Summary

Description

This dataset contains a unified ESRI Grid representing the rugosity of a 10 m bathymetric grid of selected portions of seafloor around Abir La Sierra Bank, Bajo De Cico, and Isla De Mona, derived from data collected in 2007. Rugosity is defined as the ratio of surface area to planar area and is used as a measure of benthic terrain complexity or "roughness". Rugosity values near 1 represent flat, smooth terrain, while higher values reflect increasing rugosity or terrain roughness. For rugosity grid interpretation, it is recommended that the grid be reclassified according to standard deviation divisions. 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 Puerto Rico from 4/14/07 to 4/24/07. Data was acquired with a Reson 8124 (200 kHz) multibeam echosounder (for shallow areas of Abrir La Sierra Bank only) and with a hull-mounted Kongsberg Simrad EM 1002 (95 kHz) multibeam echosounder (for all other areas). It 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. An ASCII XYZ file was exported from the BASE surface and opened in ESRI ArcMap 9.x using an 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.