PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL DATA FOR BOTTOM SEDIMENTS 

 SOUTH ATLANTIC COAST OF THE UNITED STATES 

 M/V THEODORE N. GILL CRUISES 1-9 



by 



Joseph E. Moore and Donn S. Gorsline 



ABSTRACT 



Detailed data are presented on the mechanical and chemical 

 composition of bottom sediments collected during nine cruises of the 

 M/V Theodore N. Gill off the south Atlantic coast of the United States. 

 Methods and procedures are given for the various analyses. The 

 pattern of the sediment textural types is discussed and presented 

 graphically. 



INTRODUCTION 



During the years 1953-54 the Bu- 

 reau of Commercial Fisheries Biologi- 

 cal Laboratory, Brunswick, Georgia, 

 accomplished nine cruises with the 

 M/V Theodore N. Gill off the south Atlantic 

 coast of the United States between Gape 

 Hatteras and Jupiter Light (Florida 

 Straits) extending from near the beaches 

 to beyond the axis of the Gulf Stream. 

 The basic station plan is shown in 

 figure 1 . 



Background of the program; coop- 

 erating agencies; objectives; proce- 

 dures on station; chemical, biological, 

 and oceanographic methods and pro- 

 cedures; and processed physical 



Note.- -Joseph E. Moore, Analytical Chemist, Bureau 

 of Commercial Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 

 Brunswick, Ga., and Donn S. Grrsline, Marine Geologist, 

 Oceanographic Institute, Florida State University, Talla- 

 hassee, Fla. 



oceanographic, biological, and chemi- 

 cal data are given in nine basic cruise 

 reports (Anderson, Gehringer, and 

 Cohen, 1956a and 1956b; and Anderson 

 and Gehringer, 1957a, 1957b, 1958a, 

 1958b. 1959a, 1959b, and I960). 



Information on bottom types is use- 

 ful in several types of fishery studies. 

 For example some species of shrimp 

 and fish prefer and are found almost 

 exclusively on mud bottoms, some 

 species must have coral or rock reefs, 

 while others prefer sand. Knowledge of 

 bottom sediments would then be in- 

 valuable in determination of distribu- 

 tion and possible abundance for certain 

 species. Likewise, certain bottom types 

 are much more productive generally 

 than other types, and knowledge of 

 bottom sediment types provides a clue 

 to the richness of an area. Such data 

 are also of value to marine geologists 

 as clues to origin of deposits and of 

 water movements, among other things. 



