Sand waves at the mouth of San Francisco Bay, California

Scientific Investigations Map 2944
By: , and 

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Abstract

A multibeam bathymetric survey that produced unprecedented high resolution images of the mouth of San Francisco Bay was conducted in 2004 and 2005. The survey, performed over forty-four days by the Seafloor Mapping Lab at California State University, Monterey Bay, consisted of 1,138 track lines, 1.1 billion soundings, and covered an area of 154 km2 (60 mi2). The goals of this survey were to analyze sediment transport pathways at the mouth of San Francisco Bay and to calculate bathymetric change since the last survey was completed in 1956. The survey showed that significant bathymetric changes have occurred over the past 50 years. It also revealed that the study area contains sand waves that are among the largest and bedform morphologies that are among the most varied in the world.


This set of five sheets shows views of the sand waves on the seafloor from different perspectives along with descriptive text.

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Sand waves at the mouth of San Francisco Bay, California
Series title Scientific Investigations Map
Series number 2944
DOI 10.3133/sim2944
Edition Version 1.0
Year Published 2006
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Western Coastal and Marine Geology
Description 5 Plates: 48.00 x 36.00 inches and smaller
Country United States
State California
Other Geospatial San Francisco Bay
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Additional publication details