-channel seismic-reflection data 

were acquired using two different sources, the EdgeTech 512 chirp (figs. 1, 2, 4, 5), and the SIG 2Mille 

minisparker (figs. 3, 8, 9). The EdgeTech 512 chirp subbottom-profiling system consists of a source transducer 

and an array of receiving hydrophones housed in a 500-lb fish towed at a depth of several meters below the sea 

surface. The swept-frequency chirp source signal was 500 to 4,500 Hz and 50 ms in length, and it was recorded 

by hydrophones located on the bottom of the fish. The SIG minisparker system used a 500-J high-voltage 

electrical discharge fired 1 to 4 times per second, which, at normal survey speed of 4 to 4.5 nautical miles per 

hour, gives a data trace every 0.5 to 2.0 meters. The data were digitally recorded in standard SEG-Y 32-bit 

floating-point format, using PC-based Triton Subbottom Logger (SBL) software that merges seismic-reflection 

data with differential GPS-navigation data. After the survey, a short-window (20 ms) automatic gain control 

algorithm was applied to both the chirp and minisparker data, and a 160- to 1,200-Hz bandpass filter was 

applied to the minisparker data. The vertical scale on the high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles (figs. 1, 2, 

3, 4, 5, 8, 9) is shown as two-way travel time in seconds, as well as in meters on the basis of an inferred velocity 

of 1,600 m/sec for near-surface sediments.

Figures 6 and 7 show deep-penetration, migrated, multichannel seismic-reflection profiles collected by 

WesternGeco in 1984 (cruise W–37–84–SC; fig. 6) and 1985 (cruise W–6–85–SC; fig. 7). These profiles and 

other similar data were collected in many areas offshore of California in the 1970s and 1980s when the area was 

considered a frontier for oil and gas exploration. Much of these data have been publicly released and are now 

archived at the USGS National Archive of Marine Seismic Surveys (U.S. Geological Survey, 2009). These data 

were acquired with a large-volume air-gun source that has a frequency range of 3 to 40 Hz and recorded with a 

multichannel hydrophone streamer about 2 km long; shot spacing was about 30 m. These data can resolve 

geologic features that are 20 to 30 m thick, down to subbottom depths of about 4 km.

REFERENCES CITED

Draut, A.E., Hart, P.E., Lorenson, T.D., Ryan, H.F., Wong, F.L., Sliter, R.W., and Conrad, J.E., 2009, Late 

Pleistocene to Holocene sedimentation and hydrocarbon seeps on the continental shelf of a steep, 

tectonically active margin, southern California, USA: Marine Geophysical Research, p. 193–206, doi: 

10.1007/s11001-009-9076-y.

Eichhubl, P., Greene, H.G., and Maher, N., 2002, Physiography of an active transpressive margin basin—

High-resolution bathymetry of the Santa Barbara basin, southern California continental borderland: Marine 

Geology, v. 184, p. 95–120.

Fisher, M.A., Normark, W.R., Greene, H.G., Lee, H.J., and Sliter, R.W., 2005, Geology and tsunamigenic 

potential of submarine landslides in Santa Barbara Channel, southern California: Marine Geology, v. 224, 

p. 1–22.

Fisher, M.A., Sorlien, C.C., and Sliter, R.W., 2009, Potential earthquake faults offshore southern California 

from the eastern Santa Barbara channel to Dana Point, in Lee, H.J., and Normark, W.R., eds., Earth science 

in the urban ocean—The Southern California Continental Borderland: Geological Society of America 

Special Paper 454, p. 271–290.

Fleming, K., Johnston, P., Zwart, D., Yokoyama, Y., Lambeck, K., and Chappell, J., 1998, Refining the eustatic 

sea-level curve since the Last Glacial Maximum using far- and intermediate-field sites: Earth and Planetary 

Science Letters, v. 163, p. 327–342, doi:10.1016/S0012-821X(98)00198-8.

Greene, H.G., Murai, L.Y., Watts, P., Maher, N.A., Fisher, M.A., and Eichhubl, P., 2006, Submarine landslides 

in the Santa Barbara channel as potential tsunami sources: Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, v. 

6, p. 63–88.

Kern, J.P., 1977, Origin and history of upper Pleistocene marine terraces, San Diego, California: Geological 

Society of America Bulletin, v. 88, p. 1,553–1,566.

Leifer, I., Kamerling, M., Luyendyk, B.P., and Wilson, D.S., 2010, Geologic control of natural marine 

hydrocarbon seep emissions, Coal Oil Point seep field, California: Geo-Marine Letters, v. 30, p. 331–338.

Lorenson, T.D., Leifer, I., Wong, F.L., Rosenbauer, R.J., Campbell, P.L., Lam, A., Hostettler, F.D., Greinert, J., 

Finlayson, D.P., Bradley, E.S., and Luyendyk, B.P., 2011, Biomarker chemistry and flux quantification 

methods for natural petroleum seeps and produced oils, offshore southern California: U.S. Geological 

Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2011–5210 [also released as Bureau of Ocean Energy Management 

OCS Study BOEM 2011–016], 45 p., available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2011/5210/. 

Minor, S.A., Kellogg, K.S., Stanley, R.G., Gurrola, L.D., Keller, E.A., and Brandt, T.R., 2009, Geologic map of 

the Santa Barbara coastal plain area, Santa Barbara County, California: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific 

Investigations Map 3001, scale 1:25,000, 1 sheet, pamphlet 38 p., available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/

3001/.

Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, 2001, Santa Barbara multibeam survey: Monterey Bay Aquarium 

Research Institute Digital Data Series 4, 2 CD-ROMs.

Redin, T., Kamerling, M., and Forman, J., 2005, Santa Barbara Channel structure and correlation sections—

Correlation Section no 35, North Ellwood–Coal Oil Point area across the Santa Barbara Channel to the 

north coast of Santa Cruz Island: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Pacific Section, 

Publication CS 35, 1 sheet.

Sliter, R.W., Triezenberg, P.J., Hart, P.E., Draut, A.E., Normark, W.R., and Conrad, J.E., 2008, High-resolution 

chirp and mini-sparker seismic reflection data from the southern California continental shelf—Gaviota to 

Mugu Canyon: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2008–1246, available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/

2008/1246/.

Sommerfield, C.R., Lee, H.J., and Normark, W.R., 2009, Postglacial sedimentary record of the southern 

California continental shelf and slope, Point Conception to Dana Point, in Lee, H.J., and Normark, W.R., 

eds., Earth science in the urban ocean—The Southern California Continental Borderland: Geological 

Society of America Special Paper 454, p. 89–116.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2009, National Archive of Marine Seismic Surveys: U.S. Geological Survey database, 

accessed April 5, 2011, at http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/NAMSS/.

Warrick, J.A., and Farnsworth, K.L., 2009, Sources of sediment to the coastal waters of the Southern California 

Bight, in Lee, H.J., and Normark, W.R., eds., Earth science in the urban ocean—The Southern California 

Continental Borderland: Geological Society of America Special Paper 454, p. 39–52.

120° 119°40' 119°20' 119°

34°

34°20'

Kilometers 0 5 10

0 4 8 Nautical Miles

Santa Barbara Channel

Santa 

Barbara

Ventura

CALIF.

MAP LOCATION

Limit of California’s

 State Waters

Santa Cruz Island Santa Rosa Island

Area of

 Map

Anacapa

 Island

Seismic-Reflection Profiles, Offshore of Coal Oil Point Map Area, California

By

James E. Conrad, Patrick E. Hart, Ray W. Sliter, Samuel Y. Johnson, Andrew C. Ritchie, Amy E. Draut, and Eleyne L. Phillips

2014

0

150

75

225

Approximate depth, in meters

0.20

0.30

0.10

0

Two-way travel time, in seconds

WEST EAST

500 m

VERTICAL EXAGGERATION ~ 6.5

Figure 9. USGS minisparker seismic-reflection profile SB–146T (survey Z–3–07–SC; Sliter and others, 2008), which crosses Santa Barbara shelf offshore of Coal Oil Point; see trackline map for location. Magenta symbol shows anticline axis. Blue shading shows 

inferred uppermost Pleistocene and Holocene nearshore and shelf deposits, which have maximum thickness of about 12 m on this transect. Upper stratigraphic unit overlies prominent angular unconformity; dashed green lines partly highlight this discordance. Folded 

strata beneath unconformity are undivided Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene rocks. Dashed yellow line is seafloor multiple (echo of seafloor reflector). Fig. 4

Fig. 5

0.20

0.30

0.10

0

Two-way travel time, in seconds

WEST EAST

0

150

75

225

Approximate depth, in meters

500 m

Figure 8. USGS minisparker seismic-reflection profile SB–141T (survey Z–3–07–SC; Sliter and others, 2008), which crosses Santa Barbara shelf offshore of Naples; see trackline map for locations. Magenta symbols show fold axes 

(diverging arrows, anticlines; converging arrows, syncline). Blue shading shows inferred uppermost Pleistocene and Holocene nearshore and shelf deposits, which have maximum thickness of about 5 m on this transect. Upper 

stratigraphic unit overlies prominent angular unconformity; dashed green lines partly highlight this discordance. Folded strata beneath unconformity are undivided Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene rocks. Dashed yellow line is 

seafloor multiple (echo of seafloor reflector). Fig. 1

Fig. 2

VERTICAL EXAGGERATION ~ 6.5

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

0

Two-way travel time, in seconds

SOUTH NORTH 

Pitas Point–North

Channel Fault Zone

Red Mountain Fault

1 km

Figure 7. Industry 2-D, migrated multichannel air-gun seismic-reflection profile WC85–224 (collected in 1985 on WesternGeco survey W–6–85–SC), which extends 

south across Santa Barbara shelf offshore of Coal Oil Point; see trackline map for location. Note that profile has similar horizontal scale to USGS high-resolution 

seismic-reflection profiles shown in figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 9, but it has much less vertical exaggeration (1.5:1). Note also that profile has not been depth 

converted and so no depth scale is shown, but it extends to depths of more than 2.5 km, more than six times that of USGS profiles (compare with figs. 4 and 5, 

which show similar part of shelf). Pitas Point–North Channel Fault Zone and Red Mountain Fault are shown by dashed yellow lines.

SOUTH NORTH VERTICAL EXAGGERATION ~ 1.5

1 km

Pitas Point–North

Channel Fault Zone Goleta landslide complex

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

0

Two-way travel time, in seconds

3.0

Figure 6. Industry 2-D, migrated multichannel air-gun seismic-reflection profile WC84–232 (collected in 1984 on WesternGeco survey W–37–84–SC), which traverses part of 

Santa Barbara shelf offshore of Coal Oil Point, extending south across upper part of submarine Goleta landslide complex; see trackline map for location. Note that profile has 

similar horizontal scale to USGS high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles shown in figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 9, but it has much less vertical exaggeration (1.5:1). Note also that 

profile has not been depth converted and so no depth scale is shown, but it extends to depths of more than 2.5 km, more than six times that of USGS profiles (compare with fig. 3, 

which shows similar part of shelf). Pitas Point–North Channel Fault Zone is shown by dashed yellow line; fault zone is “blind” at this resolution, as it appears to cut strata well 

below seafloor but does not appear to deform young, shallow sediments.

VERTICAL EXAGGERATION ~ 1.5

0.05

0.15

0.1

0

SOUTH NORTH

0

80

40

Two-way travel time, in seconds

Approximate depth, in meters

Isla Vista Fault

South Elwood

South Elwood Syncline

Anticline

Coal Oil Point

Anticline

shelf break

slight angular unconformity

within south-dipping strata

buried shoreline angle

and wave-cut platform

Figure 5. USGS chirp seismic-reflection profile SBC–124 (survey Z–3–07–SC; Sliter and others, 2008), which crosses Santa Barbara shelf offshore of Goleta; see trackline map for location. Dashed red lines 

show faults, including Isla Vista Fault (Minor and others, 2009). Magenta symbols show fold axes (diverging arrows, anticlines; converging arrows, syncline); fold names from Leifer and others (2010). Blue 

shading shows inferred uppermost Pleistocene and Holocene nearshore and shelf deposits, which have maximum thickness of about 15 m on this transect but pinch out midshelf. Upper stratigraphic unit 

overlies prominent angular unconformity; dashed green lines partly highlight this discordance. Folded strata beneath unconformity are undivided Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene rocks. Dashed yellow 

line is seafloor multiple (echo of seafloor reflector).

500 m

VERTICAL EXAGGERATION ~ 13

Fig. 9

SOUTH NORTH

0.05

0.15

0.1

0

Two-way travel time, in seconds

0

80

40

Approximate depth, in meters

“Trilogy”

 seep

projected trace of South

Ellwood Anticline

projected trace of Coal Oil Point Anticline

unconformities

within south-dipping beds

gas seeps

shelf break

Figure 4. USGS chirp seismic-reflection profile SBC–128 (survey Z–3–07–SC; Sliter and others, 2008), which crosses Santa Barbara shelf 

offshore of Coal Oil Point; see trackline map for location. Blue shading shows inferred uppermost Pleistocene and Holocene nearshore 

and shelf deposits, which have maximum thickness of about 8 m on this transect but pinch out in central part of profile. Upper 

stratigraphic unit overlies prominent angular unconformity; dashed green lines partly highlight this discordance. Dipping strata beneath 

unconformity are undivided Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene rocks. Several gas seeps, including “Trilogy” seep (sheet 11 of this 

report; see also, Lorenson and others, 2011), are shown near north end of profile; gas from these seeps in water column and shallow 

subsurface obscures geologic features such as South Ellwood and Coal Oil Point Anticlines, traces of which are projected onto profile. 

Slight angular unconformities within south-dipping strata near shelf break at south end of profile are interpreted to be deltas deposited 

at shelf edge during sea-level lowstands, when sea level was at or near shelf break. Dashed yellow line is seafloor multiple (echo of 

seafloor reflector).

500 m

Fig. 9

VERTICAL EXAGGERATION ~ 13

0.2

0.1

0

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.7

0.6

Two-way travel time, in seconds

0

150

75

225

Approximate depth, in meers

300

450

375

525

SOUTH NORTH

landslide deposit

slump block(?)

buried slide mass

Goleta landslide complex

slide headwall

draped and ponded sediment

shelf-edge

delta deposits

shelf break

Figure 3. USGS minisparker seismic-reflection profile SB–145 (survey Z–3–07–SC; Sliter and others, 2008), which crosses outer shelf and upper slope offshore 

of Coal Oil Point; see trackline map for location. Profile shows upper part of submarine Goleta landslide complex (Greene and others, 2006); headwall is 

underlain by inferred shelf-edge delta deposits (green shading). Discrete parts of landslide mass are shown by orange, yellow, and purple shading; these 

inferred landslide deposits are overlain by younger ponded and draped sediments. Dashed green line shows possible basal slide surface. Dashed yellow line 

is seafloor multiple (echo of seafloor reflector).

500 m

VERTICAL EXAGGERATION ~ 6.5

0

80

40

160

120

Approximate depth, in meters

0.05

0.15

0.20

0.25

0.10

0

Two-way travel time, in seconds

SOUTH NORTH 

buried shoreline angle(?)

and wave-cut platform(?)

Figure 2. USGS chirp seismic-reflection profile SBC–136 (survey Z–3–07–SC–SC; Sliter and others, 2008), which crosses Santa Barbara shelf offshore of Naples; see 

trackline map for location. Blue shading shows inferred uppermost Pleistocene and Holocene nearshore and shelf deposits, which have maximum thickness of about 18 

m this transect but pinch out in central part of profile. Upper stratigraphic unit overlies prominent angular unconformity; dashed green lines partly highlight this 

discordance. Dipping strata beneath unconformity are undivided Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene rocks that dip generally to south in broad homocline. Blue shading 

near north end of profile shows young nearshore delta deposits that overlie probable buried shoreline angle and wave-cut platform. Dashed yellow lines are seafloor 

multiples (echoes of seafloor reflector).

500 m

VERTICAL EXAGGERATION ~ 13

Fig. 8

0

80

40

160

120

Approximate depth, in meters

0.05

0.15

0.20

0.10

0

Two-way travel time, in seconds

SOUTH NORTH

angular unconformities(?)

buried shoreline angle

and wave-cut platform

buried shoreline angle

and wave-cut platform

Figure 1. USGS chirp seismic-reflection profile SBC–138A (survey Z–3–07–SC; Sliter and others, 2008), which crosses Santa Barbara shelf offshore of Naples; see trackline map for location. 

Magenta symbols show fold axes (diverging arrows, anticline; converging arrows, syncline). Blue shading shows inferred uppermost Pleistocene and Holocene nearshore and shelf deposits, which 

have maximum thickness of about 18 m on this transect but pinch out near south end of profile. Upper stratigraphic unit overlies prominent angular unconformity; dashed green lines partly highlight 

this discordance. Dipping strata beneath unconformity are undivided Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene rocks, which are folded close to shore but dip generally to south in broad homocline. 

Dashed yellow lines are seafloor multiples (echoes of seafloor reflector). 

500 m

VERTICAL EXAGGERATION ~ 13

Fig. 8

ONE MILE = 0.869 NAUTICAL MILES

1 0.5 0 1 KILOMETER

7000 3500 0 7000 FEET

2 1 0 2 MILES

SCALE 1:50 000

APPROXIMATE MEAN

DECLINATION, 2014

MAGNETIC NORTH

12 / ° 1 2

TRUE NORTH

Onshore elevation data from NOAA Coastal Services Center 

(data collected by EarthData International in 2002-2003) and 

from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (data collected by Fugro 

Pelagos in 2009). Offshore shaded-relief bathymetry within 

California’s State Waters from map on sheet 2, this report. 

Offshore shaded-relief bathymetry outside California’s State 

Waters from Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute 

(2001). California’s State Waters limit from NOAA Office of 

Coast Survey

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 11N

NOT INTENDED FOR NAVIGATIONAL USE

GIS database and digital cartography by Eleyne L. Phillips 

and Florence L. Wong

Edited by Taryn A. Lindquist

Manuscript approved for publication June 2, 2014

Goleta

Coal Oil

 Point

Naples

34°25'

34°30'

34°25'

120° 119°55' 119°50'

120° 119°55' 119°50'

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

Fig. 9

Fig. 8

Fig. 7

Trackline Map

EXPLANATION

Tracklines of select seismic-reflection 

surveys—Thick lines show locations of 

profile lines depicted in figures; thin 

lines show full extent of surveys

Survey Z–3–07–SC (USGS), minisparker

Survey Z–3–07–SC (USGS), chirp

Survey S–7–08–SC (USGS), chirp

Surveys W–37–84–SC, W–6–85–SC, 

(WesternGeco)

3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State 

Waters

Area of “no data”—Areas near shoreline not 

mapped owing to insufficient highresolution seafloor mapping data; areas 

beyond 3-nautical-mile limit of 

California’s State Waters were not 

mapped as part of California Seafloor 

Mapping Programm

Figure 3

Figure 6

Figure 4

Scientific Investigations Map 3302

Sheet 8 of 12

Pamphlet accompanies map

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey