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://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151191

Suggested Citation: Dartnell, P., 2015, Data integration and visualization, Offshore of Scott Creek map area, California, sheet 4 in

Cochrane, G.R., Dartnell, P., Johnson, S.Y., Greene, H.G., Erdey, M.D., Dieter, B.E., Golden, N.E., Endris, C.A., Hartwell, S.R., Kvitek, R.G., 

Davenport, C.W., Watt, J.T., Krigsman, L.M., Ritchie, A.C., Sliter, R.W., Finlayson, D.P., and Maier, K.L. (G.R. Cochrane and S.A. 

Cochran, eds.), California State Waters Map Series—Offshore of Scott Creek, California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 

2015–1191, pamphlet 40 p., 10 sheets, scale 1:24,000, http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151191.

ISSN 2331-1258 (online) 

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151191

37°

36°40'

122°20' 122°

SANTA CRUZ

MONTEREY

MOSS 

LANDING

PIGEON

POINT

Limit of California’s

State Waters

Area of

Map

CALIF.

MAP LOCATION

0 5 10 Kilometers

0 5 10Nautical Miles

121°40'

Monterey

Bay

20

30

40

50

60

70

10

0

DISCUSSION

Mapping California’s State Waters has produced a vast amount of acoustic and visual 

data, including bathymetry, acoustic backscatter, seismic-reflection profiles, and seafloor video 

and photography. These data are used by researchers to develop maps, reports, and other tools 

to assist in the coastal and marine spatial-planning capability of coastal-zone managers and 

other stakeholders. Seafloor-character, habitat, and geologic maps may be used for fisheries 

management, for designation of Marine Protected Areas, for monitoring of environmental 

change such as sea-level-rise impacts, for prediction of sediment and contaminant budgets and 

transport, and for assessment of earthquake and tsunami hazards. To achieve these goals, it is 

helpful to integrate the different datasets and then view the results in three-dimensional 

representations such as those displayed on this data integration and visualization sheet for the 

Offshore of Scott Creek map area.

The map view in the center of the sheet is similar to the colored shaded-relief bathymetry 

map of the Offshore of Scott Creek map area (see sheet 1 of this report). Numbered arrows 

show viewing directions of the perspective views on this sheet; the numbers indicate the figure 

number of the perspective view.

The perspective views and bathymetric profiles in figures 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 show the 

colored shaded-relief bathymetry of the Offshore of Scott Creek map area, as viewed from 

different directions. These views highlight the diverse seafloor environments in this map area, 

which include extensive areas of featureless, sedimented seafloor, as well as layered, folded, 

and fractured bedrock.

Video-mosaic images created from seafloor digital video (fig. 3) display the geologic 

(rock, sand, mud) and biologic complexity of the seafloor. Whereas photographs capture 

high-quality snapshots of a small area of the seafloor (see sheet 6 of this report), video mosaics 

can capture larger areas and, thus, can show transitional zones between different seafloor 

environments.

Draping the acoustic-backscatter imagery (see sheet 3 of this report) over the bathymetry 

data (fig. 4) highlights the relations between the backscatter intensity and the seafloor 

morphology. It also aids in seafloor habitat and geology interpretations, as well as mapping 

sediment-transport pathways.

Block diagrams (fig. 6), which combine the bathymetry with seismic-reflection-profile 

data (see sheet 8 of this report), help reveal the stratigraphic and structural relations between 

the surface and subsurface.

EXPLANATION

Depth (in meters) and illumination (bright areas are illuminated, facing false 

sun; dark areas are in shadow, facing away from false sun)

Shallow

Deep

Direction of illumination from false sun—Position of false sun is at 300° 

azimuth, 45° above horizon [arrow included in explanation for illustration 

purposes only; not shown on map]

Data Integration and Visualization, Offshore of Scott Creek Map Area, California

By

Peter Dartnell

2015

Perspective views by Peter Dartnell, 2014. Video-mosaic image in figure 3 by Peter Dartnell, 2014, using software developed by Dr. Yuri 

Rzhanov, Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, University of New Hampshire, through joint U.S. Geological Survey–University of New 

Hampshire cooperative agreement. Acoustic-backscatter imagery in figure 4 from map on sheet 3, this report. Bathymetric profile in figure 5 

by Peter Dartnell, 2014. Seismic-reflection profile in figure 6 from sheet 8, this report 

GIS database and digital cartography by Nadine E. Golden and Eleyne L. Phillips

Manuscript approved for publication September 30, 2015

Onshore elevation data from California Coastal Conservancy (available 

from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA] Coastal 

Service Center’s Digital Coast at http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/

data/coastallidar/) and from U.S. Geological Survey’s National Elevation 

Dataset (available at http://ned.usgs.gov/). Offshore shaded-relief 

bathymetry from map on sheet 1, this report. California's State Waters 

limit from NOAA Office of Coast Survey

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 10N

NOT INTENDED FOR NAVIGATIONAL USE

Map view. Colored shaded-relief bathymetry map of 

Offshore of Scott Creek map area, generated from 

multibeam-echosounder and bathymetric-sidescan 

data. Colors show depth: reds indicate shallower 

areas; yellows, deeper areas. Illumination azimuth is 

300°, from 45° above horizon. Ripple patterns and 

parallel lines that are apparent within map area are 

data-collection and -processing artifacts. Lines at 

borders of some surveys are result of slight 

differences in depth, as measured by different 

mapping systems in different years. These various 

artifacts are made obvious by hillshading process. 

