This report was produced in cooperation with the Massachusetts Office of 

Coastal Zone Management 

High-Resolution Geologic Mapping of the Inner 

Continental Shelf: Nahant to Gloucester, 

Massachusetts 

By Walter Barnhardt, Brian Andrews, and Brad Butman 

Open-File Report 2005-1293 

U.S. Department of the Interior 
U.S. Geological Survey 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

Gale A. Norton, Secretary 

U.S. Geological Survey 

P. Patrick Leahy, Acting Director 

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 2005 

Revised and reprinted: 2006 

For product and ordering information: 

World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod

Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS 

For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, 

its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment: 

World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov 

Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS 

Suggested citation: 

Barnhardt, W.A., Andrews, B.D. and Butman, B., 2005, High-resolution geologic 

mapping of the inner continental shelf: Nahant to Gloucester, Massachusetts: 

U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2005-1293, 40 p. Available online at 

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2005/1293/

Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply 

endorsement by the U.S. Government. 

Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual 

copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted material contained within this report. 

2
Contents 

 

Introduction.......................................................................................... 1 

Maps.................................................................................................... 1 

Data Collection and Processing 

 Field program.................................................................................... 2 

 Interferometric Sonar......................................................................... 3 

 Sidescan Sonar................................................................................. 3 

 Seismic-Reflection Profiling................................................................. 3 

 Ground Validation.............................................................................. 4 

Geologic Interpretation 

 Setting............................................................................................. 4 

Mapping Seafloor Geology.................................................................. 5 

 Multivariate Analysis.......................................................................... 6 

 Physiographic Zones 

 Nearshore Basin............................................................................ 7

 Rocky Zone.................................................................................. 8

 Nearshore Ramp........................................................................... 9

 Shelf Valley.................................................................................. 10

 Bay-Mouth Shoal........................................................................... 11

Bottom Sediment Texture................................................................... 12 

Geologic Framework and 

 Late Quaternary Evolution................................................................ 15 

 Summary.......................................................................................... 16 

References Cited.................................................................................... 17 

Acknowledgments.................................................................................. 20 

 

3
 

High-Resolution Geologic Mapping of the Inner 

Continental Shelf: Nahant to Gloucester, 

Massachusetts 

By Walter Barnhardt, Brian Andrews, and Brad Butman 

 

 

 

Introduction 

This report presents high-resolution maps of the seafloor offshore of Massachusetts, from

Nahant to Gloucester. Approximately 134 km2 of the inner shelf were mapped with a focus on 

the nearshore region in water depths less than 40 m (fig. 1.1). The maps were prepared as part of 

a cooperative mapping program between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the 

Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM). They are based on marine 

geophysical data, sediment sampling, and bottom photography obtained on two research cruises 

carried out in 2003 and 2004. The primary objective of this program is to develop a suite of 

seafloor maps that provide geologic information for management of coastal and marine 

resources. Accurate maps of seafloor geology are important first steps toward protecting fish 

habitat, delineating marine reserves, and assessing environmental changes due to natural or 

human impacts. The maps also provide a geologic framework for scientific research, industry 

and the public. 

The organization of this report is outlined in the navigation bar along the left-hand 

margin of the page. This is section 1, the introduction. Section 2 briefly describes the mapping 

products contained in this report and has links to large-format map sheets that can be viewed on 

line or downloaded. Section 3 is a description of the data collection, processing, and analysis 

procedures used to create the map products. Section 4 examines the geologic framework and late 

Quaternary evolution of the region, and presents two different strategies for mapping the 

complex seafloor. This report also contains four appendices that include GIS layers of all data 

collected in this study, and copies of the sample and photographic data used to validate the 

interpretations. 

 

4
Maps 

Five map sheets have been compiled showing the seafloor offshore of Massachusetts 

from Nahant to Gloucester. Text on each map sheet introduces the map, briefly describes the 

data and methods, and summarizes key features. Section 3 (Data Collection and Processing) and 

Section 4 (Geologic Interpretation) in this report provide more detailed information than 

presented on the map sheets. Links to the maps at full scale, the map text, and a page-size map 

are provided on the USGS website: http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/coastal_mass/

 

Map Sheet 1: Shaded-relief topography of seafloor (colored) 

Map Sheet 2: Shaded-relief topography of seafloor (gray scale) 

Map Sheet 3: Backscatter intensity of seafloor (gray scale) 

Map Sheet 4: Shaded-relief topography of seafloor, colored by backscatter intensity 

Map Sheet 5: Geologic maps of the seafloor 

Data Collection and Processing 

 

Field program 

Approximately 134 km2 of the inner shelf were mapped using acoustic data from

interferometric sonar (bathymetry and backscatter), sidescan sonar (backscatter), and chirp 

seismic-reflection profiling (stratigraphy and structure). The three systems were simultaneously 

deployed from the R/V Rafael, a 7.6-m (25-ft) USGS research vessel that is specially outfitted 

for mapping in nearshore marine, estuarine, and lacustrine, environments (fig. 3.1). Seafloor 

mapping focused on the nearshore region between the 5 and 40 meter isobaths. 

Mapping of the area was conducted in two separate research cruises in Fall 2003 and 

Spring 2004. The first, USGS cruise RAFA03007, began 24 September and ended 14 October 

2003, for a total of 18 survey days. The second, USGS cruise RAFA04002, consisted of two 

legs; Leg 1 (17 April and 4 May), and Leg 2 (5-8 May) 2004, with 8 days for geophysical 

surveys and 3 days for the ground validation portion of the project. The methods used in the 

collection, processing and analysis of the different data sets are detailed below. 

Navigation for the research vessel and all data collection used Real-Time Kinematic 

Global Positioning System (RTK-GPS). The RTK corrected GPS signal was sent to the R/V 

Rafael from a base station established by the USGS that occupied a Defense Mapping Agency 

geodetic monument near the Eastern Point Lighthouse in Gloucester. Prior to the initial mapping 

the x and y positions were calculated for that location using a 3-day average of 12-hour data sets 

using the Online Positioning User Service (OPUS, National Geodetic Survey) solution. Mean 

5
Sea Level (MSL) elevations were calculated from NOAA Tidal Station #8441841 using the same

OPUS solution and then applied to the corrected elevations for the base station at Eastern Point 

Lighthouse. Depths were originally recorded using MSL, and were later reduced to mean lower 

low water (MLLW) for the final bathymetric grid and for easier comparison to NOAA nautical 

charts. The difference between MSL and MLLW was 1.441 m (NOS CO-OPS, 2005). All survey 

data were collected in Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinate system, Zone 19 using 

the WGS84 Geodetic Model. 

Interferometric Sonar 

Bathymetry data (water depth) were collected with a SEA Submetrix 2000 series 

interferometric sonar that operates at a frequency of 234 kHz and configured in a rigid polemount on the starboard side of the R/V Rafael. The GPS antenna was mounted on the top of the 

pole over the sonar head. The system has two channels that collect depth data in a continuous 

swath on either side of the vessel. The width of the swath is generally 7-10 times the water depth. 

Under optimal conditions in water depths of 15 m, for example, the interferometric sonar can 

achieve a 75 m range to each side of the ship's track, or 150 m total swath width. 

A total of 1,175 km of survey lines were occupied during the two surveys. Survey lines 

were spaced 100 m apart to ensure overlap of adjacent swaths, and obtain 100% coverage of the 

seafloor (fig. 3.2). Data were processed and gridded using Linux-based SwathEd software (UNB, 

2005). The bathymetric data have a vertical resolution of approximately 1% of water depth. The 

final bathymetric grid was mapped at a resolution of 5 m/pixel. Although interferometric sonar 

backscatter intensity was also collected, it was not used for geologic interpretations because the 

towed sidescan-sonar data (towed closer to the seafloor) has a lower grazing angle and provides 

a better image of the seafloor morphology. 

Sidescan Sonar 

Acoustic backscatter data were collected using an Edgetech DF1000 dual frequency 

(100/500 kHz) sidescan sonar that was towed approximately 25 m astern, of the R/V Rafael, and 

approximately 10 m off the bottom. Backscatter intensity, as recorded with sidescan sonar, is an 

acoustic measure of roughness of the seafloor (fig. 3.3). Additionally, due to the low angle of 

incidence of towed systems, topographic highs and lows can be interpreted based on acoustic 

shadows identified in the imagery. All sonar data were acquired with Triton-Elics ISIS topside 

acquisition software and later processed for beam angle and slant range correction using LINUX 

based Xsonar/Showimage as described in Danforth (1997). Sonar data from each survey line 

were mapped in geographic space in Xsonar and then imported as raw image files to Geomatics 

GPC works (PCI Geomatica ver 8.2) and mosaiced. The mosaic was exported as a georeferenced 

tiff image for further analysis in ArcGIS (ESRI Inc). The positional accuracy of the final mosaic 

is dependant on the estimated towfish layback during acquisition that estimates the horizontal 

and vertical distance between the GPS receiver and the towfish. Using the Georeferencing 

toolbar in ArcGIS, the final towed sidescan mosaic was “rubber sheeted” to match the position of 

the mosaic from the pole-mounted interferometric sonar, which has higher order positional 

accuracy. Although both the 100 kHz and 500 kHz data were collected, the 100 kHz data were 

used for the final 1-m mosaic because there was less acoustic noise in the lower frequency data. 

6
Seismic-Reflection Profiling 

Approximately 1,175 km of high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles (fig. 3.4) were 

collected using a Knudsen 320b chirp system (3.5-12 kHz). Data were processed using SIOSEIS 

(Scripps Institute of Oceanography) and Seismic Unix (Colorado School of Mines) to produce 

segy files and jpg images of the seismic profiles. The segy data were then imported into 

SeisWorks (Landmark Graphics Inc), an integrated seismic interpretation software package, 

where selected horizons were digitized to calculate depth to reflections below the seafloor. A 

constant velocity of 1500 m/s was applied through both water and sediment. Interpreted depth to 

bedrock (every 5 shots ) was exported into ArcGIS for interpolation into a 50-m grid. Interpreted 

depth to reflections were calculated, exported every 5 shots, and then imported to ArcGIS for 

interpolation into a continuous raster with a resolution of 50m/pixel. These data were used to 

generate a sediment isopach map, which shows the total thickness of sediment between the 

seafloor and bedrock (fig. 3.5). 

Ground Validation 

The remotely-sensed data were validated with direct sampling of the surficial sediments 

and photographs of the seafloor. The ground validation portion of the project commenced 

immediately following the conclusion of the geophysical surveys in May 2004. One hundred 

target stations were identified prior to the survey for sampling and photography with the USGS 

Mini SEABed Observation and Sampling System (Mini SEABOSS; Valentine and others, 2000) 

(fig. 3.6). Stations were selected based primarily on the previously collected acoustic backscatter 

data, with the objective of characterizing broad areas of different backscatter intensity (fig. 3.7). 

In addition, the sampling design included investigation of both gradual and sharp transitions in 

backscatter values, inferred to be differences in substrates. The research vessel occupied the 

target location (+/- 10 m), deployed the Mini SEABOSS and drifted with the current over the 

bottom at approximately 1-3 knots. Continuous video was collected while the camera was within 

sight of the bottom and photographs were obtained from a still camera at user-selected locations 

along the transect. Samples of the surficial sediment were usually collected at the end of the drift 

transect. The upper 2 cm of sediment were scraped from the surface of the grab for textural 

analysis. At each station about 5 minutes of video and about 5 bottom photographs were 

obtained. 

Sediment samples were collected at locations with relatively soft sediment (sand or mud) 

where the Mini SEABOSS would not be damaged. Samples were not be collected in cobble or 

rocky regions. Samples were analyzed for grain size at the USGS Sediment Laboratory. Poppe 

and Polloni (2000) describe the standard procedure for grain size textural analysis (fig. 3.8). 

 

 

Geologic Interpretation 

 

Setting 

7
The Nahant-Gloucester study area lies in the western Gulf of Maine, where the coast and 

inner continental shelf are bedrock framed with numerous rocky islands and rugged headlands. 

Bedrock in the region consists of complexly faulted and deformed intrusive rocks that range in 

age from Precambrian (> 540 million years) to Paleozoic (250-540 million years) (Zen and 

others, 1983). Bedrock is widely exposed along the shoreline and is a primary control on the 

shape of the coast. Rocky headlands provide shelter for small harbors and pocket beaches. The 

rugged topography of the seafloor is presumably due to these same rocks cropping out offshore. 

The coastal landscape has been sculpted by multiple glaciations. During the last Ice Age, 

glaciers reached their maximum extent south of Cape Cod about 21,000 calendar years ago. As 

climate warmed, the glaciers retreated northward across the study area, passing the present coast 

about 14,500 years ago (Kaye and Barghoorn, 1964). Numerous moraines, outwash plains, 

drumlins, kettle lakes, and other features record the glacial history of the region. Glacial-marine 

sediment was deposited contemporaneously with ice retreat, blanketing wide areas of the coast 

and inner shelf from northeastern Massachusetts (the "Boston blue clay" - Kaye and Barghoorn, 

1964) to eastern Maine (the Presumpscot Formation - Bloom, 1963). This sediment 

unconformably overlies older glacial deposits and bedrock, and typically consists of well 

stratified sand and mud with scattered dropstones of ice-rafted material. Thick sequences of 

glacial-marine sediment are best preserved in bedrock valleys and deep basins in the western 

Gulf of Maine (Belknap and Shipp, 1991). The relatively thin glacial deposits in the Cape Ann 

region are discontinuous and only partly mantle the underlying bedrock (Shaler, 1889). 

Relative sea-level change has also influenced the geologic evolution of the coast and 

inner continental shelf. Following the retreat of the ice sheets, the study area has experienced a 

marine transgression, a regression, and a second transgression due to changes in relative sea level 

(fig. 4.1) (Crosby and Lougee, 1934; Stone and Peper, 1981; Oldale and others, 1993). These 

shoreline migrations have repeatedly impacted a wide zone ranging from elevations of +33 m to 

depths of about -50 m, where a submerged delta of the Merrimack River and other coastal 

features are preserved on the inner continental shelf offshore of Cape Ann (Oldale, 1985a; 

Oldale and others, 1983, 1993). In the general absence of modern river-sediment input, marine 

processes have reworked older sediment, leaving behind relatively thin, discontinuous glacial 

deposits on top of bedrock. Erosion has removed an unknown amount of sediment and etched a 

prominent unconformity on the surface of older deposits. The eroded material was redistributed 

across the inner shelf and at least some of it was transported landward, where it has accumulated 

in beach deposits. 

Mean tidal range at Salem, Massachusetts is 2.7 m, with a spring tidal range of 3.1 m. 

Wind directions vary seasonally with dominant winds from the southwest in summer and from

the northwest in fall and winter. Summer wave conditions are generally low energy with 

southerly swells. Tropical cyclones or hurricanes are rare, but strong winter storms (Nor'easters) 

strike the coast every year. The position of a particular site within an embayment, and its 

orientation and fetch, strongly affects the resultant wave energy. 

Mapping Seafloor Geology 

8
The seafloor topography and surficial geology of the western Gulf of Maine are complex 

and difficult to map (Trumbull, 1972; Poppe and Polloni, 2000; Barnhardt and others, 1996). 

