Pacific Islands Benthic Habitat Mapping Center (PIBHMC), Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
20080115
CRED Integrated Benthic Habitat Map for French Frigate
Shoals, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands 2007
digital maps
http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/pibhmc/
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/pibhmc_cruise-catalog.htm
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/pibhmc_nwhi_ffs_optical.htm
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
20011112
20050629
ground condition
As needed
-166.37545
-166.24015
23.83860
23.68360
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus
EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Bathymetry/Seafloor Topography > Bathymetry
EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Rugosity
EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Benthic Habitat
EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Mapping
EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Photographic Analysis > Videography
None
Acoustic Imagery
Multibeam Backscatter
Backscatter
Slope
Rugosity
Bathymetric Position Index Structures
Bathymetric Position Index Zones
Bathymetry
Multibeam sonar
satellite imagery
estimated depth
Synthesis Map
TC0110,TC0111,TC0207, OES0306, HI0401, HI0503
CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus
Geographic Information > Habitats
ISO 19115 Topic Category
environment
007
biota
002
elevation
006
oceans
014
None
French Frigate Shoals
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
Hawaii
CoRIS Place Thesaurus
OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands > French Frigate Shoals (24N166W0001)
COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > French Frigate Shoals (24N166W0001)
CoRIS Region
NWHI
None
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.
Pacific Islands Benthic Habitat Mapping Center (PIBHMC), Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
John Rooney
mailing and physical address
1125B Ala Moana Blvd.
Honolulu
HI
96814
(808) 983-3776
(808) 983-2902
pibhmc@soest.hawaii.edu
e-mail preferred
Not applicable
Unclassified
Not applicable
Pacific Islands Benthic Habitat Mapping Center (PIBHMC), Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
John Rooney
mailing and physical address
1125B Ala Moana Blvd.
Honolulu
HI
96814
(808) 983-3776
(808) 983-2902
pibhmc@soest.hawaii.edu
e-mail preferred
Downloadable Data
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.
ArcGIS layers
http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/pibhmc/pibhmc_nwhi_ffs_habitat.htm
None
20121220
20081208
Pacific Islands Benthic Habitat Mapping Center (PIBHMC), Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Gillian Clague
mailing and physical address
1125B Ala Moana Blvd.
Honolulu
HI
96814
(808) 983-3776
(808) 983-2902
pibhmc@soest.hawaii.edu
e-mail preferred
FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata
FGDC-STD-001-1998
20081208015002
None
20011112
20050629
http://www.coris.noaa.gov/metadata/records/html/cred_nwhi_ffs_habitatmapsystem_metadata_2007.html
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