Galvez Bank: Optical Validation

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The collection and analysis of photographic data to ground truth and interpret multibeam data layers with the goal of characterizing seafloor habitats.

Coral Cover Map


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Descriptions of optical data products.
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This map displays optical validation observation locations and percent coverage of scleractinian coral overlaid on bathymetry. Optical data were collected by CRED TOAD camera sled aboard the NOAA ship Oscar Elton Sette on cruises OES 0308 and SE 1002, and by the CRED-NWFSC SeaBED AUV during Oscar Elton Sette cruise SE1002.

The benthic habitat was classified using the PIBHMC tow classification scheme. The classified results were then exported as an excel spreadsheet which summarized the data as percent cover of substrate and different benthic categories for each photo, and imported into ArcGIS v9.3, and then saved as a shapefile. Percent scleractinian coral was colour symbolized in optical validation maps with underlying fields of different substrates contained within the attribute table of the shapefile.