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Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Society Islands (Leeward), French Polynesia Digital Elevation Model - 1 arc-second

NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information is building high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) for select U.S. coastal regions. These integrated bathymetric-topographic DEMs are used to support tsunami forecasting and warning efforts at the NOAA Center for Tsunami Research, Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL). The DEMs are part of the tsunami forecast system SIFT (Short-term Inundation Forecasting for Tsunamis) currently being developed by PMEL for the NOAA Tsunami Warning Centers, and are used in the MOST (Method of Splitting Tsunami) model developed by PMEL to simulate tsunami generation, propagation, and inundation.
Cite this dataset when used as a source.
  • ID not available.
gov.noaa.ngdc.mgg.dem:11512
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Distribution Formats
  • netCDF (Version: 4 Classic)
Distributor DEM Information
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
dem.info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact DEM Information
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
dem.info@noaa.gov
Coverage Description ISO valid extents for Society Islands Leeward 1 sec. DEM
Time Period
Spatial Reference System urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326urn:ogc:def:datum:EPSG::5831
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: -151.95
East: -150.75
South: -17.10
North: -16.35
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2016-11-25
Edition First
Data Presentation Form mapDigital
Dataset Progress Status Complete - production of the data has been completed
Data Update Frequency As needed
Purpose Developed for the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL), NOAA Center for Tsunami Research program in support of NOAA's tsunami forecasting and warning efforts.
Use Limitations
  • Not to be used for navigation. Although these data are of high quality and useful for planning and modeling purposes, they are not suitable for navigation. For navigation, please refer to the NOS nautical chart series.
  • Produced by the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Not subject to copyright protection within the United States.
Originators
  • NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Collaborators
  • NOAA Center for Tsunami Research
    NOAA PMEL Center for Tsunami Research (NCTR)
Publishers
  • NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Theme keywords NASA/GCMD Earth Science Keywords
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Bathymetry/Seafloor Topography > Seafloor Topography
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Bathymetry/Seafloor Topography > Bathymetry
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Bathymetry/Seafloor Topography > Water Depth
  • Earth Science > Land Surface > Topography > Terrain Elevation > Topographical Relief Maps
  • Earth Science > Land Surface > Topography > Topographical Relief Maps
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coastal Elevation
NASA/GCMD Platform Keywords
  • DEM > Digital Elevation Model
NASA/GCMD Data Resolution Keywords
  • H: 1 meter - < 30 meters
  • V: 1 meter - < 10 meters
Uncontrolled
  • Coastal Relief
  • Gridded elevations
  • Integrated bathymetry and topography
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Service Keywords
  • DATA ANALYSIS AND VISUALIZATION > GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS > WEB-BASED GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
  • DATA MANAGEMENT/DATA HANDLING > DATA SEARCH AND RETRIEVAL
  • DATA ANALYSIS AND VISUALIZATION > VISUALIZATION/IMAGE PROCESSING
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Service Keywords
  • DATA ANALYSIS AND VISUALIZATION > GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS > WEB-BASED GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
  • DATA MANAGEMENT/DATA HANDLING > DATA SEARCH AND RETRIEVAL
  • DATA ANALYSIS AND VISUALIZATION > VISUALIZATION/IMAGE PROCESSING
Data Center keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NGDC > National Geophysical Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Place keywords NASA/GCMD Location Keywords
  • Ocean > Pacific Ocean > South Pacific Ocean > Polynesia > French Polynesia
  • Vertical Location > Land Surface
  • Vertical Location > Sea Floor
Uncontrolled
  • Society Islands
  • French Polynesia
Project keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Project Keywords
  • ICSU-WDS > International Council for Science - World Data System
  • NOAA OneStop Project
Use Constraints No constraint information available
Access Constraints
  • Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.
Fees Fee information not available.
Lineage information for: dataset
Processor
  • NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Processing Steps
  • 2016-10-01T00:00:00 - All datasets obtained by NCEI were converted to common horizontal datum of WGS84 geographic using ArcGIS or GDAL. They were also converted to common file format for visualization and inspection.
  • 2016-10-20T00:00:00 - Datasets were visually inspected with ArcGIS and Global Mapper for identification and editing of data anomalies. Datasets were then compared with overlapping datasets to ensure data consistency.
  • 2016-10-28T00:00:00 - Multibeam surveys were gridded to 3 arc-second spacing using MB-System's 'mbgrid' tool. The resulting Arc ASCII grid was imported into ArcGIS.
  • 2016-11-03T00:00:00 - xyz files of the bathymetric data were surfaced using GMT's 'surface' tool onto a 6 arc-second grid that interpolated to fill empty cells. Points extracted every 5 meters along the coastline were also included to ensure that the bathymetric grid reached zero at the coast. The resulting Arc ASCII grid was imported into ArcGIS and clipped to the coastline to remove values over land.
  • 2016-11-12T00:00:00 - xyz files for each input dataset were gridded using MB-System's 'mbgrid' tool, which utilizes a high-tension spline interpolation method to fill grid cells with no input elevation values. Preferential weighting was given to more recent, higher-accuracy datasets. Gridding was performed in quadrants, each with a 5% data buffer. The grids were imported in ArcGIS and seamlessly merged to create the final DEM.
  • 2016-11-16T00:00:00 - The DEM was quantitatively evaluated by comparing with source datasets.
Processing Environment Native Dataset Environment: Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise; ESRI ArcGIS 10.3.1.4959
Source Datasets
  • NGA nautical chart soundings
    • National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) (offlineAccess)
      The Digital Nautical Chart is produced by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and is an unclassified, vector-based digital database containing maritime significant features essential for safe marine navigation.
    • Description of Source: Source Contribution: nautical chart soundings
    • Temporal extent used: 2014-05-14 to 2015-05-18
  • MCR LTER: Coral Reef: Bathymetry Grid for North Shore
    • Moorea Coral Reef Long-Term Ecological Research site (MCR LTER) (download)
      These bathymetric data are a combined product of digitized SHOM nautical charts, SRTM30plus bathymetry, small boat surveys, and bathymetry derived from Worldview-2 satellite imagery. Satellite data were collected in collaboration with Le centre de L'Environment de Moorea
    • Description of Source: Source Contribution: North shore of Moorea gridded bathymetry
    • Temporal extent used: 2010-01-01 to 2011-01-01
  • Multibeam Sonar Data YK04-08 Leg 1 and MR08-06 Leg 1
    • Description of Source: Source Contribution: Multibeam sonar data
    • Temporal extent used: 2004-08-12 to 2013-03-13
  • Singlebeam sonar data from SeaDataNet
    • Description of Source: Source Contribution: singlebeam sonar data
    • Temporal extent used: 1994-01-01 to 2004-01-01
  • Optically Derived Bathymetry for Huahine Island, French Polynesia
    • The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (download)
      Non-profit environmental science organization and ocean research foundation established to help preserve, protect and restore the world’s oceans and aquatic resources through research, education, and outreach.
    • Description of Source: Source Contribution: optically derived bathymetry
    • Time Instant: 2014-01-14
  • Multibeam Bathymetry Database (MBBDB)
    • Multibeam Bathymetry Database (MBBDB) (download)
      Multibeam Swath Sonar Survey Data
    • Description of Source: Source Contribution: Swath Sonar Survey Data
    • Temporal extent used: 1982-01-01 to 2014-01-01
  • NGDC Marine Trackline Geophysics Database
    • Marine Geophysical Trackline Data (download)
      Marine Geophysical Trackline Data
    • Description of Source: Source Contribution: trackline bathymetry
    • Temporal extent used: 1957-01-01 to 2012-01-01
  • GEBCO 2014
    • General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) (download)
      The General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) consists of an international group of experts who work on the development of a range of bathymetric data sets and data products, including gridded bathymetric data sets, the GEBCO Digital Atlas, the GEBCO world map and the GEBCO Gazetteer of Undersea Feature Names.
    • Description of Source: Source Contribution: gridded bathymetry
    • Time Instant: 2015-03-18
  • Lidar Polynesie francaise 2015 Produit Moorea, Bora Bora, Tahiti SAU v. 20160630,
    • Description of Source: Source Contribution: Topographic-Bathymetric Lidar
    • Temporal extent used: 2015-06-10 to 2015-06-26
  • Shuttle Radar Topography Mission 1 Arc-Second Global, 3 Arc-Second Global
    • Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (download)
      The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) was a partnership between NASA and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). Flown aboard the NASA Space Shuttle Endeavour (11-22 February 2000), SRTM fulfilled its mission to map the world in three dimensions. The USGS is under agreement with NGA and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to distribute SRTM elevation products derived from the C-band radar data. SRTM utilized interferometric C-band Spaceborne Imaging Radar to generate elevation data over 80 percent of the Earth's land surface. Global SRTM data at a resolution of 1 arc-second have been edited to delineate and flatten water bodies, better define coastlines, remove spikes and wells, and fill small voids. Larger areas of missing data or voids were filled by the NGA using interpolation algorithms in conjunction with other sources of elevation data. The SRTM 1 Arc-Second Global data offer worldwide coverage of void filled data at a resolution of 1 arc-second (30 meters) and provide open distribution of this high-resolution global data set.
    • Description of Source: Gridded topographic data
    • Time Instant: 2000-02-01
Lineage information for: repository
Processing Steps
  • 2015-04-22T00:00:00 - NOAA created the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) by merging NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC), and National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), including the National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC), per the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, Public Law 113-235. NCEI launched publicly on April 22, 2015.
Last Modified: 2017-11-13
For questions about the information on this page, please email: dem.info@noaa.gov