NOAA's NOS/NCCOS/CCMA Biogeography Team, in collaboration with NOAA vessel Nancy Foster and territory, federal, and private sector partners, acquired multibeam bathymetry data in the US Virgin Islands from 2/18/04 to 3/5/04 and 2/1/05 to 2/12/05, including La Parguera, P.R. from 3/21/06 to 4/2/06. Data was acquired with a pole-mounted Reson 8101 ER multibeam echosounder (240 kHz) in 2004 and 2005, and with a hull-mounted Kongsberg Simrad EM 1002 multibeam echosounder (95 kHz) in 2006.
In Abrir La Sierra, Bajo de Cico, and Isla de Mona, P.R., the team, also in collaboration with NOAA vessel Nancy Foster and territory, federal, and private sector partners, acquired data from 4/14/07 to 4/24/07. Data with acquired with a hull-mounted Kongsberg Simrad EM 1002 (95 kHz) multibeam echosounder, as well as with a Reson 8124 (200 kHz) multibeam echosounder for shallow areas of Abrir La Sierra Bank.
Data was processed by a NOAA contractor using CARIS HIPS software. Data has all correctors applied (attitude, sound velocity) and has been reduced to mean lower low water (MLLW) using final approved tides and zoning from NOAA COOPS. Data is in UTM zone 19 north, datum NAD83. The processed CARIS data was used to generate a CARIS BASE surface based on swath angle. For USVI and La Parguera, P.R. (2004-2006), an ASCII XYZ file was exported from the BASE surface and opened in ESRI ArcMap 9.x as an XY event. Then the ArcToolbox conversion tool 'Feature to Raster' was used to generate the final ESRI Grid. For Abrir La Sierra Bank, Bajo de Cico, and Isla de Mona (2007), an ASCII XYZ file was exported from the BASE surface and opened in ESRI ArcMap 9.x using the XYZ to raster tool.
The project was conducted to meet IHO Order 1 and 2 accuracy standards, dependant on the project area and depth. All users should individually evaluate the suitability of this data according to their own needs and standards.
2007 (cruise number NF-07-06) at <http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/products/biogeography/usvi_nps/pdf/NF-07-06_DAPR.pdf>; 2006 (cruise number NF-06-03) at <http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/products/biogeography/usvi_nps/pdf/NF-06-03%20DAPR.pdf>; 2005 (cruise number NF-05-05) at <http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/products/biogeography/usvi_nps/pdf/NF-05-05_DAPR.pdf>; 2004 (cruise number NF-04-06) at <http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/products/biogeography/usvi_nps/pdf/NF-04-06_DAPR.pdf>
These data were prepared by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, make any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed in this report, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference therein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. Any views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Although all data have been used by NOAA, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by NOAA as to the accuracy of the data and/or related materials. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by NOAA in the use of these data or related materials.
NOAA - NMAO personnel and R/V NANCY FOSTER
Multibeam data for 2004 and 2005 were acquired in GSF format with a pole-mounted Reson 8101 ER multibeam echosounder (240 kHz). Multibeam data for 2006 were acquired in .all format with a hull-mounted Kongsberg Simrad 1002 ER multibeam echosounder (95 kHz). Backscatter snippet collection was enabled. Line spacing for acquisition was three times the water depth, and data was retained out to 75 degrees from nadir in 2004 and 2005 and out to 60 degrees from nadir in 2006, depending on project area. Heave, roll, pitch and heading correctors were collected using an Applanix POS/MV Model 320 inertial measurement unit (IMU) and associated Trimble GPS antennas. Sound velocity profiles were acquired with a Seabird Electronics SeaCat SBE19P CTD profiler and processed using Seabird Seaterm software, then applied directly to the raw data. Positioning was obtained using Northstar 941X GPS receivers with differential correctors from U.S. Coast Guard CORS beacon Isabel, Puerto Rico. Data was reduced to Mean Lower-Low Water (MLLW) using final approved tides from NOAA COOPS, based on National Water Level Observation Network (NWLON).
Multibeam data for 2007 were acquired in .all format with a hull-mounted Kongsberg Simrad 1002 ER multibeam echosounder (95 kHz) for depths greater than 75 meters and in .xtf format with a Reson 8124 multibeam echosounder (200 kHz) for depths less than 75 meters. Backscatter snippet collection was enabled. Line spacing for acquisition was 3.5 times the water depth, and data was retained out to 55 degrees from nadir, for the Simrad, and 60 degrees from nadir, for the Reson, depending on project area. Heave, roll, pitch and heading correctors were collected using an Applanix POS/MV Model 320 V4 inertial measurement unit (IMU) and associated Trimble GPS antennas. Sound velocity profiles were acquired with a Seabird Electronics SBE-911 and SBE-19 CTD profiler and processed using NOAA's Velocwin V8.85 software and converted to Simrad and CARIS format, then applied directly to the raw Simrad data. The Reson was also equipped with a real time sound velocity probe (Odom DigiBar Pro) at the sonar head and interfaced with the topside unit. Positioning was obtained using Trimble Zephyr GPS receivers with differential correctors from U.S. Coast Guard CORS beacon Isabel, Puerto Rico. Data was reduced to Mean Lower-Low Water (MLLW) using final approved tides from NOAA COOPS, based on National Water Level Observation Network (NWLON).