The CCMA Remote Sensing Team led development of the first benthic habitat
maps made for the Northwest Hawaiian Islands (NWHI). The NWHI chain extends across
2200 km of open ocean, and the total shallow water area of the ten atolls
encompasses over 8,000 square km. Due to the remoteness and large spatial
extent of these reefs, high-resolution satellite imagery was the primary
source of data for this effort. Field data collected during a NOS cruise
to NWHI in Aug-Sep 2001 and provided by the NMFS, Honolulu Lab were also
essential to map production. The satellite data used was IKONOS multispectral
(blue/green/red/near-infrared bands) and panchromatic imagery from Space
Imaging, collected between 2000 and 2002.
Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) imagery was also obtained
for all ten atolls as well as for most of the bank areas.
Map products for NWHI include georeferenced truecolor images derived
from IKONOS satellite data, estimated bathymetry (in meters) derived from
the imagery, benthic habitat cover, and detailed benthic habitat classes.
The process of map development is described in detail in NWHI_map_development.pdf and
a description of the classification scheme and classes can be found in NWHI_class_scheme.pdf.
A PDF file with larger versions of the colorbars for the depth scales
and the legends for habitat cover and detailed class is also available: NWHI_map_legend.pdf.
Click on the text (atoll name) in the map above (or follow the links below) to
view maps and imagery for each of the NWHI atolls. Imagery for the banks will
be added in the future.
- Nihoa
Island
- Necker
Island
- French
Frigate Shoals
- The First Bank immediately east of French Frigate Shoals
- Southeast Brooks Bank (the first bank immediately west of French Frigate
Shoals)
- St. Rogatien Bank
- The First Bank immediately west of St. Rogatien Bank
- Gardner
Pinnacles
- Raita Bank
- Maro Reef
- Laysan
Island
- Pioneer Bank
- Lisianski
Island
- Pearl
and Hermes Atoll
- Midway
Islands
- Kure Atoll
An online version of the Atlas is available:
Atlas:
Section 1
Atlas:
Section 2
Atlas:
Section 3
For more information about this and related work, please visit: