This is an integrated benthic habitat map system which consists of a number of separate map layers including multibeam bathymetry, acoustic backscatter imagery, hyperlinked underwater still photographs and/or video framegrabs of the benthos, seafloor classification results of living cover and substrate from optical imagery, derived depth contours, layers of geomorphic information (slope, rugosity, Bathymetric Position Index Structures, and Bathymetric Position Index Zones), Ikonos satellite imagery and terrestrial topography where available. These data are incorporated into stand alone ArcGIS and ArcReader projects. ArcReader is a software package that can be downloaded and installed free of charge, and enables the user to view and perform limited manipulations of these map layers.
These benthic habitat map systems are independent ArcGIS and ArcReader projects that include layers of a wide range of biologically important characteristics of the coral reef ecosystem around French Frigate Shoals in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The systems make these data available to scientists and resource managers to enable them to develop unique combinations of data to address specific management and research questions.
French Frigate Shoals is a large open atoll located at 23.75N, 166.2W. Tern Island is the largest island at FFS and was enlarged by the U.S. Navy just prior to World War II; numerous other small islets exist. The total land mass is only 0.23 sq. km but the large reef and adjacent banks include 733 sq. km of coral habitat less than 100 m in depth. Cruises CoRIS Metadata Record Names TC0110 cred_toad_french_frigate_shoals_2001 TC0111 cred_toad_french_frigate_shoals_2001 TC0207 cred_toad_french_frigate_shoals_2002 OES0306 cred_toad_french_frigate_shoals_2003 HI0401 cred_toad_french_frigate_shoals_2004 HI0503 cred_toad_french_frigate_shoals_2005 Multibeam data were collected aboard the three ships: the R/V Kilo Moana, a 186' United States Navy owned research vessel; the R/V AHI (Acoustic Habitat Investigator), a 25' survey launch owned and operated by the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center in Honolulu, HI; and the NOAA Ship Hi'ialakai, a 218' United States National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration research ship. The R/V Kilo Moana's survey sensors include a 12 kHz Simrad EM120 sonar and a 95 kHz Simrad EM1002 sonar, which provide bathymetry and imagery data, a TSS/Applanix POS/MV Model 320, which measures position, velocity, attitude and heading, and a Sippican MK-21/PC based XBT system plus a Seabird SBE 9/11 CTD both of which measured sound velocity profiles. The R/V AHI's survey sensors include a 240 kHz Reson 8101-ER, the sonar providing multibeam bathymetry and backscatter data, and a Seabird SBE 19 CTD used to measure sound velocity profiles, whereas the NOAA Ship Hi'ialakai's survey sensors include a 30 kHz Simrad EM300 sonar and a 300 kHz Simrad EM3002d sonar, which provide bathymetry and imagery data, and a Seabird SBE 9/11 plus CTD used to measure sound velocity profiles. Both systems include a TSS/Applanix POS/MV Model 320 which measures position, velocity, attitude and heading. Specific equipment configurations are documented in metadata from cruises: TC0110,TC0111,TC0207, OES0306, HI0401, HI0503. These metadata can be accessed at: http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/pibhmc/cms/cruise-catalog/ Optical imagery of the seafloor is collected primarily to validate the interpretation of benthic habitat characteristics from multibeam echosounder surveys. The habitat was assessed by Tethered Optical Assessment Device (TOAD), a sled equipped with underwater video camera, still camera, and lights. Camera sled deployments were conducted at night, usually between 1800 and midnight, to avoid interfering with daytime small boat and diver operations. The TOAD was originally deployed from a pot hauler mounted on the starboard side of the fantail on NOAA Ship Townsend Cromwell. On the NOAA Ships O.E. Sette and Hi'ialakai various iterations of TOADs were deployed off the portside J-frame amidships or the starboard side J-frame respectively. In all cases the sleds were lowered slowly to the bottom by the deck crew with the use of a capstan. The TOAD operator monitored a live video feed from the camera and began recording data on two video tape recorders. When the camera reached bottom the deck crew was notified by radio to stop lowering, and the ship moved off along a predetermined course, towing the TOAD astern for the first TOAD, or by drifting with subsequent camera sleds. The operator continued to monitor the vehicle and provided commands to raise or lower it to keep the camera just above the bottom. Specific equipment configurations are documented in metadata records: cred_toad_tutuila_2002 cred_toad_french_frigate_shoals_2001 cred_toad_french_frigate_shoals_2001 cred_toad_french_frigate_shoals_2002 cred_toad_french_frigate_shoals_2003 cred_toad_french_frigate_shoals_2004 cred_toad_french_frigate_shoals_2005 These metadata can be accessed at (Located under Optical Validation): http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/pibhmc/cms/data-by-location/northwest-hawaiian-islands/french-frigate-shoals/optical/ All collected video is classified for substrate and living cover according to the key, which can be downloaded from: ftp://ftp.soest.hawaii.edu/pibhmc/website/webdocs/webtext&figures/bh_class_codes.htm Geomorphology layers (slope, rugosity, Bathymetric Position Index Strcutures and Zones) are derivates of multibeam bathymetry. These layers may be used for benthic and essential fish habitat characterization, and for the study of geologic features. By combining the dataset with bathymetry, backscatter, other derivatives, and in situ data, they collectively compose benthic habitat maps which are designed to be used to understand and predict moderate depth (~20m - 150m) benthic habitats for different organisms that inhabit coral reef ecosystems. Benthic habitat layer names, with start and end dates: Bathymetry, 5 meter grid: 20050406-20050621 Bathymetry, 20 meter grid: 2000-20050621 Backscatter Imagery, Reson 8101 1 meter grid: 20050404-20050621 Backscatter Imagery, Simrad em3002d 1 meter grid: 20050404-20050621 Optical Validation via TOAD video: 20011112-20050629 Geomorphology Layers, Slope: 20060430-20070115 Geomorphology Layers, Rugosity: 20060430-20070115 Geomorphology Layers, Bathymetric Position Index Structures: 20060430-20070112 Geomorphology Layers, Bathymetric Position Index Zones: 20060430-20070112 Nautical charts (NOAA Chart # 19016) available for download: http://chartmaker.ncd.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/download.htm Resource Description: Map layers of bathymetry and other biologically important characteristics of the coral reef ecosystem around Tutuila, American Samoa, incorporated into independent ArcGIS and ArcReader projects. All related information is available in the original form at: http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/pibhmc/pibhmc_nwhi_ffs.htm
ground condition
These data are not to be used for navigation purposes. Please acknowledge NOAA and the Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research (JIMAR) University of Hawaii as the sources of this information.
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