BPI Zones are derived from a focal mean analysis on bathymetry and slope. The grid is derived from gridded (5 m cell size) bathymetry and was created using the Benthic Terrain Modeler 3.0 (Beta 3). The bathymetry grid includes multibeam bathymetry from the Reson 8101 multibeam sonar aboar the NOAA Ship Oscar E. Sette collected as of May 2010 by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Division in depths between 10 and 300 meters. These data complement multibeam data collected by the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office at FDM during several test cruises, which are available from NOAA's National Geophysical Data Center.
The data were derived in support of NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program goals. Goal 1 is to map all U.S. Coral Reef Ecosystems. This data set specifically addresses Objective 1 and 4: to develop high-resolution benthic maps and to characterize priority deep water reefs and associated habitats. This derivative of bathymetry provides a GIS layer that 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 to 150m) benthic habitats for different organisms that inhabit coral reef ecosystems.
Multibeam data were collected aboard the NOAA Ship Oscar Elton Sette, a 224’ (68 m) United States National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration research ship. The NOAA Ship Sette's survey sensors included a 240-kHz pole-mounted Reson 8101ER sonar, which provides bathymetry and imagery data, a TSS/Applanix POS/MV Model 320, which measures position,velocity, attitude and heading, and a Seabird SBE19 CTD used to measure sound velocity profiles. Specific equipment configurations are documented in metadata from cruise SE1002. These metadata can be accessed at: http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/pibhmc/cms/cruise-catalog/ Metadata for the bathymetry grid can be found here: ftp://ftp.soest.hawaii.edu/pibhmc/website/data/cnmi-guam/bathymetry/FDM_5m.txt
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.
NOAA IRC
NMFS/PIFSC/CRED
1845 WASP Blvd., Building 176
e-mail preferred
http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/pibhmc/CNMI_images/fdm_5m_bpiz_445.jpg
PIBHMC, CRED, PIFSC, NOAA and JIMAR
Data are collected for resource management and research purposes and are tested for internal consistency; however, no effort is made to compare these data to external references or to other published data.
These data are believed to be logically consistent though no tests were performed
Complete
Horizontal positioning system: GPS (SPS) Horizontal position accuracy: 25 m
Bathymetric Position Index Zones were derived from the gridded multibeam bathymetry (clipped at 400 m) for Farallon de Medinilla, using the Benthic Terrain Modeler (BTM) Version 3.0 (beta) for ArcGIS10.1 Desktop (https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast//tools/btm/). BPI Zones are derived from a broad-scale focal mean analysis of bathymetry and slope. After testing 3 different scalefactors, a scalefactor of 200 was chosen as best identifying broad scale zones, while minimizing noise and optimizing possible reef features Two ranges of slope define flat and slope: X < 5 degrees, and x > 5 degrees. There may be edge effects at the outer extent of the data.
none
These data are not to be used for navigational purposes. NOAA makes no warranty regarding these data, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data, nor as a result of the failure of these data to function on a particular system.
Arc ASCII can be converted to Arc Raster using ArcToolbox Conversion Tools (ASCIItoRaster).
