Skip to main content
Skip to site search

NCEI Marine Geology Data Archive

browse graphicdata locations
Marine Geologic data compilations and reports in the NCEI archive are from academic and government sources around the world. Over ten terabytes of analyses, descriptions, and images of sediment and rock from the ocean floor and lakebeds are available. Examples of data available include sediment/rock composition, physical properties, petrology/mineralogy, geochemistry, paleontology, paleomagnetism, x-rays, photographs, and other imagery. All reports and data, regardless of format, are accessible via the Marine Geology Digital Inventory and/or linked to the Index to Marine and Lacustrine Geological Samples (IMLGS). Searches offer free, immediate download of digital data, many images, and .PDF reports, and information on how to obtain full-resolution images from the archive, and order CD-ROMs, microfilm, or oversize charts. Some larger data sets, including the IMLGS, have their own web interfaces. The IMLGS provides searches of sea floor and lakebed cores, grabs, dredges, and drill samples available from sample repositories at partner institutions, with links to browse and download related information from NCEI and other sources.
  • Please cite DOIs for individual data sets. If no DOI is available, cite the data set originator, the date downloaded, and NOAA/NCEI as the source of the data.
  • NCEI Metadata ID: gov.noaa.ngdc:Marine_Geology
gov.noaa.ngdc:Marine_Geology
XML
Search Data
Distribution Formats
  • Text (Version:UTF-8)
    • File Specification: American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) text format.
  • PDF
    • File Specification: Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF).
  • TIF
    • File Specification: Tagged Image File Format (TIFF).
  • JPG
    • File Specification: Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG).
  • WMS (Version:1.3.0)
    • File Specification: Open Geospatial Consortium Web Map Service
Ordering Instructions Contact NCEI for other distribution options and instructions.
Distributor NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact Marine Geology Data Manager
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
geology.info@noaa.gov
Coverage Description Global ocean floor
Time Period 1930-01-01 to 2013-11-29
Spatial Reference System urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West:-180.0
East:180.0
South:-90.0
North:90.0
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
  • NOAA/NCEI Marine Geology WAF
  • Index to Marine and Lacustrine Geological Samples (IMLGS)
    • Index to Marine and Lacustrine Geological Samples (IMLGS) (search)
      The IMLGS (doi:10.7289/V5H41PB8) provides information about geosamples curated by partner repositories, and access to related data stewarded by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information, or available from partner institutions and programs.
  • NOAA/NCEI Marine Trackline Geophysics Database Metadata
    • NOAA/NCEI Geophysical Survey data (search)
      Related trackline geophysical data (navigation, magnetics, gravity, bathymetry) for many geosampling cruises from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.
  • NOAA/NCEI Paleoclimatology Data
  • NOAA/NCEI Ocean data
    • NOAA/NCEI Ocean data (search)
      Related ocean data from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.
Publication Dates
  • publication: 1976-07-06
  • revision: 2015-09-11
Edition First
Data Presentation Form digital
Dataset Progress Status Ongoing - data is continually being updated
Historical archive - data has been stored in an offline storage facility
Data Update Frequency Irregular - Additions as new data are received.
Supplemental Information
Many data reports were received as paper copies, on 35-mm or 16-mm microfilm, or microfiche. All paper reports have been scanned to PDF and some microfilm reports are also available as PDF, however some reports are obtainable only offline in their original form.
Purpose Research in global change, benthic habitats, mineral resources, and environmental processes.
Use Limitations
  • Produced by the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Not subject to copyright protection within the United States.
Dataset Citation
  • Please cite DOIs for individual data sets. If no DOI is available, cite the data set originator, the date downloaded, and NOAA/NCEI as the source of the data.
Cited Authors
  • Multiple investigators
Originators
  • Multiple projects, institutions, and agencies worldwide
Publishers
  • NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Acknowledgments
  • Marine geology data in the NCEI archive are from diverse projects and programs, and were funded by many sources around the world, for example the National Science Foundation (NSF). Please cite the original source when using these data. Many of the core and seabed photographs and descriptions in the archive were digitized under Project L-19 of the NOAA Climate Data Modernization Program (CDMP). Project L-19 was a partnership between NGDC and several institutions to digitize, make available, and archive analog data from their collections.
Theme keywords Library of Congress Subject Headings
  • Databases
  • Scientific archives
  • Electronic records
  • Oceanography
  • Ocean bottom
  • Geology
  • Submarine geology
  • Marine sediments
  • Geochemistry
  • Marine mineral resources
  • Manganese nodules
SeaDataNet Common Vocabularies
  • Marine geology
  • Rock and sediment lithology and mineralogy
  • Rock and sediment chemistry
  • Rock and sediment physical properties
  • Underwater photography
  • Geothermal measurements
USGS Science Topics
  • Sea-floor characteristics
USDA National Agricultural Library's Agricultural Thesaurus (NALT)
  • lacustrine sediments
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Sediments > Geotechnical Properties
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Sediments > Sediment Chemistry
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Sediments > Sediment Composition
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Sediments > Sedimentary Textures
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Paleoclimate > Ocean/Lake Records > Boreholes
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Paleoclimate > Ocean/Lake Records > Isotopes
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Paleoclimate > Ocean/Lake Records > Microfossils
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Paleoclimate > Ocean/Lake Records > Paleomagnetic Data
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Paleoclimate > Ocean/Lake Records > Sediments
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Solid Earth > Rocks/Minerals/Crystals > Major Elements
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Solid Earth > Rocks/Minerals/Crystals > Minor Elements
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Solid Earth > Rocks/Minerals/Crystals > Trace Elements
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Solid Earth > Geomagnetism > Paleomagnetism
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Solid Earth > Rocks/Minerals/Crystals > Age Determinations
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Solid Earth > Rocks/Minerals/Crystals > Igneous Rocks
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Solid Earth > Rocks/Minerals/Crystals > Metamorphic Rocks
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Solid Earth > Rocks/Minerals/Crystals > Sedimentary Rocks
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Solid Earth > Rocks/Minerals/Crystals > Sediments
  • EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > Marine Sediments > Stratigraphic Sequence
  • EARTH SCIENCE > PALEOCLIMATE > Ocean/Lake Records > Stratigraphic Sequence
Data Center keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NGDC > National Geophysical Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Platform keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Platform Keywords
  • In Situ Ocean-based Platforms > SHIPS
Instrument keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords
  • In Situ/Laboratory Instruments > Corers > CORING DEVICES
  • In Situ/Laboratory Instruments > Samplers > DREDGING DEVICES
  • In Situ/Laboratory Instruments > Samplers > Grabbers/Traps/Collectors > GRAB SAMPLERS
  • In Situ/Laboratory Instruments > Corers > ROCK CORERS
  • In Situ/Laboratory Instruments > Corers > SEDIMENT CORERS
  • In Situ/Laboratory Instruments > Samplers > Trawls/Nets > BOTTOM TRAWL
Place keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
  • Solid Earth > Crust
  • Geographic Region > Global Ocean
  • Vertical Location > Sea Floor
Project keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Project Keywords
  • IMLGS > Index to Marine and Lacustrine Geological Samples
  • DOMES > Deep Ocean Mining Environmental Study
  • IDOE > International Decade of Ocean Exploration
  • IODP > INTEGRATED OCEAN DRILLING PROGRAM
  • IPOD > International Phase of Ocean Drilling
  • OCSEAP > Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Project
  • ODP > OCEAN DRILLING PROGRAM
  • ODP/DSDP > Ocean Drilling Program / Deep Sea Drilling Program
  • SEATAR > Studies of East Asia Tectonics and Resources
  • SOUTH.CAL.OCS BASELINE
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Project Keywords
  • ICSU-WDS > International Council for Science - World Data System
Use Constraints
  • Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
Access Constraints
  • Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.
  • Access to this dataset is unrestricted.
Other Constraints Please cite DOIs for individual data sets. If no DOI is available, cite the data set originator, the date downloaded, and NOAA/NCEI as the source of the data.
Fees
  • In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media.
Lineage information for:dataset
Lineage Statement Lineage prior to transfer to NCEI is unknown.
Processing Environment Native Dataset Environment: ASCII text
Source Datasets
Lineage information for:repository
Processing Steps
  • 2015-04-22T00:00:00 -NOAA created the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) by merging NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC), and National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), including the National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC), per the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, Public Law 113-235. NCEI launched publicly on April 22, 2015.
Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument
  • In Situ/Laboratory Instruments
Platform
  • In Situ Ocean-based Platforms > SHIPS
Last Modified: 2020-05-04
For questions about the information on this page, please email:ncei.info@noaa.gov