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Item Identification
Keywords
Physical Location
Data Set Info
Support Roles
Extents
Spatial Info
Access Info
Distribution Info
URLs
Tech Environment
Data Quality
Lineage
Related Items
Catalog Details

Summary

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Short Citation
OCM Partners, 2024: 2019 - 2020 USGS/NOAA Lidar DEM (Hydro-Flattened): CNMI (Aguijan, Rota, Saipan, Tinian), https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/66839.
Full Citation Examples

Abstract

Topo-bathy lidar acquisition and processing in the Mariana Islands covering the islands of Aguijan, Rota, Saipan, and Tinian. These data are the hydro-flattened bare earth DEMs derived from the topo lidar coverage delivered in 500m x 500m tiles as 1m GeoTIFFs with no data values set to -999999 and bridges removed. Water bodies larger than two acres and streams wider than 100 feet were hydroflattened.

In addition to these bare earth Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data, the lidar point data that these DEM data were created from and the topobathy version of the DEM are also available. These data are available for download at the links provided in the URL section of this metadata record.

Distribution Information

  • Create custom data files by choosing data area, map projection, file format, etc. A new metadata will be produced to reflect your request using this record as a base.

  • GeoTIFF

    Bulk download of data files in the original coordinate system.

Access Constraints:

None

Use Constraints:

Users should be aware that temporal changes may have occurred since this data set was collected and some parts of this data may no longer represent actual surface conditions. Users should not use this data for critical applications without a full awareness of its limitations.

Controlled Theme Keywords

COASTAL ELEVATION, DIGITAL ELEVATION/TERRAIN MODEL (DEM), elevation, TERRAIN ELEVATION

Child Items

No Child Items for this record.

Contact Information

Point of Contact
NOAA Office for Coastal Management (NOAA/OCM)
coastal.info@noaa.gov
(843) 740-1202
https://coast.noaa.gov

Metadata Contact
NOAA Office for Coastal Management (NOAA/OCM)
coastal.info@noaa.gov
(843) 740-1202
https://coast.noaa.gov

Extents

Geographic Area 1

145.12015° W, 145.835372° E, 15.294082° N, 14.107529° S

Time Frame 1
2019-07-05 - 2019-08-25
Time Frame 2
2020-02-12 - 2020-02-26
Time Frame 3
2020-06-19 - 2020-07-14

Item Identification

Title: 2019 - 2020 USGS/NOAA Lidar DEM (Hydro-Flattened): CNMI (Aguijan, Rota, Saipan, Tinian)
Status: Completed
Creation Date: 2022
Publication Date: 2020-10-15
Abstract:

Topo-bathy lidar acquisition and processing in the Mariana Islands covering the islands of Aguijan, Rota, Saipan, and Tinian. These data are the hydro-flattened bare earth DEMs derived from the topo lidar coverage delivered in 500m x 500m tiles as 1m GeoTIFFs with no data values set to -999999 and bridges removed. Water bodies larger than two acres and streams wider than 100 feet were hydroflattened.

In addition to these bare earth Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data, the lidar point data that these DEM data were created from and the topobathy version of the DEM are also available. These data are available for download at the links provided in the URL section of this metadata record.

Purpose:

Provision of topo-bathy lidar.

Supplemental Information:

Contractor: Woolpert, Inc.

Keywords

Theme Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
EARTH SCIENCE > LAND SURFACE > TOPOGRAPHY > TERRAIN ELEVATION
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
EARTH SCIENCE > LAND SURFACE > TOPOGRAPHY > TERRAIN ELEVATION > DIGITAL ELEVATION/TERRAIN MODEL (DEM)
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > COASTAL PROCESSES > COASTAL ELEVATION
ISO 19115 Topic Category
elevation

Spatial Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > WESTERN PACIFIC OCEAN > MICRONESIA > NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
VERTICAL LOCATION > LAND SURFACE

Instrument Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords
LIDAR > Light Detection and Ranging

Platform Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Platform Keywords
Airplane > Airplane

Physical Location

Organization: Office for Coastal Management
City: Charleston
State/Province: SC

Data Set Information

Data Set Scope Code: Data Set
Data Set Type: Elevation
Maintenance Frequency: As Needed
Data Presentation Form: Model (digital)
Distribution Liability:

This dataset is dynamic and may change with time.

Any conclusions drawn from the analysis of this information are not the responsibility of NOAA, the Office for Coastal Management or its partners.