Numbered arrows show viewing directions of 

perspective views shown on this sheet; numbers 

correspond to figure numbers of views. 

transition from sandy

seafloor with small 

burrows to boulderand cobble-covered

seafloor ridge

sea pens

sea cucumber

sea anemone

sea star

~90 cm (35.4 in)

Figure 3. Video mosaic of midshelf area near California’s State Waters limit (see 

fig. 1 for location), revealing transition from sandy seafloor to boulder- and 

cobble-covered seafloor ridge. Ridge mapped as the middle and upper Miocene 

Monterey Formation, similar to rocky outcrop that surrounds Año Nuevo Island 

just north of the map area (see fig. 1– 1 in pamphlet). Image shows sea pens 

sticking out of sand, sea anemones and sea cucumbers at transition from sand to 

rock, and a few sea stars on rocky seafloor. Camera-sled tow direction is from 

top to bottom. Green and red dots within mosaic are from paired lasers on 

camera sled, used to determine scale of objects on seafloor. Mosaic made up of 

about 52 seconds of video as camera sled traveled over seafloor. Video mosaic 

created using software developed by Dr. Yuri Rzhanov, Center for Coastal and 

Ocean Mapping, University of New Hampshire, through joint U.S. Geological 

Survey–University of New Hampshire cooperative agreement.

Figure 1. Perspective view to east-northeast of continental shelf offshore of Scott Creek, near limit of California’s State Waters, showing two ridges (a) that trend east 

to west (on left) and northeast to southwest (on right) that have as much as 3 m of relief over surrounding featureless seafloor. Thin yellow line shows path of camera 

sled, towed 1 to 2 m above seafloor, that captured video and photographs; yellow arrow shows tow direction. Yellow rectangle shows location of video mosaic (fig. 3) 

generated from video captured over transition from featureless seafloor to ridge. Vertical exaggeration, 2x; distance across bottom of image, about 2 km.

Figure 4. Perspective views to northeast over nearshore area offshore of mouth of Scott Creek, showing colored shaded-relief bathymetry (A) and acoustic-backscatter 

imagery (B). In acoustic-backscatter imagery, lighter tones indicate stronger backscatter intensity, suggesting rock or coarser grained sediment, whereas darker tones 

indicate weaker backscatter intensity, suggesting finer grained sediment. Views highlight rocky outcrop (c) exposed in nearshore north and south of Scott Creek, as well 

as featureless seafloor (d) directly offshore of creek. Acoustic-backscatter imagery reveals that featureless seafloor has lower backscatter intensity, suggesting that 

sediments have flowed out of Scott Creek and covered rocky outcrops. Ripple patterns in both bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter imagery are data-collection artifacts. 

Vertical exaggeration of perspective views, 2x; distance across bottom of both views, about 1.5 km.

Distance (m)

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

Depth (m)

16

12

20

28

24

A A’

A’

A

Figure 5. Perspective view to northeast over nearshore area between mouths of Waddell Creek and Scott Creek (just out of view on right side of image), showing 

bedrock outcrop, mapped as the upper Miocene Santa Cruz Formation (see sheet 10 of this report), directly offshore of steep cliffs along coastline. Bathymetric 

profile A–A’ transects bedrock that has moderate local relief, which ranges from flat-lying rock to faces as high as 5 m. Vertical exaggeration of perspective 

view, 2x; distance across bottom of image, about 1.2 km; vertical exaggeration of profile A–A’, about 5x.

Figure 6. Perspective views to northwest over shelf offshore of Davenport, south of mouth of Scott Creek. A, Perspective view of seafloor shows exposed rocky outcrop in nearshore 

and low-relief, sedimented seafloor southwest (to left) of it. Ripple patterns and parallel lines are data-collection artifacts. Black line shows location of seismic-reflection profile in B

below. B, Same perspective view as A, converted to block diagram that combines bathymetry with northeast-southwest-trending seismic-reflection profile MBS–25 (also shown in 

fig. 4 on sheet 8 of this report). Profile reveals featureless seafloor offshore interpreted to be approximately 10 m of uppermost Pleistocene and Holocene sediments (blue shading) 

that overlie folded and faulted strata (see sheets 8, 9 of this report). Dashed red lines show interpreted faults in northwest-southeast-striking San Gregorio Fault Zone. Dashed yellow 

line is seafloor multiple (echo of seafloor reflector). Vertical exaggeration in both views, 2x; distance across bottom of perspective view A, about 2.5 km; depth of base of seismicreflection profile in B, about 200 m.

Figure 2. Perspective view to north-northeast of nearshore area offshore of Davenport, showing layered, folded, and fractured bedrock that dominates nearshore 

along this stretch of coastline. Rocky outcrop is mapped as the upper Miocene Santa Cruz Mudstone, composed of thin- to thick-bedded siliceous mudstone (see 

sheet 10 of this report). Narrow channels (b) in bedrock likely are pathways of modern shelf sediments moving offshore. Vertical exaggeration, 2x; distance across 

bottom of image, about 1.5 km.

 Scott Creek

Davenport

b

b

 Waddell 

 Creek

Davenport

 Scott Creek

 Scott Creek

A

B

160

80

Approx. depth (m)

 Scott Creek

 Scott Creek

A

B

a

a

Waddell Creek

c

c

d

c

c

d

4

5

6

1

2

camera sled 

paired lasers

Open-File Report 2015–1191

Sheet 4 of 10

Pamphlet accompanies map

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey