GA-SaMMT: Semi-automated Seabed Morphological Mapping Tools

Geoscience Australia's Semi-automated Morphological Mapping Tools (GA-SaMMT) are a collection of seven ArcGIS Pro Python toolboxes for seabed characterisation. The tools map ten bathymetric high and eight bathymetric low morphology features, and three classes of morphological surfaces, as defined in published research. The package includes tutorials, a user guide, sample data, and has been applied to multiple real-world study areas.

Use Cases

• Classifying seabed bathymetric high features like ridges and mounds based on TPI and Openness tools.
• Mapping bathymetric low features such as valleys and depressions using the provided low-feature toolboxes.
• Calculating shape, topographic, and profile attributes for mapped seabed features to support quantitative analysis.
• Classifying mapped features into standardized morphological categories as defined in Dove et al. (2020).
• Generating morphological surface maps from bathymetry and slope data for broader seabed habitat studies.

Strengths

• Includes seven distinct toolboxes for a complete mapping workflow, from feature detection to classification.
• Maps a defined set of 18 specific morphology features (10 high, 8 low) and 3 surface classes.
• Provides a fast-processing toolbox version with multiprocessing capabilities for attribute calculation.
• Documentation includes tutorials, a user guide, sample data, and published application references.

Limitations

• Row count and dataset scale are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download or from tool metadata.
• Requires ArcGIS Pro and Python 3+, creating a dependency on specific, potentially costly software.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Developed as ArcGIS Pro Python toolboxes for semi-automated analysis of bathymetric data.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-30 14:06:23.771294; freshness should be verified.