Earlier maps characterized the texture of seafloor sediments at regional scales based on widely 

spaced bottom samples (Schlee, 1973; Folger et al., 1975; Poppe et al, 1989). Traditional 

methods of mapping in more homogenous, non-glaciated regions of seafloor have relied on 

contouring changes in grain-size properties (Hollister, 1973), but those methods are impractical 

on this part of the Massachusetts shelf. The substrate variations that exist cannot be accurately 

shown given the density of samples in the area. 

Two characteristics of the study area complicate attempts to map it: 1) the rugged, highrelief seafloor exhibits abrupt changes in water depth (fig. 3.2), and 2) different substrates form a 

distinct "patchiness" on the seafloor that changes over distances of only a few meters (fig. 3.3). 

For example, high-relief bedrock and bouldery glacial deposits (till) are commonly exposed on 

the seafloor in close proximity to flat-lying deposits of finer sediment (sand, mud). Rocky areas 

also contain isolated accumulations of shelly sediment that are ponded in small cracks and other 

low-lying areas between rock outcrops. These variations occur over small spatial scales that are 

smaller than a sampling grid can resolve. Although backscatter intensity from sidescan sonar 

provides information on substrate type at a previously unobtainable level of detail, only 

laboratory analyses of physical samples can provide percentages of mud/sand/gravel in bottom

sediment. An extraordinarily large number of closely-spaced samples would be required to fully 

characterize sediment texture in the Nahant-Gloucester area. 

The challenge for mapping in this region is to represent, in a cartographically correct 

map, the heterogeneity of geologic environments that exist on the shelf. Our goal in this report is 

to produce interpretative maps that synthesize the complex geology at a regional scale and in 

readily useable formats for both scientific and non-technical audiences. We use two different 

approaches to depict seafloor geology: 1) multivariate analysis and 2) physiographic zones, 

which are described in the following sections. The interpretative geologic maps are presented at 

a scale of 1:60,000 (map sheet 5, panels E and F) to provide a big-picture, regional view of 

seafloor geology and, in the future, to facilitate systematic mapping across the entire Gulf of 

Maine. 

Multivariate Analysis 

Quantitative, computer-generated mapping methods are being developed in this study to 

delineate the characteristics of geologic materials on the seafloor and test the validity of 

statistical approaches to mapping. Preliminary results of this research show potential for semiautomated classification of bottom types in the nearshore environment of this study. Visual 

inspection of the bathymetric and acoustic backscatter maps (figs. 3.2 and 3.3) show a loose 

correlation between water depth, backscatter intensity, and the slope of the seafloor. In general, 

areas of low slope tend to have low backscatter values, and areas of higher slope have higher 

backscatter values. 

The main objective is to create a statistical method that can be applied to quantify the 

distribution of substrates on a regional scale. The inputs for this unsupervised classification were 

5-m resolution grids of seafloor topography (water depth), backscatter intensity (substrate 

9
reflectance) and seafloor slope (derived from seafloor topography). This method uses a two-step 

unsupervised classification of the seafloor. First, an Iterative Self Organizing (ISO) clustering 

function (also known as migrating means technique) was applied to the three input grids. The 

ISO function groups overlapping cells from the grids into 4 user-defined classes and creates an 

ASCII signature file of the results. The second part of the process uses this signature file as an 

input to a Maximum Likelihood Classification routine that outputs a classified raster. These two 

steps were combined in a custom model using ArcGIS Model Builder (fig 4.2). The output grid 

from this analysis groups surficial materials on the seafloor in three general classes: ledge, 

cobble/boulders, and sand/silt (fig. 4.3). The fourth class “no data” is used to identify areas 

around the edges of the input data where all three input grids did not overlap and thus did not 

meet the criteria for classification. 

Although this type of unsupervised classification technique is commonly used in aerial 

remote sensing of terrestrial environments, it has not been widely applied to marine remote 

sensing data primarily because survey costs and survey time are usually greater. Marine acoustic 

data is also difficult to classify because of external noise (e.g., boat wakes, breaking waves, and 

propeller wash) and refraction effects in the water column (e.g., thermocline). The signal-tonoise ratio in marine surveys is relatively low compared to terrestrial surveys that use data from

airplanes or satellites. In this study, the four generalized groupings of bottom types were selected 

to compliment the primary objective which is to provide geologic data maps of the seafloor on a 

regional scale. A rigorous quantitative error analysis of the final bottom classification was not 

run as part of this study because of time constraints. Future work on these data will include 

comparison of supervised and unsupervised classification of these data.

Physiographic Zones 

The seafloor in the study area can be divided into five environments, or physiographic 

zones, which are delineated based on seafloor morphology and the dominant characteristics of 

surficial materials (fig. 4.4). Physiographic mapping allows efficient mapping of large areas and 

presents geologic information in a readily useable format. It is a more qualitative method than 

the multivariate approach described above, and relies heavily on geologic interpretation. 

Delineation of physiographic zones does not require full coverage with bathymetric and 

backscatter data, which can be difficult to collect in shallow water environments. Other data, 

such as single-beam depth soundings, can also be used to characterize the seafloor physiography 

where full coverage does not exist. In Figure 4.4, for example, information from air photographs, 

nautical charts, and site visits was used to map physiographic zones in the narrow band of 

shallow water adjacent to the coast, where water depths were less than about 5 m. 

The five physiographic zones are Nearshore Basins, Rocky Zones, Nearshore Ramps, 

Shelf Valleys, and Bay-Mouth Shoals. Geologic maps using these zones have been produced at 

regional scales for other areas in the Gulf of Maine where seafloor topography and substrates are 

similar to the inner shelf offshore of northeastern Massachusetts (Kelley and others, 1989; Kelley 

and Belknap, 1991; Barnhardt and Kelley, 1995). The zones are described below in terms of their 

size, morphology, physical setting, and substrate properties. 

10
Nearshore Basins (NB) are areas of shallow, low-relief seafloor adjacent to the mainland 

and separated from offshore areas by islands and shoals. Along its landward margin, the basin 

sediment merges with the intertidal zone in a gradational contact. One large Nearshore Basin is 

recognized in the study area, located inside Salem Sound and Marblehead Harbor. It is sheltered 

from the open ocean by small islands and shoals. The basin is bordered by the mainland coast on 

its landward side and terminates against Rocky Zone, Shelf Valley, and Bay-Mouth Shoal on its 

seaward side. The inner-most part of the basin is the Danvers River estuary. Although exposures 

of bedrock and coarse-grained sediment locally occur within the basins, the generally smooth 

seafloor primarily consists of sandy and muddy sediment. Nearshore Basins comprise 22.4 km2 

or 13.1% of the mapped area (table 4.1). Water depths range from 0 to 19 m. 

Seismic-reflection profiles indicate that sediment up to 33 m thick fills the basin, deeply 

burying high-relief bedrock in many areas of Nearshore Basins (fig. 4.5). Based on geophysical 

characteristics and previously published research (Oldale and Edwards, 1990; Oldale and others, 

1983, 1993), we infer a Holocene age (less than 10,000 years) for the sandy/muddy surficial 

deposits. Long cores are needed to validate geophysical interpretations and to confirm age 

estimates on subsurface deposits by collecting and dating organic materials. In most areas of the 

Nearshore Basin, a pronounced acoustic reflector marks the base of the Holocene deposits (fig. 

4.5). Previous studies have recognized this reflective surface as the transgressive unconformity 

that was eroded into the top of older deposits due to sea-level rise and shoreline transgression 

that occurred over the last 12,000 years (Oldale and others, 1983, 1993). Sediment below the 

transgressive unconformity is inferred as Pleistocene in age. It was originally deposited in 

contact with, or in close proximity to large ice sheets that once covered the region. Till, which is 

a poorly sorted, sandy sediment containing large clasts (pebbles, cobbles, boulders), forms 

numerous drumlins and moraines along the coast of northeastern Massachusetts and in offshore 

regions (Oldale, 1985b; Oldale and others, 1994). Glacial-marine sediment is the most abundant 

basin fill, especially in deeper parts of the basin where the thickest deposits of interbedded mud 

and sand accumulated. The highly stratified material characteristically drapes over bedrock 

pinnacles and has been designated the Presumpscot Formation throughout the western Gulf of 

Maine (Belknap and Shipp, 1991). 

Table 4.1. Area of physiographic zones in the survey region. 

ZONE AREA (km2) AREA (%) 

Nearshore Basins (NB) 22.4 13.1 

Rocky Zones (RZ) 63.4 37.0 

Nearshore Ramps (NR) 68.6 40.0 

Shelf Valleys (SV) 12.5 7.3 

Bay-Mouth Shoals (BMS) 4.4 2.6

 Total 171.4* 100.0

*In addition to areas completely imaged with sonar (134 km2), the geologic map in figure 4.4 

11
 includes adjacent shallow-water areas along the coast and surrounding islands (37.4 km2

)

Rocky Zones (RZ) are rugged areas of extreme bathymetric relief ranging from nearly 

vertical rock cliffs to relatively flat, gravel-covered plains littered with boulders up to 4 m in 

diameter. Although ledge and coarse-grained sediment locally occur in all physiographic zones, 

they dominate the seafloor in Rocky Zones. Large expanses of Rocky Zone surround many of the 

islands and extend several kilometers seaward from the coast as hazardous shoals. Sandy 

sediment with abundant shell fragments locally accumulates in sediment ponds that fill low-lying 

troughs (fig. 4.6D). Shells of benthic-dwelling bivalves and other encrusting organisms are 

commonly observed around the base of elevated rocky outcrops (fig. 4.6F). Rocky Zones are the 

2nd largest physiographic element, comprising 63.4 km2 or 37.0% of the study area (table 4.1). 

Water depths range from 0 to 48 m.

The defining characteristics of Rocky Zones are high relief and hard bottom. Rocky 

Zones occur from the intertidal zone to water depths of > 40 m, and are common in relatively 

shallow water throughout the western Gulf of Maine (Kelley et al, 1989; Kelley and Belknap, 

1991; Barnhardt and Kelley, 1995). Rocky Zones are expressed as series of bathymetrically 

complex, rock- and boulder-covered ridges and mounds that extend from the coast out to the 

seaward margin of the study area. These rugged areas of seafloor correspond loosely to zones of 

erosion/non-deposition mapped by Knebel and Circe (1995). Seismic-reflection profiles suggest 

that bedrock forms the core of the ridges and mounds, which are covered by a thin layer of 

bouldery sediment (Fig. 4.7). The most prominent of these bouldery features is a series of lobateshaped, convex-seaward ridges that we interpret as end moraines (red arrows in fig. 4.6). The 

submarine moraines have steep margins and consist of acoustically incoherent material, probably 

till, on seismic-reflection profiles. A series of bottom photographs, taken across one of the 

submerged moraines, shows cobbles and boulders at the crest of the moraine (fig. 4.6A) and a 

narrow apron of sandy gravel at the base (fig. 4.6B). Seaward of the gravelly apron, the smooth 

seafloor is covered with muddy sand (fig. 4.6C). Relatively sharp boundaries define the textural 

transitions between these different materials. In general, sediment thickness in Rocky Zones is 1 

m or less, although seismic-reflection profiles show that ponded sediment is up to 10 m thick in a 

few locations. An acoustically transparent unit, inferred to be muddy glacial-marine sediment, 

underlies a thin surficial layer of gravelly sediment in these larger sediment ponds. Ponded 

sediment is often covered with bedforms and gravelly scour surfaces that are evidence of active 

reworking by waves and bottom currents, probably during large storms. The bedforms have 

wavelengths of 15-20 m, with crests 10-30 cm high that generally trend in a NE-SW direction 

and locally bend around bathymetrically high areas of seafloor. The sandy bedforms are 

variously classified as megaripples or subaqueous dunes (Ashley, 1990). 

Nearshore Ramps (NR) are areas of gently-sloping seafloor with generally shore-parallel 

bathymetric contours. This zone is primarily covered with sand-rich sediment, although small 

exposures of ledge, cobbles and boulders locally crop out on the seafloor. Nearshore Ramp

terminates on the landward side against the mainland shoreline, Rocky Zone, and/or Shelf 

Valley. On the seaward side, it extends out to the depth of the sea-level lowstand at 

approximately 50 m, where it merges with deeper basin sediment outside the limit of the study 

area. The smooth, generally sandy seafloor of Nearshore Ramps are the most prominent 

12
physiographic element in the study area, comprising 68.6 km2 or 40.0% of the study area (table 

4.1). Water depths range from 0 to 48 m. 

Nearshore Ramps abut sandy beaches in the southwestern part of the study area between 

Nahant and Marblehead Neck, and in the northeastern part near Manchester (fig. 4.4). Large 

areas of Nearshore Ramp are covered with uniform, relatively featureless, low backscatter 

material. In limited areas, however, a mosaic of different bottom types occurs on the seafloor. 

These areas exhibit complex distributions of high and low backscatter intensity, forming light 

and dark patches that are irregular in size and shape (Fig. 4.8). Textural transitions between the 

different patches of sediment are marked by sharp boundaries. The seafloor has a mottled 

appearance due to high backscatter, gravelly material that lies in slight depressions (Fig. 4.8A,B), 

surrounded by slightly elevated deposits of low backscatter, silty/sandy sediment (Fig. 4.8C). 

Topographic changes at the margins of the depressions typically range from 5 to 50 cm, but 

locally can exceed 1 m. These irregular patches of high/low backscatter resemble "sorted 

bedforms" or "rippled scour depressions" that have been observed on continental shelves around 

the world (Cacchione and others, 1984; Murray and Thieler, 2004; Guiterrez and others, 2005; 

Ferrini and Flood, 2005; Green and others, 2004). The enigmatic features are common on other 

parts of the Massachusetts inner shelf (Aubrey and others, 1982; Goff and others, 2005). 

Numerous theories for their origin have been proposed, but generally the distinct morphology 

and texture of these features result from the interaction of waves and currents (i.e., along- and 

cross-shelf transport of sediment) with the existing substrate materials on the seafloor (i.e., 

geologic framework). 

Seismic-reflection profiles show that thick sediment deposits underlie the smoothly 

sloping surface of Nearshore Ramps in the study area. The thick deposits conceal the high-relief 

bedrock that lies below the seafloor (fig. 3.5). The surficial deposits, however, have different 

ages and origins. These are determined based on the stratigraphic setting, primarily whether they 

lie above or below the transgressive unconformity, which separates the Pleistocene and Holocene 

sedimentary sequences. 

In the southwestern part of the study area, the transgressive unconformity lies at or very 

near the seafloor offshore of Nahant. The unconformity truncates material that is highly stratified 

with closely spaced internal reflections draping over bedrock, the diagnostic properties of 

Pleistocene glacial-marine sediment (Fig. 4.7). Bottom photographs confirm that bluish gray 

deposits of glacial-marine silty clay are exposed on this part of the Nearshore Ramp (fig. 4.7A). 

Where the stiff, cohesive deposits of silty clay crop out on the seafloor, backscatter intensity is 

high. Where the seafloor is covered with sandy Holocene material, backscatter intensity is low. 

The thin, discontinuous nature of sandy surficial sediment in this area creates alternating patches 

of low backscatter (Holocene) and high backscatter (Pleistocene). 

In the northeastern part of the study area, surficial sediment covering the Nearshore 

Ramp is Holocene in age, thousands of years younger than the glacial-marine clay that crops out 

offshore of Nahant. The Nearshore Ramp offshore of Manchester is covered with a relatively 

thick layer of Holocene sediment that completely buries the transgressive unconformity beneath 

up to 15 m of muddy sand (fig. 4.9). No glacial-marine deposits were observed on the seafloor in 

this part of the mapped area. 

13
Shelf Valleys (SV) are elongate depressions that extend offshore more or less 

perpendicular to the trend of the coastline, and slope gently seaward. They are bordered by 

rocky, bouldery walls where they cut through areas of Rocky Zone (fig. 4.4). The channels form

a pattern of tributaries and main channels, which locally bifurcate into multiple branches and 

pass around isolated patches of Rocky Zone. The type of sediment in Shelf Valleys is highly 

variable, ranging from gravel to muddy sand (fig. 4.6B,C). Bedrock commonly crops out within 

the walls and floors of the channels. Shelf Valleys comprise 12.5 km2 or 7.3% of the study area 

(table 4.1). Water depths range from 7 to 45 m. 

Four Shelf Valleys of different sizes cross the study area, generally trending from NW to 

SE. The largest valley, located in the northeastern part of the study area, measures 8 km long and 

up to 1 km wide (fig. 4.4). In plan view, it has a branching geometry that is analogous to 

terrestrial river valleys, and a smooth, gently sloping bottom. The large valley extends from the 

Nearshore Basin at its head in Salem Sound, passes between rocky islands (Misery, Bakers 

Islands), and gradually terminates seaward where it merges with a Nearshore Ramp in water 

about 40 m deep. This valley is the only one that can be traced directly to a modern river 

(Danvers River). It probably was formed by fluvial erosion during times of lower sea level. 

The three smaller valleys, clustered in the center of the study area offshore of Marblehead 

Neck, measure 1.5 to 5 km long and 0.1 to 1 km wide. They also exhibit an overall branching 

geometry but, compared to the larger valley, the tributaries are more lobate in plan form and the 

main channel is poorly defined. The valley bottoms have an irregular, not smooth, morphology 

that consists of a series of small, interconnected depressions. In addition, they have no obvious 

terrestrial source; the heads of the small valleys do not correlate with modern stream valleys 

onshore. All three valleys terminate on their seaward end against Nearshore Ramps in 30-40 m

water depth. This class of small Shelf Valleys probably represent a series of kettles that 

originally formed in glacial drift, and have been modified by erosion. 

The hardness and roughness of the seafloor, as recorded with sidescan sonar (i.e., 

backscatter intensity in fig. 3.3), varies along the length of the Shelf Valleys. High backscatter 

areas within the valleys are floored with coarse sand, gravel (including pebbles, cobbles and 

boulders), and bedrock exposures, indicating areas of erosion or non-deposition. Highly 

reflective aprons of coarse material typically lie adjacent to channel margins and surround the 

base of rocky outcrops. Bottom photographs show that submarine talus piles contain abundant 

carbonate (fig. 4.6B). The thalweg, or deepest part of the valleys, is a relatively featureless 

region floored with low backscatter material such as sand and muddy sand (fig. 4.9A). Seismicreflection profiles show that Shelf Valleys locally contain deposits up to 31 m thick (fig. 3.5). 

Bay-Mouth Shoals (BMS) are areas of shallow, generally smooth seafloor at the entrance

to Salem Sound. Relatively steep slopes define the margins of the shoals, which are elevated 

above the surrounding shelf and locally emerge above sea level as small islands. The tops of the 

shoals are uniformly covered with high backscatter, sandy, gravelly material (figs. 4.5C, 4.6E). 

Seismic-reflection systems achieved only shallow penetration through these deposits (fig. 4.5), 

and their structure is largely unknown. Fields of bedforms typically occur on top and around the 

margins of the shoals, indicating contemporary reworking of the seafloor by waves and currents. 

14
The sandy bedforms have linear to slightly sinuous crests, amplitudes of 10-30 cm, and 

wavelengths of 15-20 m. They are variously classified as megaripples or subaqueous dunes 

(Ashley, 1990). Bay-Mouth Shoals are the least abundant zone, covering 4.4 km2, or 2.6% of the 

study area. Water depths range from 0 to 17 m. 

Bottom Sediment Texture 

 

Bottom samples from the study area contained nearly all components of the particle size 

spectrum (fig. 4.10). Sediment texture ranged from sandy silt in Nearshore Basins to pebbles, 

cobbles, and boulders in Rocky Zones (table 4.2). No meaningful correlation exists between 

mean grain size and water depth; both coarse- and fine-grained sediment were collected in all 

water depths (fig. 4.11). In general, the sediment was poorly sorted with respect to grain size. 

Sand is the most common bottom sediment in this study. All samples contained 

significant quantities of sand, with particles 0.062 - 2 mm in diameter comprising an average of 

72.2% by weight. Values ranged from a minimum of 19% to a maximum of 99.8%. Samples 

with the highest sand content were collected from Nearshore Ramps (31 samples, average 

79.9%). Sand-rich sediment was also collected from Nearshore Basins (11 samples, average 

62.1%) and Shelf Valleys (11 samples, average 69.9%). The lowest values were from Rocky 

Zones (3 samples, average 38.1%). No samples were collected from Bay-Mouth Shoals, but 

bottom photos show a mix of sand and gravel on the bottom (figs. 4.5C, 4.6E). 

Gravel is the least common bottom sediment sampled. Large particles greater than 2 mm 

in diameter comprise an average of 6.5% of all samples by weight. Only two samples contained 

more than 50% gravel, but at least some gravel-size material was collected from 48% of the 

sample sites. Gravel most commonly occurs in Rocky Zones (average 55.9%), where it 

comprises a major component of glacial deposits and surrounds the base of rock outcrops. 

Samples from other zones average less than 5% gravel. Gravel is probably underrepresented in 

these grab samples due to problems collecting large diameter particles and the need for large 

samples to perform statistically valid analyses. Sidescan sonar observations suggest that gravel is 

probably more abundant than indicated by sampling alone. 

Muddy sediment, which includes silt and clay size particles less than 0.062 mm in 

diameter, comprises an average of 21.3% of all sediment samples. Although moderately 

abundant overall, half of all samples contain less than 10% mud by weight. Samples with the 

highest values were collected from Nearshore Basins (average 33.3%) and Shelf Valleys 

(average 27.5%). Sediment from Nearshore Ramps were highly variable in terms of mud content, 

ranging from 0.1% to 49.3%. Samples from Rocky Zones averaged only 6.0% mud. 

15
Table 4.2. Location, depth, and textural properties for stations where sediment 

samples were collected. See Map Sheet 5, panel C for the textural data overlain on 

backscatter intensity. See Appendix I for a GIS database with links to texture data 

and bottom photographs, and for locations of all stations where no samples were 

collected. Detailed sediment texture data are available in Appendix II and links to 

bottom photographs at each station in Appendix III. 

STATION 

# 

ZONE

 

DEPTH 

(m) LAT. LON. SAND 

% 

SILT 

% 

CLAY 

% 

GRAVEL 

% 

DESCRIPTION

(Folk, 1974) 

1 NR 28.0 42.4118 -70.8884 58.5 33.5 8.1 0.0 mS 

3 NR 31.3 42.4235 -70.8633 50.8 37.5 11.2 0.5 (g)mS 

8 NR 11.6 42.4522 -70.9097 93.0 6.3 0.7 0.0 S 

9 NR 22.1 42.4482 -70.8915 80.0 12.9 7.1 0.0 mS 

10 NR 27.2 42.4421 -70.8712 79.4 8.3 1.7 10.6 gmS 

13 NR 30.6 42.4381 -70.8600 86.5 7.8 1.3 4.5 (g)mS 

14 NR 32.7 42.4403 -70.8457 54.1 3.0 1.1 41.8 sG 

15 NR 31.9 42.4517 -70.8433 84.5 2.9 0.8 11.8 gS 

16 NR 25.6 42.4510 -70.8631 97.2 1.9 0.5 0.4 (g)S 

19 NR 14.3 42.4715 -70.8746 89.8 6.8 1.5 1.9 (g)S 

21 SV 17.2 42.4780 -70.8484 73.3 17.2 3.3 6.3 gmS 

23 SV 26.9 42.4696 -70.8364 22.6 57.8 19.4 0.2 (g)sM 

24 NR 38.3 42.4536 -70.8228 60.4 26.6 12.9 0.1 (g)mS 

25 NR 40.9 42.4507 -70.8162 67.3 16.9 13.6 2.3 (g)mS 

28 SV 37.7 42.4708 -70.8063 54.2 35.6 9.8 0.5 (g)mS 

30 NR 40.0 42.4799 -70.7786 96.8 2.2 1.0 0.1 (g)S 

31 NR 36.0 42.4820 -70.7923 43.6 43.6 12.9 0.0 sM 

41 NB 16.3 42.5175 -70.8283 61.5 30.4 8.1 0.0 mS 

42 NB 14.4 42.5281 -70.8239 78.6 17.4 3.9 0.1 (g)mS 

43 NB 12.9 42.5347 -70.8313 23.8 65.6 10.6 0.0 sM 

44 NB 9.0 42.5383 -70.8364 76.9 2.2 0.8 20.2 gS 

45 NB 11.4 42.5407 -70.8316 81.1 8.0 1.3 9.7 gmS 

46 NB 10.1 42.5427 -70.8407 60.3 17.1 2.2 20.5 gmS 

47 NB 11.3 42.5435 -70.8337 29.5 64.1 6.4 0.0 sM 

48 NB 13.1 42.5383 -70.8208 32.3 59.8 8.0 0.0 sM 

50 SV 12.9 42.5438 -70.8073 40.7 51.1 8.2 0.0 sM 

16
54 NB 15.8 42.5342 -70.8143 63.3 34.2 2.5 0.0 mS 

55 NB 14.6 42.5328 -70.8126 96.2 3.0 0.8 0.0 S 

57 SV 16.1 42.5319 -70.8006 95.6 3.3 1.1 0.0 S 

61 NR 27.5 42.5055 -70.7869 82.5 1.4 0.5 15.7 gS 

62 NR 14.2 42.5170 -70.7904 99.8 0.1 0.1 0.0 S 

64 NR 32.2 42.5067 -70.7684 63.9 31.7 4.4 0.0 mS 

67 RZ 39.1 42.5213 -70.7395 19.0 1.3 0.3 79.4 sG 

70 SV 25.3 42.5360 -70.7673 94.4 4.2 1.3 0.1 (g)S 

73 SV 19.8 42.5457 -70.7902 95.3 4.0 0.7 0.0 S 

74 SV 13.6 42.5515 -70.7878 93.2 6.1 0.7 0.0 S 

75 NB 11.3 42.5554 -70.7912 79.8 17.8 2.3 0.0 mS 

77 SV 23.5 42.5452 -70.7757 80 16.0 4.0 0.0 mS 

80 SV 35.9 42.5323 -70.7495 68.2 29.9 1.6 0.3 mS 

82 RZ 33.6 42.5384 -70.7443 42.8 3.0 0.9 53.4 sG 

84 NR 32.6 42.5476 -70.7359 66.1 31.8 2.0 0.0 mS 

85 NR 25.0 42.5555 -70.7495 50.8 47.5 1.7 0.0 mS 

86 NR 15.5 42.5659 -70.7516 92.3 7.1 0.7 0.0 S 

87 NR 37.3 42.5451 -70.719 90.3 8.6 1.1 0.0 S 

88 NR 38.8 42.5410 -70.7108 96.3 3.4 0.3 0.0 S 

89 RZ 41.5 42.5378 -70.7069 52.6 9.4 3.2 34.8 msG 

92 NR 32.3 42.5553 -70.7204 90.8 8.6 0.6 0.0 S 

93 NR 29.6 42.5576 -70.7248 80.1 18.5 1.4 0.1 (g)mS 

94 NR 19.7 42.5642 -70.7338 92.3 7.0 0.7 0.0 S 

95 NR 11.9 42.5692 -70.7339 99.7 0.2 0.1 0.0 S 

98 NR 27.0 42.5625 -70.7083 99.2 0.2 0.1 0.6 (g)S 

99 NR 28.0 42.5568 -70.7346 77.0 21.7 1.3 0.0 mS 

007B NR 15.4 42.4442 -70.9087 75.3 0.1 0.0 24.6 gS 

056B SV 16.9 42.5357 -70.8077 51.6 23.1 3.7 21.6 gmS 

096B NR 26.5 42.5618 -70.7227 99.5 0.3 0.2 0.0 S 

100 NR 23.1 42.5674 -70.7068 80.4 17.1 2.5 0.0 mS 

 

Key to sediment descriptions (Folk, 1974):

G = gravel S = sand M = mud 

g = gravelly s = sandy m = muddy

(g) = slightly gravelly

17
Geologic Framework and Late Quaternary Evolution 

The physiography and surficial sediment of the inner continental shelf offshore of 

northeastern Massachusetts reflect the region's underlying geologic framework and complex late 

Quaternary history. Bedrock controls the overall geometry of the coast and inner shelf, where 

resistant intrusive rocks form rugged coastal headlands and submarine shoals and ridges. No 

major rivers deliver significant sediment to the area, so reworking of existing deposits (mostly 

glacial in origin) determines the observed distribution of bottom sediment. Modern processes 

interact with bedrock and glacial sediment to create the sandy beaches and other coastal 

landforms extant along the present shoreline. Glaciation and relative sea-level change are the 

most important processes to act on the region, and have produced a heterogeneous mix of bottom

types on the inner continental shelf.

The entire study area has experienced erosion and deposition by glaciers, which laid 

down extensive deposits of till and, in many locations near the study area, locally molded the till 

into small hills called drumlins. The long axes of these oval, streamlined hills have a preferred 

orientation of approximately NW-SE, parallel to the regional ice-flow direction. Drumlins occur 

throughout the region from Boston (Bunker Hill, harbor islands) to north of Cape Ann (Castle 

Hill, Steep Hill). Erosional remnants of drumlins were also recognized just seaward of this study 

in central Massachusetts Bay, about 10 km southeast of Nahant (Oldale and others, 1994). These 

bouldery submarine hills average about 1200 m long, 600 m wide, and 12 m high and have the 

same NE-SW orientation as their counterparts on land. No drumlins have been mapped in the 

coastal areas between Salem and Gloucester (B. Stone, personal communication, 2005). Due to 

limited penetration by seismic-reflection profiles, it is unclear if the rugged, boulder-covered 

shoals in the study area are true drumlins, rather than rock-cored features covered by a thin layer 

of reworked till. 

A series of moraines, which are arcuate ridges of till that form along the margins of ice 

sheets, record the retreat of glaciers across the mouth of Salem Sound (fig. 4.6). The closely 

spaced ridges outline former positions of the lobate ice margin and indicate that it retreated 

northward in a step-wise fashion, with each small moraine representing a temporary pause or 

slight re-advance of the ice. As ice retreated across the region, the sea advanced inland in contact 

with the ice front, and the coast migrated landward (transgression). At the maximum highstand 

elevation of about +33 m, marine waters covered low-lying areas northeast of Salem, isolating 

the rugged Cape Ann peninsula as a rocky island. During this transgression, which accompanied 

deglaciation, sediment-laden meltwater discharged from the glaciers in great quantities. 

Sediment from the meltwater plumes settled to the seafloor, filling sedimentary basins with thick 

deposits of well stratified glacial-marine material (figs. 4.5, 4.7 and 4.9). The draping nature of 

glacial-marine deposits, which are traceable up and over bedrock highs and across basins for 

long distances in the Gulf of Maine (Belknap and Shipp, 1991), indicate rapid deposition in an 

ice-marginal ocean. 

