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This project is a cooperative effort between the National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment, the University of Hawaii, BAE Systems Spectral Solutions and Analytical Laboratories of Hawaii, LLC. The goal of the work was to map the coral reef habitats of American Samoa, Guam and the Common Wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands by visual interpretation and manual delineation of IKONOS satellite imagery. A two tiered habitat classification system was tested and implemented in this work. It integrates geomorphologic reef structure and biological cover into a single scheme and subsets each into detail. It also includes thirteen zones. Benthic features were mapped that covered an area of 45.2 square kilometers of which 4.4 were unconsolidated sediment and 40.9 were coral reef and hard bottom. Of the coral reef and hard bottom class, 59.9% is colonized by greater than 10% coral cover.

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XBT data were collected from the NOAA ship Researcher in support of the Integrated Global Ocean Services System (IGOSS). Data were collected by the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) from 12 October 1977 to 30 October 1977. Data were processed by NODC to the NODC standard Universal Bathythermograph Output (UBT) format. Full format description is available from NODC at www.nodc.noaa.gov/General/NODC-Archive/bt.html. The UBT file format is used for temperature-depth profile data obtained using expendable bathythermograph (XBT) instruments. Standard XBTs can obtain profiles at depths of about 450 or 760 m. With special instruments, measurements can be obtained to 1830 m. Cruise information, position, date, and time are reported for each observation. The data record comprises pairs of temperature-depth values. Unlike the MBT data file, in which temperature values are recorded at uniform 5m intervals, the XBT Data File contains temperature values at non-uniform depths. These depths are at a minimum number of points ("inflection points") required to record the temperature curve to an acceptable degree of accuracy. On output, however, the user may request temperature values either at inflection points or interpolated to uniform depth increments.

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Bathythermograph data were collected from the MACKINAC within a 1-mile radius of Ocean Weather Station C (5245N 0350W) and in transit. Data were collected by the United States Coast Guard from 02 September 1964 to 29 September 1964. The platform was equipped and staffed to observe weather and sea conditions. Data were processed by NODC to the NODC standard Universal Bathythermograph Output (UBT) format. Full format description is available from NODC at www.nodc.noaa.gov/General/NODC-Archive/bt.html. The UBT file format is used for temperature-depth profile data obtained using the mechanical bathythermograph (MBT) instrument. The maximum depth of MBT observations is approximately 285 m. Therefore, MBT data are useful only in studying the thermal structure of the upper layers of the ocean. Cruise information, date, position, and time are reported for each observation. The data record comprises pairs of temperature-depth values. Temperature data in this file are recorded at uniform 5 m depth intervals.

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Temperature profiles were collected from XBT casts from the INGHAM and other platforms from 16 September 1977 to 07 October 1977. Data were collected by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) as part of the Marine Resources Monitoring, Assessment and Prediction (MARMAP) project. Data were processed by NODC to the NODC standard Universal Bathythermograph Output (UBT) format. Full format description is available from NODC at www.nodc.noaa.gov/General/NODC-Archive/bt.html. The UBT format contains temperature-depth profile data obtained using expendable bathythermograph (XBT) instruments. Cruise information, position, date and time were reported for each observation. The data records are comprised of pairs of temperature-depth values. The XBT data files contain temperature values at non-uniform depths. These depths were recorded at the minimum number of points (''''inflection points'''') required to accurately define the temperature curve. Standard XBTs can obtain profiles to depths of either 450 or 760 m. Special instruments permitted measurements to be obtained to 1830 m.

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The Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) Array of 55 moored buoys spans the tropical Pacific from longitudes 165°E to 95°W between latitudes of approximately 8°S and 9°N. Moorings within the array measure surface meteorological and upper-ocean parameters and transmit most data in real time to shore via Service Argos. The array was part of the in-situ measurement portion of the Tropical Ocean-Global Atmosphere (TOGA) Program, a 10-year (1985 - 1994) study of climate variability on seasonal to interannual time scales, the most pronounced mode of which is the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon (McPhaden, 1993).

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Bathythermograph data were collected from the MATAGORDA in the North Pacific Ocean. Data were collected by the United States Coast Guard from 19 September 1967 to 21 September 1967. The platform was equipped and staffed to observe weather and sea conditions. Data were processed by NODC to the NODC standard Universal Bathythermograph Output (UBT) format. Full format description is available from NODC at www.nodc.noaa.gov/General/NODC-Archive/bt.html. The UBT file format is used for temperature-depth profile data obtained using the mechanical bathythermograph (MBT) instrument. The maximum depth of MBT observations is approximately 285 m. Therefore, MBT data are useful only in studying the thermal structure of the upper layers of the ocean. Cruise information, date, position, and time are reported for each observation. The data record comprises pairs of temperature-depth values. Temperature data in this file are recorded at uniform 5 m depth intervals.

