Mineral Resources On-Line Spatial Data
| ACCHANWID | For stream sediment samples, the width of the active channel of the stream at the collection site. Many are given as ranges. Units are noted in the data. For NURE samples, this field was decoded from the NURE database fields STRWDTH and STRWDTHC. Dry streams are noted with the word "dry" |
| ANAL_NOTES | Notes made by the database compiler (J. Grossman) relevant to analytical and other problems that were encountered during data review. The notes include explanations for adjustments or deletions of data. They also commonly refer to problems in geographic coordinates that were corrected or are suspected. |
| COLL_DATE | Date of collection for the sample. Data are stored in integer format, using yyyymmdd, where yyyy is the year, mm is the number of the month, and dd is the number of the day. For some NURE samples, the time of collection is also recorded in the field SAMPHR. |
| COLLECTOR | Description of the person or team that collected the sample. This may be a name, initials, or, in the case of many NURE samples, a numeric code the may be explained in original NURE reports for the area in question. For NURE samples, this field was copied from the NURE database field SAMPLER. |
| COLOR | The color of the sample. For NURE samples, this field was either decoded from the NURE database field SMPCOLR (Oak Ridge samples only), or observed in the laboratory by noting the color of the powdered sample prior to analysis. For non-NURE samples, the color was observed in the field when the sample was collected. |
| CONTAMDEGR | Notes on the degree of anthropogenic contamination. Field parties collecting NGS samples in Illinois and Indiana were asked to note how much contamination a sample was likely to have. Choices included none, some, moderate, and heavy. |
| CONTAMPOT | Notes on the probability of anthropogenic contamination of a sample.Codes used include: "not app" = not apparent or not observed, "poss" = possible, "prob" = probably, "def" = definite. This field always modifies data in the CONTAMSOU field; when there are multiple sources of contamination noted in that field, there are multiple corresponding entries in the present field. This information is not available for samples collected in the NURE program. |
| CONTAMSOU | Description of observed sources of anthropogenic contamination near the sample site. In general, field workers were asked to choose from a list of possible comtamination sources and use the word "other" to refer to additional sources described in text (this will be found in the DESC field of the NGS). Multiple sources may be noted. For NGS sample-collection programs, the list of sources was: mine, farm, ranch, power plant, industry, sewage, urban, and suburban. NURE and other collection parties could also choose chemical contamination, dumps, trash, recreational, oil, and unknown. For NURE samples, this field was decoded from the NURE database field CONTAMC. In NURE samples, multiple sources are listed in order of decreasing importance. |
| DESC | Text describing the sample, sample collection location, or other pertinent information. This field was frequently transcribed from field notes. In other cases, the field was an explanation of the nature of the sample made at the time of analysis. |
| FLDPLNWID | For stream sediment samples, the observed width of the flood plain of the stream at the collection site. Many are given as ranges. Units are noted in the data. No data are available for streams sampled by the NURE program |
| FLOWRATE | For stream sediment samples, description of the flow rate of the stream at which the sample was collected. Values include dry, stagnant, gentle, slow or sluggish, mod (moderate), fast or rapid, and torrent, and may be transitional between categories. In study areas collected by the NGS, a working definition of these rates was as follows: gentle = <0.5 m/s, slow = 0.5 - 1.0 m/s, mod = 1 - 2 m/s, and rapid = > 2 m/s. For NURE samples, this field was decoded from the NURE database field WTRFLOW. |
| FLOWSTAGE | For stream sediment samples, description of the flow stage of the stream at which the sample was collected, relative to what was perceived as a normal flow for the stream. Values include dry, pools, low, normal, high, and flood, and may be transitional between categories. For NURE samples, this field was decoded from the NURE database field WTRLEVEL. |
| FORMATION | Geologic formation in which sample was collected. This may either be a full name of a formation, or a geologic map code indicating the name or age of a formation. For NURE samples, this field was taken from the NURE database field SGEOUNIT. |
| GRAINSIZE | A simple description made in the laboratory of the apparent grain size of the sample. This was only noted for samples collected prior to the NGS, especially NURE samples, that were being reanalyzed from an existing powder. Allowed values are "coarse" (texture like sugar) and "fine" (texture like flour). The SMPGRSIZE variable contains the complete description of the grain size of material that was actually collected for NGS samples. |