Following deglaciation, relative sea level fell rapidly across the landscape due to isostatic 

uplift of the coast (fig. 4.1). In response, the shoreline migrated seaward (regression), exposing 

shelf areas down to depths of about 50 m below the present shoreline (Oldale and others, 1993). 

Rivers and streams flowed to the seas across the emergent landscape and incised the former 

18
seafloor. The largest drainage, the ancestral Danvers River, carved a prominent valley across 

present shelf the northern part of the study area (fig. 4.4). Several smaller shelf valleys were also 

incised by streams that originated near the coast and flowed through a series of interconnected 

depressions, probably kettles. Fluvial and marine processes acted to remove glacial and glacialmarine material from the emergent shelf and transport it seaward to the lowstand shoreline. No 

ancient shorelines were observed in this study. 

The second transgression, which continues today, began about 12,000 years ago as rates 

of isostatic uplift decreased (fig. 4.1; Oldale and others, 1993). Sea level rose rapidly during the 

early Holocene, flooding formerly emergent areas of the inner shelf for a second time. Waves 

and currents again acted on sediment that was not removed during the prior regression. The 

passage of the surf zone further eroded deposits of glacial and glacial-marine sediment, and 

exhumed underlying bedrock. Transgressive erosion also planed off till outcrops, leaving 

boulder-covered bathymetric highs on the seafloor. Migration of the shoreface across the shelf 

produced the strong reflector on the surface of glacial-marine deposits that is seen in seismicreflection profiles and interpreted as the transgressive unconformity. The unconformity is buried 

beneath surficial sand and silt deposits that range in thickness up to 15 m (figs. 4.5, 4.9). The 

transgressive unconformity is actively forming at the seafloor in shallow areas of Rocky Zone, 

where fine-grained sediment has been winnowed, and in parts of the Nearshore Ramp in Nahant 

Bay, where glacial-marine mud is exposed on the seafloor (fig. 4.7). No unconformity was 

observed beneath the flat-topped surface of Bay-Mouth Shoals, indicating that they represent 

eroded Pleistocene deposits, not accumulations of younger sediment. Fields of bedforms in rocky 

Zones, Bay-Mouth Shoals, Nearshore Ramps and Shelf Valleys are evidence that erosion is 

continuing on those parts of the seafloor due to contemporary wave and current action. The 

primary site of sediment accumulation is the Nearshore Basin in Salem Sound, where thick 

deposits of estuarine mud were mapped. 

Summary 

The inner continental shelf between Nahant and Gloucester, Massachusetts is a bedrockframed, glaciated seafloor. The area possesses sedimentary deposits whose distribution and 

characteristics are largely dictated by the inherited geologic framework, glaciation, and changes 

in relative sea level. The shape of the pre-glacial bedrock surface controls the overall geometry 

of the coast and shelf. Changes in relative sea level have allowed terrestrial and marine processes 

to repeatedly operate over the inner shelf and coast, exerting great influence on the stratigraphy 

and surficial geology of the region. The initial transgression, which accompanied deglaciation, 

and regression were times of major sediment introduction to the shelf. The ongoing transgression 

is largely a period of sediment reworking, in which sand and silt derived from glacial deposits 

has been redistributed across the shelf and coarser material left behind as mounds of pebbles, 

cobbles, and boulders. These shoreline migrations, driven by changing sea level, have repeatedly 

winnowed older deposits between the present coast and the lowstand shoreline, largely removing 

sediment cover from bedrock highs and etching a distinct unconformity that separates 

Pleistocene and Holocene sedimentary sequences. Bathymetrically high areas, covered with 

coarse material up to boulder size, are probably eroded remnants of morainal ridges and other 

glacial deposits. 

19
This report defines five shelf environments on the basis of bathymetry and surficial 

sediment. The largest of these physiographic zones are Nearshore Ramps, which are smoothly 

sloping, sandy regions that extend offshore from the coast to depths of about 40 m. They contain 

the thickest deposits of sandy Holocene sediment in the region, but locally are floored with 

eroding glacial-marine sediment that is exposed at the seabed. Significant deposits of muddy 

sediment are limited to the sheltered environment of the Nearshore Basin occupying Salem

Sound. Rocky Zones are high relief areas of rock outcrops and glacial gravels. Abundant shelly 

material occurs near the exposures of rock and gravel, and probably results from high 

productivity of calcareous epifauna on the extensive areas of hard substrate. Dendritic systems of 

Shelf Valleys cross the seafloor perpendicular to the coast, and probably originated as stream

channels or kettles. Finally, Bay-Mouth Shoals are generally flat-topped, erosional features 

covered with sand and gravel that occur at the entrance to Salem Sound, where they are 

reworked by waves and currents. 

References Cited 

Ashley, G.M., 1990. A unifying classification scheme for environmental discriminators; large-scale flowtransverse subaqueous bedforms: International Sedimentological Congress, v.13, pp.11-12. 

Aubrey, D.G., Twichell, D.C. and Pfirman, S.L., 1982. Holocene sedimentation in the shallow nearshore 

zone off Nauset Inlet, Cape Cod, Massachusetts: Marine Geology, v. 47, p. 243-259. 

Barnhardt, W.A. and Kelley, J.T., 1995. The accumulation of carbonate sediments on the inner shelf of 

Maine; A modern consequence of glaciation and sea-level change: Journal of Sedimentary Research, 

v. 65, p. 195-208. 

Barnhardt, W.A., Kelley, J.T., Dickson, S.M., Belknap, D.F. and Kelley, A.R., 1996. Surficial geology of 

the Maine inner continental shelf: Maine Geological Survey Map Series (7 maps), Augusta, Maine, 

scale 1:100,000. 

Belknap, D.F. and Shipp, R.C., 1991. Seismic stratigraphy of glacial marine units, Maine inner shelf, in J. 

B. Anderson and G. M. Ashley, eds., Glacial marine sedimentation; Paleoclimatic significance: 

Geological Society of America Special Paper 261, Boulder, Colo., p. 137-157. 

Bloom, A.L., 1963. Late Pleistocene fluctuations of sea level and postglacial crustal rebound in coastal 

Maine: American Journal of Science, v. 261, p. 862-879. 

Butman, Bradford, Valentine, P.C., Danforth, W.W., Hayes, L., Serrett, L.A., and Middleton, T.J., 2003. 

Shaded relief, backscatter intensity and sea floor topography of Massachusetts Bay and the 

Stellwagen Bank region, offshore of Boston, Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic 

Investigation Map I-2734, scale 1:125,000, 2 sheets. 

Cacchione, D.A., Drake, D.A., Grant, W.D. and Tate, G.B., 1984. Rippled scour depressions on the inner 

continental shelf off central California: Journal Sedimentary Petrology, v. 54, p. 1280-1291. 

Crosby, I.B. and Lougee, R.J., 1934. Glacial marginal shores and the marine limit in Massachusetts: 

Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 45, p. 441-462. 

20
Danforth, W.W., 1997. Xsonar/ShowImage; a complete system for rapid sidescan sonar processing and 

display: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 97-686, 77 p. 

Danforth, W.W., O'Brien, T.F. and Schwab, W.C., 1991. USGS image processing system; Near real-time 

mosaicking of high-resolution sidescan SONAR data: Sea Technology, v. 32, p. 54-60. 

Ferrini, V.L. and Flood, R.D., 2005. A comparison of rippled scour depressions identified with multibeam 

sonar; Evidence of sediment transport in inner shelf environments: Continental Shelf Research, v. 25, 

p. 1979-1995. 

Folger, D.W., O'Hara, C.J. and Robb, J.M., 1975. Maps showing bottom sediments on the continental 

shelf of the northeastern United States: Cape Ann, MA to Casco Bay, ME: U.S. Geological Survey

Miscellaneous Investigation Series Map I-839, scale 1:250,000. 