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Physical and other data were collected from surface sensors and CTD casts in Cooks Inlet from the ACONA. Data were collected by the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) as part of Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program (OCSEAP) from 30 June 1977 to 16 July 1977. Data were processed by NODC to the NODC standard F022 High-Resolution CTD/STD Output Format. Full format description is available from NODC at www.nodc.noaa.gov/General/NODC-Archive/f022.html. An analog file for this accession is available from NODC user services. The F022 format contains high-resolution data collected using CTD (conductivity-temperature-depth) and STD (salinity-temperature-depth) instruments. As they are lowered and raised in the oceans, these electronic devices provide nearly continuous profiles of temperature, salinity, and other parameters. Data values may be subject to averaging or filtering or obtained by interpolation and may be reported at depth intervals as fine as 1m. Cruise and instrument information, position, date, time and sampling interval are reported for each station. Environmental data at the time of the cast (meteorological and sea surface conditions) may also be reported. The data record comprises values of temperature, salinity or conductivity, density (computed sigma-t), and possibly dissolved oxygen or transmissivity at specified depth or pressure levels. Data may be reported at either equally or unequally spaced depth or pressure intervals. A text record is available for comments.

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Benthic organism and other data were collected from otter trawls in the Bering Sea from the MILLER FREEMAN by University of Alaska; Institute of Marine Science (UAK/IMS). Data were collected as part of the Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program (OCSEAP) from 01 April 1976 to 01 June 1976. Data were processed by NODC to the NODC standard F132 Benthic Organism format. Full format description is available from NODC at www.nodc.noaa.gov/General/NODC-Archive/f132.txt. An analog file for this accession is available from NODC user services. The F132 format contains data from field sampling or surveys of bottom dwelling marine organisms. The data provide information on species abundance, distribution, and biomass; they may have been collected by point sampling (grab or core), by tow (dredge, trawl or net), by photographic surveys, or by other methods. Cruise information such as vessel, start and end dates, investigator, and institution/agency; station numbers, positions and times; and equipment and methods are reported for each survey. Environmental data reported at each sampling site may include meteorological and sea surface conditions; surface and bottom temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen; and sediment characteristics. Number of individual organisms and total weight of organisms is reported for each species. A text record is available for comments. An analog file for this accession is available from NODC user services.

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The dynamic and sometimes vulnerable nature of the California coastal kelp resource, critical as habitat and food for hundreds of related species, required the development of systematic methods for accurately assessing its extent and vitality. Until 1989,the California state-wide coastal kelp resource had only been sporadically mapped and analyzed since an initial state-wide visual survey conducted in 1915 (Rigg 1915). Earlier ground based estimates of kelp canopy extent have given way to modern aerial surveys, which cost effective and accurate methodology for the mapping and quantifying shore kelp resources (Jamison 1971). A substantial portion of the kelp resource habitat falls within the NOAA/National Ocean Service, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS). As part of its conservation and management mandate, the MBNMS established and conducted a kelp resource inventory program within the sanctuary-wide coastal zone in 1999 and 2000. MBNMS acquired data with 70-mm vertical aerial infrared photography. This data set contains 519 infrared aerial photos digitized to archival format directly from the original 70-mm slides of the California Coastal Kelp Resource Project 1999. This data set also contains survey area maps. Data slides and maps were digitized in archival format as part of a joint MBNMS and NOAA National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) project with funding from the Climate Database Modernization Program (CDMP) of the NOAA National Climatic Data Center (CDMP Task Order Number L-24).

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Physical, meteorological, and other data were collected from surface sensors and CTD casts in the Gulf of Alaska from the SURVEYOR. Data were collected by the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) as part of Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program (OCSEAP) from 22 July 1977 to 05 August 1977. Data were processed by NODC to the NODC standard F022 High-Resolution CTD/STD Output Format. Full format description is available from NODC at www.nodc.noaa.gov/General/NODC-Archive/f022.html. An analog file for this accession is available from NODC user services. The F022 format contains high-resolution data collected using CTD (conductivity-temperature-depth) and STD (salinity-temperature-depth) instruments. As they are lowered and raised in the oceans, these electronic devices provide nearly continuous profiles of temperature, salinity, and other parameters. Data values may be subject to averaging or filtering or obtained by interpolation and may be reported at depth intervals as fine as 1m. Cruise and instrument information, position, date, time and sampling interval are reported for each station. Environmental data at the time of the cast (meteorological and sea surface conditions) may also be reported. The data record comprises values of temperature, salinity or conductivity, density (computed sigma-t), and possibly dissolved oxygen or transmissivity at specified depth or pressure levels. Data may be reported at either equally or unequally spaced depth or pressure intervals. A text record is available for comments.

