Multibeam Bathymetry and Backscatter for Puerto Rico and Mona Island, 2007

NOAA's Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment collected high-resolution multibeam bathymetry and backscatter data from the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster from 2007-04-14 to 2007-04-24. The mission aimed for 100% seafloor ensonification in high-priority conservation areas within Puerto Rico, covering mid-water depths from approximately 10 to 1000 meters. The data is archived by NOAA NCEI under accession 0131853.

Use Cases

• Seafloor characterization and habitat mapping based on multibeam backscatter data.
• Bathymetric modeling and terrain analysis based on high-resolution depth measurements.
• Conservation area planning and monitoring based on data collected in high-priority zones.
• Acoustic backscatter analysis for substrate classification.

Strengths

• Data collected with a mission objective of 100% seafloor ensonification, suggesting thorough coverage.
• High-resolution measurements targeting mid-water depths from approximately 10 to 1000 meters.
• Focused on high-priority conservation areas within Puerto Rico, providing targeted relevance.

Limitations

• Last updated 2007-04-24 00:00:00; freshness should be verified.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and file formats are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

NOAA_NCEI

Collection Method

Collected via multibeam sonar systems aboard NOAA Ship Nancy Foster by the Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA).

Time Range

2007-04 14 to 2007-04-24

Freshness

Data collection concluded in 2007; not updated since.

Geography

Caribbean Sea, southern coast of Isla de Mona, western coast of Puerto Rico