Data Set Credit: Woolpert, USGS, NOAA

Support Roles

Data Steward

CC ID: 1157674
Date Effective From: 2022
Date Effective To:
Contact (Organization): NOAA Office for Coastal Management (NOAA/OCM)
Address: 2234 South Hobson Ave
Charleston, SC 29405-2413
Email Address: coastal.info@noaa.gov
Phone: (843) 740-1202
URL: https://coast.noaa.gov

Distributor

CC ID: 1157673
Date Effective From: 2022
Date Effective To:
Contact (Organization): NOAA Office for Coastal Management (NOAA/OCM)
Address: 2234 South Hobson Ave
Charleston, SC 29405-2413
Email Address: coastal.info@noaa.gov
Phone: (843) 740-1202
URL: https://coast.noaa.gov

Metadata Contact

CC ID: 1157675
Date Effective From: 2022
Date Effective To:
Contact (Organization): NOAA Office for Coastal Management (NOAA/OCM)
Address: 2234 South Hobson Ave
Charleston, SC 29405-2413
Email Address: coastal.info@noaa.gov
Phone: (843) 740-1202
URL: https://coast.noaa.gov

Point of Contact

CC ID: 1157676
Date Effective From: 2022
Date Effective To:
Contact (Organization): NOAA Office for Coastal Management (NOAA/OCM)
Address: 2234 South Hobson Ave
Charleston, SC 29405-2413
Email Address: coastal.info@noaa.gov
Phone: (843) 740-1202
URL: https://coast.noaa.gov

Extents

Currentness Reference: Ground Condition

Extent Group 1

Extent Group 1 / Geographic Area 1

CC ID: 1297419
W° Bound: 145.12015
E° Bound: 145.835372
N° Bound: 15.294082
S° Bound: 14.107529

Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 1

CC ID: 1297416
Time Frame Type: Range
Start: 2019-07-05
End: 2019-08-25

Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 2

CC ID: 1297417
Time Frame Type: Range
Start: 2020-02-12
End: 2020-02-26

Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 3

CC ID: 1297418
Time Frame Type: Range
Start: 2020-06-19
End: 2020-07-14

Spatial Information

Spatial Representation

Representations Used

Grid: Yes

Reference Systems

Reference System 1

CC ID: 1297414

Coordinate Reference System

CRS Type: Vertical
EPSG Code: EPSG:6640
EPSG Name: NMVD03 height
See Full Coordinate Reference System Information

Reference System 2

CC ID: 1297413

Coordinate Reference System

CRS Type: Projected
EPSG Code: EPSG:8693
EPSG Name: NAD83(MA11) / UTM zone 55N
See Full Coordinate Reference System Information

Access Information

Security Class: Unclassified
Data Access Procedure:

Data is available online for bulk and custom downloads.

Data Access Constraints:

None

Data Use Constraints:

Users should be aware that temporal changes may have occurred since this data set was collected and some parts of this data may no longer represent actual surface conditions. Users should not use this data for critical applications without a full awareness of its limitations.

Distribution Information

Distribution 1

CC ID: 1157677
Start Date: 2022-03-15
End Date: Present
Download URL: https://coast.noaa.gov/dataviewer/#/lidar/search/where:ID=9475/details/9475
Distributor: NOAA Office for Coastal Management (NOAA/OCM) (2022 - Present)
File Name: Customized Download
Description:

Create custom data files by choosing data area, map projection, file format, etc. A new metadata will be produced to reflect your request using this record as a base.

File Type (Deprecated): Zip
Compression: Zip

Distribution 2

CC ID: 1157678
Start Date: 2022-03-15
End Date: Present
Download URL: https://noaa-nos-coastal-lidar-pds.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/dem/CNMI_Hydroflt_DEM_2019_9475/index.html
Distributor: NOAA Office for Coastal Management (NOAA/OCM) (2022 - Present)
File Name: Bulk Download
Description:

Bulk download of data files in the original coordinate system.

File Type (Deprecated): GeoTIFF
Distribution Format: GeoTIFF

URLs

URL 1

CC ID: 1157679
URL: https://coast.noaa.gov/dataviewer/
Name: NOAA's Office for Coastal Management (OCM) Data Access Viewer (DAV)
URL Type:
Online Resource
File Resource Format: HTML
Description:

The Data Access Viewer (DAV) allows a user to search for and download elevation, imagery, and land cover data for the coastal U.S. and its territories. The data, hosted by the NOAA Office for Coastal Management, can be customized and requested for free download through a checkout interface. An email provides a link to the customized data, while the original data set is available through a link within the viewer.

URL 2

CC ID: 1157680
URL: https://noaa-nos-coastal-lidar-pds.s3.amazonaws.com/laz/geoid12b/9473/supplemental/cnmi2019_islands_m9473.kmz
Name: Browse graphic
URL Type:
Browse Graphic
File Resource Format: KML
Description:

This graphic displays the footprint for this lidar data set.

URL 3

CC ID: 1157681
URL: https://coast.noaa.gov/dataviewer/#/lidar/search/where:ID=9474/details/9474
Name: Custom DEM Download
URL Type:
Online Resource
File Resource Format: Zip
Description:

Link to custom download, from the Data Access Viewer (DAV), the raster Digital Elevation Model (DEM) topobathy data that were created from the lidar data set for the islands of Aguijan, Rota, Saipan and Tinian.

URL 4

CC ID: 1157682
URL: https://coast.noaa.gov/dataviewer/#/lidar/search/where:ID=9473/details/9473
Name: Custom Point Download
URL Type:
Online Resource
File Resource Format: Zip
Description:

Link to custom download, from the Data Access Viewer (DAV), the lidar point data from which these raster Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data were created.

URL 6

CC ID: 1157684
URL: https://coast.noaa.gov/
Name: NOAA's Office for Coastal Management (OCM) website
URL Type:
Online Resource
File Resource Format: HTML
Description:

Information on the NOAA Office for Coastal Management (OCM)

URL 7

CC ID: 1157704
URL: https://rockyweb.usgs.gov/vdelivery/Datasets/Staged/Elevation/metadata/PI_CNMI_2019_D19/
Name: Hydro Breaklines
URL Type:
Online Resource
File Resource Format: Zip
Description:

Link to the USGS rockyweb metadata folder which contains the breakline data.

Technical Environment

Description:

Collected using a Leica Hawkeye 4X sensor. Processed in Leica's survey studio, edited in TerraScan and LP360. Other software: QT Modeler, ArcMap, LASTools, proprietary software.

Data Quality

Vertical Positional Accuracy:

Data collected under this Task Order shall meet the National Standard for Spatial Database Accuracy (NSSDA) accuracy standards. The NSSDA standards specify that vertical accuracy be reported at the 95% confidence level for data tested by an independent source of higher accuracy. Non-Vegetated Vertical Accuracy (NVA) of the Lidar Point Cloud data shall be calculated against TINs derived from the final calibrated and controlled swath data. The required accuracy (ACCZ) is: 19.6 cm at a 95% confidence level, derived according to NSSDA, i.e., based on RMSEz of 10 cm in the "open terrain" and/or "Urban" land cover categories.

Completeness Report:

The data is programmatically and visually inspected for completeness.

Conceptual Consistency:

All formatted data cover the entire area specified for this project and are validated using a combination of commercial lidar processing software, GIS software, and proprietary programs to ensure proper formatting and loading prior to delivery.

Lineage

Lineage Statement:

This data was collected by Woolpert, Inc. for the USGS and NOAA Office for Coastal Management (OCM).

Sources

Woolpert, Inc.

CC ID: 1297405
Contact Role Type: Originator
Contact Type: Organization
Contact Name: Woolpert, Inc.

Process Steps

Process Step 1

CC ID: 1297406
Description:

All lidar data were acquired using a HE4X sensor (Figure 4). The HE4X is a latest generation topographic and bathymetric lidar sensor. The system provides denser data than previous traditional bathymetric lidar systems. It is unique in its ability to acquire bathymetric lidar, topographic lidar and 4-band digital camera imagery simultaneously.

The HE4X provided up to 500 kHz topographic data and an effective 140 kHz shallow bathymetric data and a 40 kHz deep channel. While not a required deliverable for this survey, 4-band 80 MP digital camera imagery was also collected simultaneously with the sensor's RCD-30 camera and utilized during data editing in some cases.

The bathymetric and topographic lasers are independent and do not share an optical chain or receivers, so they are optimized for their specific function. As with any bathymetric lidar, maximum depth penetration is a function of water clarity and seabed reflectivity. The HE4X is designed to penetrate to 3 times the secchi depth. This is also represented as Dmax = 4/K, where K is the diffuse attenuation coefficient, and assuming K is between 0.1 and 0.3, a normal sea state and 15% seabed reflectance.