| LOC_COUNT | A calculated field, stating the number of samples in the NGS database that plot at the same latitude/longitude as sample in the current record. Exact matches were required at the time of calculation. |
| ODOR | The odor of the sample, observed in the field. Decoded from the NURE database field SAMPODOR. |
| PHOTOS | The frame numbers of any photographs taken at the sample collection site. These photos will be available in future versions of this report. |
| PRIME_ID | The primary name of a sample from the NURE program. Some NURE samples have a variety of names assigned by one or more of the major laboratories involved with analysis. These names may be found in the SRLID, ORNLID, LLLID, LASLID, and a few other NURE database fields. The PRIME_ID field is the name selected by the USGS to be used for general reference to the sample. |
| RELIEF | Either a description of the variation in elevation in the drainage basin from which the sample was taken or a measurement of this variation (the difference between the highest and lowest point, including units). For NURE samples, this field was decoded from the NURE database field RELIEF. |
| ROCK_COL | A decoded version of the NURE database field ROCKCLR. This indicates the color of the local rock near the sample collection site and is only available for NURE samples. |
| ROCK_TYPE | A decoded version of the NURE database field ROCKTYP. This indicates the local rock type near the sample collection site and is only available for NURE samples. |
| SMPGRSIZE | Description of grain size of the sample that was collected (prior to sieving). Field terms used include (arranged in increasing grain size): clay, mud, silt, sand, "c sand" (coarse sand), pebbles, gravel. If organic material was collected, this is noted as well. The symbol "-->" is used to indicate the entire range between two endmembers (e.g., "mud-->sand, organic" means that the sample included mud, silt, and sand plus organic matter). |
| SETTING | A description of the local setting at the sample collection site. This may include notes on land use, vegetation, physiography, etc. |
| SOIL_HORIZ | For soil samples, the name of the soil horizon(s) from which the sample was taken (if known). Codes are A=top soil; A(p)=top soil (plow zone); B=intermediate zone; C=bottom zone; MIX=mixture of zones; NONE=no zoning apparent. If the depth of the soil sample was measured, it will be recorded in the field "DESC". No information was available about the soil horizons sampled in the NURE program, so this field is blank for those samples. |
| STRBED | For stream sediment samples, a description of the material present in the stream bed. Not all of this material was necessarily sampled (see SMPGRSIZE). Field terms used include (arranged in increasing grain size): clay, mud, and silt (or, collectively, "fines"), sand, pebbles, gravel, cobbles, and boulders; exposed bedrock is noted as "rock" or "bedrock" ; if organic material was present, this is noted as well. The symbol "-->" is used to indicate the entire range between two endmembers (e.g., "sand-->boulders, organic" means that the stream bed included all sizes of material from sand to boulders plus organic matter). For NURE samples, this field was decoded from the NURE database field SEDTYPE. |
| STR_CHAN | A decoded version of the NURE database field STRCHANL. This indicates whether the stream where the sample was collected was depositing or eroding, and is only available for NURE samples. |
| U_NURE | A variety of different methods were used in the NURE program to measure uranium. In many cases, more than one method was used for an individual sample. The field U_NURE in the NGS contains a single value reported by the NURE program. If only one method was used for U, then this is the value in the NGS. If more than one method was used, the first value in a prioritized order is reported: in order of decreasing preference, the sequence used was 1) Delayed neutron activation analysis; 2) Instrumental neutron activation analysis; 3) Mass spectrometry; 4) Fluorescence spectroscopy. Click here for a discussion of the various NURE methods. |
| VEG | Description of the vegetation around the sample collection area. For NURE samples, this field was decoded from the NURE database field VEGTYPE. |
| VEG_DENS | A decoded version of the NURE database field VEGDENS. This gives a description of the density of vegetation near the sample collection site and is only available for NURE samples. |
| WATERCOL | For stream sediment samples, color of the water observed at the collection site. For NURE samples, this field was decoded from the NURE database field WTRCOLR. |
| WATERDEP | For stream sediment samples, the observed depth of the stream at the collection site. Many are given as ranges. Units are noted in the data. For NURE samples, this field was decoded from the NURE database fields STRDPTH and STRDPTHC. |
| WEATH | The weather observed at the time of sample collection. Decoded from the NURE database field WEATHER. |
U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey
This page is part of U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2004-1001
URL: http://tin.er.usgs.gov/geochem/doc/misc.htm
Maintained by Jeff Grossman
Last modified: 09:04:23 Wed 14 Mar 2012
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