Folk, R.L., 1974. Petrology of Sedimentary Rocks, Austin, Texas, Hemphill Publishing Co., 184 p. 

Goff, J.A., Mayer, L.A., Traykovski, P., Buynevich, I.V., Wilkens, R., Raymond, R., Glang, G., Evans, 

R.L., Olson, H. and Jenkins, C., 2005. Detailed investigation of sorted bedforms, or "rippled scour 

depressions", within the Martha's Vineyard Coastal Observatory, Massachusetts: Continental Shelf 

Research, v. 25, p. 461-484. 

Green, M.O., Vincent, C.E. and Trembanis, A.C., 2004. Suspension of coarse and fine sand on a wavedominated shoreface, with implications for the development of rippled scour depressions: Continental 

Shelf Research, v. 24, p. 317-335. 

Gutierrez, B.T., Voulgaris, G. and Thieler, E.R., 2005. Exploring the persistence of sorted bedforms on 

the inner shelf of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina: Continental Shelf Research, v. 25, p. 65-90. 

Hollister, C.D., 1973. Atlantic continental shelf and slope of the United States; texture of surface 

sediments from New Jersey to southern Florida, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 529-M, 

23 p. 

Hastings, M.E., Poppe, L.J. and Hathaway, J.C., 2000. USGS East-Coast Sediment Database, Chapter 2 

in Poppe, L.J., and Polloni, C.F., eds., USGS East-Coast Sediment Analysis; Procedures, Database 

and Georeferenced Displays: U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report 00-358, DVD-ROM. 

Available online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/of00-358/ 

Kaye, C.A. and Barghoorn, E.S., 1964. Late Quaternary sea-level change and crustal rise at Boston, 

Massachusetts, with a note on the autocompaction of peat: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 

75, p. 63-80. 

Kelley, J.T., Belknap, D.F. and Shipp, R.C., 1989. Sedimentary framework of the southern Maine inner 

continental shelf; Influence of glaciation and sea-level change: Marine Geology, v. 90, p. 139-147. 

Kelley, J.T. and Belknap, D.F., 1991. Physiography, surficial sediments and Quaternary stratigraphy of 

the inner continental shelf and nearshore region of the Gulf of Maine: Continental Shelf Research, v. 

11, p. 1265-1283. 

Knebel, H.J. and Circe, R.C., 1995. Seafloor environments within the Boston Harbor-Massachusetts Bay

sedimentary system; A regional synthesis: Journal of Coastal Research, v. 11, p. 230-251. 

21
Murray, A.B. and Thieler, E.R., 2004. A new hypothesis and exploratory model for the formation of 

large-scale inner-shelf sediment sorting and "rippled scour depressions": Continental Shelf Research, 

v. 24, p. 295-315. 

NOS CO-OPS, 2005. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, Center 

for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services. Tidal benchmark available online at: http://coops.nos.noaa.gov/benchmarks/8441841.html

 

Oldale, R.N., 1985a. A drowned Holocene barrier spit off Cape Ann, Massachusetts: Geology, v. 13, p. 

375-377. 

Oldale, R.N., 1985b. Upper Wisconsinan submarine end moraines off Cape Ann, Massachusetts: 

Quaternary Research, v. 24, p. 187-196. 

Oldale, R.N., Wommack, L.E. and Whitney, A.B., 1983. Evidence of a postglacial low relative sea-level 

stand on the drowned delta of the Merrimack River, western Gulf of Maine: Quaternary Research, v. 

33, p. 325-336. 

Oldale, R.N. and Bick, J., 1987. Geology of the inner continental shelf, Massachusetts Bay,

Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey Field Study Map MF-1923, scale 1:125,000. 

Oldale, R.N. and Edwards, G.B., 1990. Cores from marine geologic features in the western Gulf of 

Maine: U.S. Geological Survey Field Study Map MF-2147, U.S. Geological Survey, Washington

D.C., 1 sheet. 

Oldale, R.N., Colman, S.M. and Jones, G.A., 1993. Radiocarbon ages from two submerged strandline 

features in the western Gulf of Maine and a sea-level curve for the northeastern Massachusetts coastal 

region: Quaternary Research, v. 40, p. 38-45. 

Oldale, R.N., Knebel, H.J. and Bothner, M.H. 1994. Submerged and eroded drumlins off northeastern 

Massachusetts: Geomorphology, v. 9, p. 301-309. 

OPUS, National Geodetic Survey. Available online at 

http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/OPUS/What_is_OPUS.html

Poppe, L.J., Schlee, J., Butman, B. and Lane, C.M., 1989. Map showing distribution of surficial sediment, 

Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigation Series Map I1986-A, scale 1:1,000,000. 

Poppe, L. and Polloni, C., 2000. USGS East-Coast Sediment Analysis; Procedures, Database, and 

Georeferenced Displays: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 00-348, DVD ROM. Available 

online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/openfile/of00-358/

Schlee, J., 1973. Atlantic continental shelf and slope of the United States - Sediment texture of the 

northeastern part: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 529-H, 39 p. 

Shaler, N.S., 1889. The geology of Cape Ann, Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey 9th Annual Report, 

Washington D.C., p. 529-611. 

22
Stone, B.D. and Peper, J.D., 1981. Topographic control of deglaciation of eastern Massachusetts; Ice 

lobation and marine incursion, in: B.J. Larson and B.D. Stone (eds.), Late Wisconsinan glaciation of 

New England: Kendall/Hunt, Dubuque, Iowa, p. 145-166. 

Trumbull, J.V., 1972. Atlantic shelf and slope of the United States; sand size fraction of bottom

sediments, New Jersey to Nova Scotia: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 529-K, 45 p. 

UNB, 2005. SwathEd, software developed by John Hughes Clarke and the Ocean Mapping Group, 

University of New Brunswick. Available online at http://www.omg.unb.ca/~jhc/SwathEd.html

Valentine, P.C., Blackwood, D.B. and Parolski, K.F., 2000. Seabed Observation and Sampling System: 

U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet FS-142-00. Available online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs142-

00/fs142-00.pdf 

Zen, E-an, Goldsmith, R., Ratcliffe, N.M., Robinson, P. and Stanley, R.S., 1983. Bedrock geologic map 

of Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey, Washington D.C., scale 1:250,000, 3 sheets.

Acknowledgments 

Funding for this research was provided by the Coastal and Marine Geology Program of 

the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management 

(CZM). We wish to thank Susan Snow-Cotter and Tony Wilbur of CZM for their encouragement 

and support of offshore research. Assistance in the field was provided by Seth Ackerman, Dan 

Blackwood, Ilya Buynevich, Bill Danforth, Jane Denny, Dave Foster, Barry Irwin, and Chuck 

Worley. We also thank Jane Denny, Bill Danforth, and Erika Hammar-Klose for their help in 

processing the large amounts of acoustic data. Donna Newman arranged this document in 

HTML. Michael Blongewicz of DHI and the ArcMarine working group assisted with the 

ArcMarine geodatabase structure. This manuscript benefited from reviews by Dave Twichell, 

Kathryn Ford, and Jane Denny. 

23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
Figure 4.8. Map of seafloor topography colored by backscatter intensity in the northeastern part of 

the study area. Depth and backscatter data in this map were collected simultaneously by the polemounted interferometric sonar, ensuring precise navigation. The depth profile (A - A') crosses a 

sorted bedform in the upper part of the map; color coding on the profile shows high backscatter 

material on the floor of a shallow depression and high backscatter on adjacent, slightly elevated areas

of the seafloor. Parallel stripes that trend SW-NE are artifacts of data collection. Bottom photographs 

B-D are indicated by red dots on the map. See figure 3.3 for location.

40
41
42
43