Both the topographic and bathymetric sub-systems use a palmer scanner to produce an elliptical scan pattern of laser points with a degree of incidence ranging from +/-14 degrees (front and back) to +/-20 degrees (sides), providing a 40 degree field of view. This has the benefit of providing multiple look angles on a single pass and helps to eliminate shadowing effects. This can be of particular use in urban areas, where all sides of a building are illuminated, or for bathymetric features such as the sides of narrow water channels, or features on the seafloor such as smaller objects and wrecks. It also assists with penetration in the surf zone where the back scan passes the same ground location a couple of seconds after the front scan, allowing the areas of whitewater to shift.

Process Step 2

CC ID: 1297407
Description:

Position and orientation data were acquired in the aircraft using a NovAtel SPAN with LCI-100C IMU. All data were post-processed using NovAtel Inertial Explorer software to provide a tightly coupled position and orientation solution.

A single base station was used to control trajectory processing providing final trajectories for Saipan and Tinian on NAD83 (MA11), Epoch 2010, located in the Saipan airport. This base station was replaced for each of the three separate collects of the project (Table 11). SPN1, SPN2 and SPN3 were occupied with a Trimble GNSS receiver by Woolpert. Due to the distance of Rota, Aguijan, Farallon de Medinilla, and Pagan from the single base station on Saipan and their remoteness a precise point positioning (PPP) solution was used for them on ITRF2014.

To establish a reliable coordinate for SPN1 data were uploaded to the National Geodetic Service (NGS) Online Positioning User Service (OPUS), and for SPN2 and SPN3 Trimble CenterPoint RTX Post-Processing service was used. The average OPUS or RTX coordinate from multiple days of observations was used to process the final trajectories.

Process Step 3

CC ID: 1297408
Description:

Initial data coverage analysis and quality checks to ensure there were no potential system issues were carried out in the field prior to demobilization of the sensor. Final processing was conducted in Woolpert's offices.

In general data were initially processed in Leica's Lidar Survey Studio (LSS) using final processed trajectory information. LAS files from LSS were then imported to a Terrascan project where spatial algorithms were used to remove noise and classify bare earth/ground. Manual review was conducted in both Terrascan and LP360 prior to product creation.

Process Step 4

CC ID: 1297409
Description:

Lidar processing was conducted using the Leica Lidar Survey Studio (LSS) software. Calibration information, along with processed trajectory information were combined with the raw laser data to create an accurately georeferenced lidar point cloud for the entire survey in LAS v1.4 format. All points from the topographic and bathymetric laser include 16-bit intensity values.

During this LSS processing stage, an automatic land/water discrimination is made for the bathymetric waveforms. This allows the bathymetric (green) pulses over water to be automatically refracted for the pulse hitting the water surface and travelling through the water column, producing the correct depth. Another advantage of the automatic land/water discrimination is that it permits calculation of an accurate water surface over smaller areas, allowing simple bathymetric processing of smaller, narrower streams and drainage channels. Sloping water surfaces are also handled correctly.

Prior to processing, the hydrographer can adjust waveform sensitivity settings dependent on the environment encountered and enter a value for the refraction index to be used for bathymetry. The index of refraction is an indication of the water type. Values used for sensitivity settings and the index of refraction are included in the LSS processing settings files. A value of 1.34206 was used for the index of refraction, indicating saltwater.

In the field, default waveform sensitivity settings were used for processing. In order to determine the optimal waveform sensitivity settings for final processing, sample areas were selected and processed with multiple different settings, to iteratively converge on the best possible settings. This is done by reviewing the processed point cloud and waveforms within sample areas. A sample waveform is provided in Figure 6, while a sample LSS editing screen is provided in Figure 7. Settings affect which waveform peaks are classified as valid seabed, and which peaks are classified as noise. Optimal settings strike a balance between the amount of valid data that is classified as seabed bottom, and the amount of noise that is incorrectly classified due to peaks in the waveforms. Ideally all valid data is selected, while only a small amount of noise remains to be edited out. Once optimal threshold settings were chosen, these were used for the entire project.

It is important to note that all digitized waveform peaks are available to be reviewed by the hydrographer; both valid seabed bottom and peaks classed as noise. This allows the hydrographer to review data during TerraScan and LP360 editing for valid data such as objects that may have been misclassified as noise.

LSS processing produced LAS files in 1.4 format. Additional QC steps were performed prior to import to TerraScan. Firstly, the derived water surface was reviewed to ensure a water surface was correctly calculated for all bathymetry channels. No significant issues were apparent. Spot checks were also made on the data to ensure the front and back of the scans remained in alignment and no calibration or system issues were apparent prior to further data editing in TerraScan.

LSS stores data in multiple LAS files for a single flight line. Each file corresponds to a single .dat file from the raw airborne data. Woolpert merged these multiple files into a single file per flight line and moved data into a standard class definition in preparation for data editing using Woolpert's proprietary scripts within SAFE's FME software.

Data produced by LSS for flights over Saipan and Tinian were processed on the NAD83 (MA11) Epoch 2010 datum in UTM 55N Zone with units in meters, and elevations on the ellipsoid also in meters. Data produced for Aguijan and Rota were processed on the ITRF2014 datum in UTM 55N Zone with units in meters, with elevations on the ellipsoid also in meters.

Process Step 5

CC ID: 1297410
Description:

After data were processed in LSS and the data integrity reviewed, Aguijan, and Rota were transformed from the ITRF2014 ellipsoid to the NAD83 (MA11) Epoch 2010 ellipsoid using VDatum. With the entire project now on the correct ellipsoid, data were organized into tiles within a TerraScan project. The tile layout is the same as that provided with the project deliverables.

Data classification and spatial algorithms were applied in Terrasolid's TerraScan software. Customized spatial algorithms, such as isolated points and low point filters, were run to remove gross fliers in the topographic and bathymetric data. A grounding algorithm was also run on the topographic data to distinguish between points representing the bare earth, and other valid topo lidar points representing features such as vegetation, buildings, and so forth. Algorithms were run on the entire dataset.

Data were reviewed manually to reclassify any valid bathy points incorrectly identified by the automated routines in LSS as invalid, and vice versa. In addition, any topo points over the water were reclassified to correct the ground representation. Manual editing was conducted both in TerraScan and LP360. Steps for manual editing included:

- Re-class any topo unclassified laser data and bathy seabed data from the water surface to a water surface class

- Review bathymetry in cross section.

- Re-class suitable data to Seabed (Class 40).

- Re-class any noise in the bathy ground class to bathy noise (Class 45).

- Review topo ground points in areas of gaps or spikes.

- Add points to ground (Class 2) from the topo laser if points are available to fill gaps in the ground model.

- Re-class any noise in the ground class to Topo Unclassified (Class 1) if valid vegetation or other feature, or Noise if the point is not valid (Low Noise (Class 7) or High Noise (Class 18)).

- Review topo ground points for bridges and re-class to Bridge Deck (Class 17).

- Review bathymetry using imagery and nautical charts and re-class obvious man-made objects to Submerged Object (Class 43).

Once editing was completed in TerraScan the islands of Saipan, Tinian, Aguijan, and Rota were vertically transformed to the NMVD03 datum using GEOID12B.

Process Step 6

CC ID: 1297411
Description:

The topo data was then reviewed for inland water bodies larger than 2 acres and for streams wider than 100 feet. These water bodies were hydro-flattened. Breaklines around inland water meeting the hydro-flattening requirements were digitized and a second set of DEMs were created using TerraModel at 1m resolution using Topo Ground (Class 2) and digitized breaklines for all islands.

Process Step 7

CC ID: 1297412
Description:

The NOAA Office for Coastal Management (OCM) received the raster DEM data in GeoTiff format from Woolpert, Inc. The data for the islands of Aguijan, Rota, Saipan, and Tinian were in UTM Zone 55 NAD83(MA11), meters coordinates and NMVD03 (Geoid 12B) elevations in meters. The bare earth raster files were at a 1 meter grid spacing.

OCM performed the following processing on the data for Digital Coast storage and provisioning purposes:

1. Used internal an script to assign the EPSG codes (Horizontal EPSG: 8693 and Vertical EPSG: 6640) to the GeoTiff formatted files.

2. Copied the files to https.

Process Date/Time: 2022-03-16 00:00:00
Process Contact: Office for Coastal Management (OCM)

Related Items

Catalog Details

Catalog Item ID: 66839
GUID: gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:66839
Metadata Record Created By: Rebecca Mataosky
Metadata Record Created: 2022-03-17 14:00+0000
Metadata Record Last Modified By: Kirk Waters
Metadata Record Last Modified: 2024-01-10 19:23+0000
Metadata Record Published: 2024-01-10
Owner Org: OCMP
Metadata Publication Status: Published Externally
Do Not Publish?: N
Metadata Last Review Date: 2022-03-17
Metadata Review Frequency: 1 Year
Metadata Next Review Date: 2023-03-17