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    • Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: Geospatial, temperature, and depth data collected during towed-diver surveys of coral reef ecosystems across the U.S. Pacific Islands from 2000-09-09 to 2017-06-20 (NCEI Accession 0189889)

    Metadata Updated: August 12, 2023

    The geospatial, temperature and depth data included in this dataset are from towed-diver surveys (also referred to as towboard surveys) of coral reef ecosystems conducted during Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) cruises to the Hawaiian and Mariana Archipelagos, American Samoa, and the Pacific Remote Island Areas from 2000 to 2017 by the Ecosystem Sciences Division (formerly known as the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC).

    Generally, the towed-diver survey method involved towing a pair of SCUBA divers—one benthic and one fish—behind a small boat for 50 minutes, approximately following the ~15-m depth contour and covering a linear distance of about 2-3 kilometers per survey. A complete 50-minute towed-diver survey is divided into ten 5-minute segments, and up to 6 towed-diver surveys were conducted per day.

    Each diver was equipped with a towboard outfitted with instrumentation and used to record observations, and the divers attempted to maintain position ~1 meter above the surface of the reef for the duration of the survey. Both towboards were equipped with a SeaBird™ SBE39 temperature/depth sensor that recorded water temperature and depth every 5 seconds. The survey tracks were also recorded every 5 seconds using a GPS receiver located on the small boat. The survey tracks were georeferenced and a script was applied to 1) adjust the GPS waypoints from the boat's position to the estimated positions of the divers while conducting the surveys, 2) correlate the associated temperature and depth data, and 3) lace the waypoints together (with the merged temperature and depth data) into 5-min segments and tow tracks. The dataset includes the adjusted dive points, as well as the segments and tow tracks which are provided as shapefiles.

    Access & Use Information

    License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

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    Dates

    Metadata Date 2023-02-06T13:43:01Z
    Metadata Created Date March 12, 2021
    Metadata Updated Date August 12, 2023
    Reference Date(s) July 3, 2019 (publication)
    Frequency Of Update asNeeded

    Metadata Source

    Harvested from NOAA/NESDIS/ncei/accessions

    Other Data Resources

    Graphic Preview

    Preview graphic

    Additional Metadata

    Resource Type Dataset
    Metadata Date 2023-02-06T13:43:01Z
    Metadata Created Date March 12, 2021
    Metadata Updated Date August 12, 2023
    Reference Date(s) July 3, 2019 (publication)
    Responsible Party (Point of Contact)
    Contact Email
    Guid gov.noaa.nodc:0189889
    Access Constraints Cite as: Ecosystem Sciences Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2019). Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: Geospatial, temperature, and depth data collected during towed-diver surveys of coral reef ecosystems across the U.S. Pacific Islands from 2000-09-09 to 2017-06-20 (NCEI Accession 0189889). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0189889. Accessed [date]., Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
    Bbox East Long -154.80475
    Bbox North Lat 28.45932075
    Bbox South Lat -14.91070487
    Bbox West Long 142.43534
    Coupled Resource
    Frequency Of Update asNeeded
    Graphic Preview Description Preview graphic
    Graphic Preview File https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/metadata/landing-page/bin/gfx?id=gov.noaa.nodc:0189889
    Graphic Preview Type PNG
    Harvest Object Id c6ffaf9c-13b4-4801-bef1-967b7f553c79
    Harvest Source Id c084a438-6f6b-470d-93e0-16aeddb9f513
    Harvest Source Title NOAA/NESDIS/ncei/accessions
    Licence accessLevel: Public
    Lineage
    Metadata Language eng
    Metadata Type geospatial
    Old Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[142.43534, -14.91070487], [-154.80475, -14.91070487], [-154.80475, 28.45932075], [142.43534, 28.45932075], [142.43534, -14.91070487]]]}
    Progress completed
    Spatial Data Service Type
    Spatial Reference System
    Spatial Harvester True
    Temporal Extent Begin 2000-09-09
    Temporal Extent End 2017-06-20

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