High-Resolution Bathymetric Hillshade of Boston Harbor

Approximately 170 square kilometers of seafloor data were collected by NOAA Ship Whiting in 2000 and 2001. The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management and the U.S. Geological Survey reprocessed and gridded the sidescan sonar and bathymetric measurements. These data were converted to the Massachusetts State Plane coordinate system in 2006.

Use Cases

• Modeling underwater slope stability and sediment erosion using bathymetric depth values.
• Creating navigational hazard maps by identifying bathymetric features like shoals and channels.
• Analyzing seafloor habitat suitability for benthic organisms based on terrain ruggedness derived from hillshade.
• Calibrating regional ocean circulation models with high-resolution bathymetric input data.
• Assessing historical changes in harbor channels by comparing this 2000-2001 dataset with newer surveys.

Strengths

• High-resolution data at 30 meters per pixel.
• Covers approximately 170 square kilometers of seafloor.
• Data was reprocessed and gridded by authoritative agencies (CZM and USGS).

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ship Whiting, reprocessed by Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Collection Method

Sidescan sonar and bathymetric data collection, subsequently reprocessed and gridded.

Time Range

2000 to 2001.

Freshness

Data collection concluded in 2001, with a final reprojection in 2006.

Geography

Boston Harbor and harbor approaches, Massachusetts, USA.