Arctic Strategic Transportation and Resources (ASTAR) project 2023 field station location data and descriptions: Point Lay region, North Slope, Alaska

Metadata also available as - [Parseable text] - [XML]

Frequently anticipated questions:


What does this data set describe?

Title:
Arctic Strategic Transportation and Resources (ASTAR) project 2023 field station location data and descriptions: Point Lay region, North Slope, Alaska
Abstract:
Arctic Strategic Transportation and Resources (ASTAR) project 2023 field station location data and descriptions: Point Lay region, North Slope, Alaska, Raw Data File 2026-1, provides field locations, observations, and descriptions for 478 sites collected between July 24 and August 5, 2023, in the Point Lay and Wainwright 1:250,000 scale quadrangles in northwestern Alaska, across an approximately 21,187 km2 (8,180 mi2) area. Geologists from the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys (DGGS) and ASRC Consulting & Environmental Services, LLC (ACES) documented the character and distribution of bedrock and unconsolidated surface materials and collected sediment samples to investigate landforms and the shallow subsurface distribution of rock and sediment. This work was completed in support of a sand and gravel resource assessment for the Arctic Strategic Transportation and Resources (ASTAR) project. These field data constitute one of two data products produced for the 2023 field season and support a reconnaissance level evaluation of potential construction material resources on the North Slope. The dataset complements Hubbard and others (2026), which provides lab-based descriptions of 160 samples collected during the same campaign. Because information on local construction material resources is limited, these field observations provide useful insights into the distribution and characteristics of surface materials for community planning and land management decisions. These data are provided as a Raw Data File under an open end-user license and are available on the DGGS website: http://doi.org/10.14509/31805.
Supplemental_Information:
Interval data:    Table of identification numbers, coordinates, station descriptions, and an accompanying data dictionary.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Hubbard, T.D., Jose, Aleena Merin, Crawford, N.E., Walser, S.L., Haralson, M.D., Carbaugh, R.M., Wilson, S.Y., and Milo, Amit, 2026, Arctic Strategic Transportation and Resources (ASTAR) project 2023 field station location data and descriptions: Point Lay region, North Slope, Alaska: Raw Data File RDF 2026-1, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 4 p.
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -162.985102
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -162.077623
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 70.050201
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 69.392345
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Calendar_Date: 2023
    Currentness_Reference:
    ground condition
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: spreadsheet
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
      This is a point data set.
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
      Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes are given to the nearest 0.0000001. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.0000001. Latitude and longitude values are specified in decimal degrees. The horizontal datum used is WGS84.
      The ellipsoid used is WGS 84.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257223563.
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    rdf2026-1_interval_data.csv, rdf2026-1_interval_data_dictionary.csv
    Table of identification numbers, coordinates, station descriptions, and an accompanying data dictionary. (Source: DGGS)

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
    The State of Alaska funded this work as part of the ASTAR capital improvement project. We appreciate the guidance provided by the Native Village of Point Lay and the Cully Corporation during field planning and data collection, which helped us minimize our impact on the community and the surrounding landscape. We also valued interacting with Point Lay residents and sharing our work. We are grateful to the employees and subcontractors of the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC), the North Slope Borough, the North Slope Borough Planning Authority, the North Slope Borough Port Authority, Horst Expediting, Alpine Air, and the Kali School, whose logistical support and guidance were essential during field preparation and data collection.
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
    Metadata Manager
    3354 College Road
    Fairbanks, AK
    USA

    (907)451-5020 (voice)
    (907)451-5050 (FAX)
    dggspubs@alaska.gov
    Hours_of_Service: 8 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, except State holidays
    Contact_Instructions:
    Please view our website (https://www.dggs.alaska.gov) for the latest information on available data. Please contact us using the e-mail address provided above when possible.

Why was the data set created?

This information provides essential baseline data on local sand, gravel, and surface materials to guide community planning, infrastructure development, and land management decisions on the North Slope.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    Date: 2023 (process 1 of 1)
    Field data collection - Between July 24 and August 5, 2023, DGGS staff and contractors collected geologic observations and samples at 478 field sites. Field data include site locations, station numbers, observation methods, and descriptions of materials and landforms. Locations were recorded with GPS enabled tablets using ArcGIS Field Maps, with a mean horizontal accuracy of about 10 m, and coordinates were stored in WGS84. Crews documented the composition and distribution of unconsolidated sediment and bedrock, assigning depth intervals beginning at 0 cm at the surface. Field methods included surface observations, examination of natural exposures, excavation of small test pits, probing shallow subsurface conditions with a frost probe, and retrieving sediment with a Tanaka power auger where exposures were absent. After sampling or description, sites were restored as closely as possible to their original condition.
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
    Buzard, R.M., Heiner, Daniel, Overbeck, J.R., and Glenn, R.J.T., 2021, Photogrammetry-derived orthoimagery and elevation for Wainwright, Alaska, collected August 3, 2021: Raw Data File RDF 2021-18, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 4 p
    Crawford, N.E., Walser, S.L., Jose, Aleena Merin, Hubbard, T.D., Stokes, T.B., Wilson, S.Y., Gavel, M.M., and Montayne, Simone, 2025, 2019 Arctic Strategic Transportation and Resources (ASTAR) project field station data and descriptions: Inigok airstrip and Teshekpuk Lake region, North Slope, Alaska: Raw Data File RDF 2025-3, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 159 p
    Daanen, R.P., and Stokes, T.B., 2023, Sonar and seismic lake surveys along the proposed triangle road corridor, northwestern Alaska, collected July 6-13, 2021: Raw Data File RDF 2023-1, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 19 p
    Gavel, M.M., and Hubbard, T.D., 2021, Digital data addendum: Analytical data and field observations from surficial geology and morphology of the Alaskan central Arctic Coastal Plain, 1981-1987: Report of Investigation RI 93-1A, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 6 p
    Germann, J.T., and Daanen, R.P., 2022, Profile and discharge data for five waterways in the Utqiagvik-Atqasuk-Wainwright region, Alaska, collected August 2022: Raw Data File RDF 2022-15, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 5 p
    Germann, J.T., Daanen, R.P., Stokes, T.B., and Wikstrom Jones, K.M., 2024, Installation of environmental and hydrological monitoring stations-Utqiagvik-Wainwright-Atqasuk region, Alaska, August 2022: Raw Data File RDF 2023-21, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 4 p
    Haralson, M.D., Hubbard, T.D., and Montayne, Simone, 2023, 2021 Arctic Strategic Transportation and Resources (ASTAR) project field station location data and descriptions: Wainwright, Atqasuk, and Utqiagvik, North Slope, Alaska: Raw Data File RDF 2023-4, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 5 p
    Haralson, M.D., Hubbard, T.D., and Montayne, Simone, 2023, 2021 Arctic Strategic Transportation and Resources (ASTAR) project field geotechnical data and sample descriptions: Wainwright, Atqasuk, and Utqiagvik, North Slope, Alaska: Raw Data File RDF 2023-5, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 4 p
    Haralson, M.D., Hubbard, T.D., Hoffman, H.A., and Montayne, Simone, 2023, 2022 Arctic Strategic Transportation and Resources project (ASTAR) geotechnical data and sample descriptions: Utqiagvik region (Barrow triangle), North Slope, Alaska: Raw Data File RDF 2023-13, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 5 p
    Haralson, M.D., Hubbard, T.D., Hoffman, H.A., and Montayne, Simone, 2023, 2022 Arctic Strategic Transportation and Resources project (ASTAR) field station location data and descriptions: Utqiagvik region (Barrow triangle), North Slope, Alaska: Raw Data File RDF 2023-12, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 5 p
    Herbst, A.M., and Daanen, R.P., 2022, Lidar-derived elevation data for the Utqiagvik-Atqasuk region, Alaska, collected August 2019: Raw Data File RDF 2022-10, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 8 p
    Hubbard, T.D., Montayne, Simone, Stokes, T.B., Gallagher, T.T., Crawford, N.E., and Johnson, K.J., 2025, Catalog of drill log cards and sample images from USGS seismic shothole sites in the National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska (1974-1981): Raw Data File RDF 2025-18, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 3 p
    Tannenbaum, T.G., Speeter, G.G., and Hubbard, T.D., 2024, Arctic Strategic Transportation and Resources (ASTAR) project geophysical report: capacitively-coupled resistivity survey for Utqiagvik, Atqasuk, and Wainright road network, North Slope, Alaska: Preliminary Interpretive Report PIR 2023-1, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: 72 p

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
    The accompanying report and data tables provide a comprehensive discussion of processing methods, with errors reported in the tables where applicable. This data is being released as part of the DGGS RDF series, which includes content describing approved techniques and methods for the collection, storage, visualization, analysis, and interpretation of scientific data. While the information has been reviewed by several geologists familiar with the study area, the data and report have not undergone formal review for technical content or conformity to DGGS editorial standards. For inquiries regarding analytical values or procedures, the originating lab is the best point of contact.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    We used GPS enabled tablets running the ESRI ArcGIS Field Maps app, which reported a mean horizontal accuracy of approximately 10 meters, to record location information and collect data. Latitude and longitude were recorded in the WGS84 datum.
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    This data release is complete.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    Not applicable

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
Access_Constraints:
This report, map, and/or dataset is available directly from the State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys (see contact information below).
Use_Constraints:
Any hard copies or published datasets utilizing these datasets shall clearly indicate their source. If the user has modified the data in any way, the user is obligated to describe the types of modifications the user has made. The user specifically agrees not to misrepresent these datasets, nor to imply that changes made by the user were approved by the State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys. The State of Alaska makes no express or implied warranties (including warranties for merchantability and fitness) with respect to the character, functions, or capabilities of the electronic data or products or their appropriateness for any user's purposes. In no event will the State of Alaska be liable for any incidental, indirect, special, consequential, or other damages suffered by the user or any other person or entity whether from the use of the electronic services or products or any failure thereof or otherwise. In no event will the State of Alaska's liability to the Requestor or anyone else exceed the fee paid for the electronic service or product.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
    Metadata Manager
    3354 College Road
    Fairbanks, AK
    USA

    (907)451-5020 (voice)
    (907)451-5050 (FAX)
    dggspubs@alaska.gov
    Hours_of_Service: 8 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, except State holidays
    Contact_Instructions:
    Please view our website (https://www.dggs.alaska.gov) for the latest information on available data. Please contact us using the e-mail address provided above when possible.
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? RDF 2026-1
  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
    The State of Alaska makes no expressed or implied warranties (including warranties for merchantability and fitness) with respect to the character, functions, or capabilities of the electronic data or products or their appropriateness for any user's purposes. In no event will the State of Alaska be liable for any incidental, indirect, special, consequential, or other damages suffered by the user or any other person or entity whether from the use of the electronic services or products or any failure thereof or otherwise. In no event will the State of Alaska's liability to the Requestor or anyone else exceed the fee paid for the electronic service or product.
  4. How can I download or order the data?

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 13-Jan-2026
Metadata author:
Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
Attn: Simone Montayne
Metadata Manager
3354 College Road
Fairbanks, AK
USA

(907)451-5020 (voice)
(907)451-5050 (FAX)
dggspubs@alaska.gov
Hours_of_Service: 8 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, except State holidays
Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
Metadata extensions used:

Generated by mp version 2.9.50 on Tue Jan 13 19:18:12 2026