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The NOAA Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) produces national standardized land cover and change products for the coastal regions of the U.S. C-CAP products inventory coastal intertidal areas, wetlands, and adjacent uplands with the goal of monitoring changes in these habitats, on a one-to-five year repeat cycle. The timeframe for this metadata is reported as 2001-Era, but the actual dates of the Landsat imagery used to create the land cover may have been acquired a few years before or after each era. These maps are developed utilizing Landsat Thematic Mapper imagery, and can be used to track changes in the landscape through time. This trend information gives important feedback to managers on the success or failure of management policies and programs and aid in developing a scientific understanding of the Earth system and its response to natural and human-induced changes. This understanding allows for the prediction of impacts due to these changes and the assessment of their cumulative effects, helping coastal resource managers make more informed regional decisions. NOAA C-CAP is a contributing member to the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics consortium and C-CAP products are included as the coastal expression of land cover within the National Land Cover Database.

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The marine mammal and sea turtle layers in MarineCadastre.gov represent habitat-based density-model estimates of animal density. The marine mammal layers are a subset of a larger data set being delivered via the Cetacean and Sound Mapping website (http://cetsound.noaa.gov) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The model results show estimates of the average number of animals present per square kilometer during a given season. Most of the average estimates of animals per km2 are less than 1 because marine mammals are highly mobile and often occur in large groups. For example, an average value of 0.5 bottlenose dolphins per km2 during the summer could mean that 1 animal would be present every other day, or 1 group of 5 animals would be present once in a 10 day period, or 1 group of 50 animals would be present every 100 days, etc. These data originate largely from marine mammal observations generated through shipboard and aerial surveys conducted by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service. Models explicitly incorporate environmental factors whenever possible. The model outputs were generated through a collaborative effort that included NOAA, the U.S. Navy, and Duke University.

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This dataset contains a comma-delimited ASCII XYZ text file with easting, northing, and depth in meters values for the bathymetry of a selected portion of seafloor around Tourmaline Bank, Puerto Rico. XYZ values are derived from a 9 m resolution gridding process. Bathymetry data were collected in 2008. NOAA's NOS/NCCOS/CCMA Biogeography Branch, in collaboration with NOAA vessel Nancy Foster and territory, federal, and private sector partners, acquired multibeam bathymetry data in Puerto Rico from 2/25/08 to 3/8/08. Data was acquired with a hull-mounted Kongsberg Simrad EM 1002 multibeam echosounder (95 kHz) in 2008. 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 imported to ESRI ArcMap 9.2 using the Convert XYZ to Raster tool developed by CCMA for this purpose. 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.

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Habitat maps of the main Hawaiian Islands were created by visual interpretation of aerial photos and hyperspectral imagery using the Habitat Digitizer extension. Aerial photographs are valuable tools for natural resource managers and researchers since they provide an excellent record of the location and extent of habitats. However, spatial distortions in aerial photographs due to such factors as camera angle, lens characteristics, and relief displacement must be accounted for during analysis to prevent incorrect measurements of area, distance, and other spatial parameters. These distortions of scale within an image can be removed through orthorectification. During orthorectification, digital scans of aerial photos are subjected to algorithms that eliminate each source of spatial distortion. The result is a georeferenced digital mosaic of several photographs with uniform scale throughout the mosaic. Features near land are generally georeferenced with greater accuracy while the accuracy of features away from land is generally not as good. Where no land is in the original photographic frame only kinematic GPS locations and image tie points were used to georeference the images. After an orthorectified mosaic is created, photointerpreters can accurately and reliably delineate boundaries of features in the imagery as they appear on the computer monitor using a software interface such as the Habitat Digitizer.

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Bathythermograph data were collected from the CHAUTAUQUA within a 1-mile radius of Ocean Weather Station V (3400N 16400E) and in transit. Data were collected by the United States Coast Guard from 11 December 1967 to 24 February 1968. The platform was equipped and staffed to observe weather and sea conditions. Data were processed by NODC to the NODC standard Universal Bathythermograph Output (UBT) format. Full format description is available from NODC at www.nodc.noaa.gov/General/NODC-Archive/bt.html. The UBT file format is used for temperature-depth profile data obtained using the mechanical bathythermograph (MBT) instrument. The maximum depth of MBT observations is approximately 285 m. Therefore, MBT data are useful only in studying the thermal structure of the upper layers of the ocean. Cruise information, date, position, and time are reported for each observation. The data record comprises pairs of temperature-depth values. Temperature data in this file are recorded at uniform 5 m depth intervals.

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This data set contains ortho-rectified mosaic tiles, created as a product from the NOAA Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping (IOCM) initiative. The source imagery was acquired from 20091029 - 20091103. The images were acquired with an Applanix Digital Sensor System (DSS). The original images were acquired at a higher resolution than the final ortho-rectified mosaic.

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