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Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador 3 sec Digital Elevation Model

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:11517
Download Data
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 Galapagos 1 sec. DEM
Time Period
Spatial Reference System urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326urn:ogc:def:datum:EPSG::5831
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: -93.18
East: -83.81
South: -2.66
North: 3.81
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2016-05-25
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 > Eastern Pacific Ocean > Galapagos Islands
  • Vertical Location > Land Surface
  • Vertical Location > Sea Floor
Uncontrolled
  • Galapagos Islands
  • Ecuador
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
  • 2016-02-01T00:00:00 - All datasets obtained by NCEI were converted to common horizontal and vertical datums of WGS84 geographic and Mean Sea Level, respectively, using ArcGIS or GDAL. They were also converted to common file format for visualization and inspection.
  • 2016-02-20T00:00:00 - 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.
  • 2016-02-28T00:00:00 - Multibeam surveys were gridded to 1/3 arc-second spacing (~10 meters) using MB-System's 'mbgrid' tool. The resulting Arc ASCII grid was imported into ArcGIS.
  • 2016-05-03T00:00:00 - xyz files of the bathymetric data were surfaced using GMT's 'surface' tool onto a 1 arc-second grid that interpolated to fill empty cells. Points extracted every 10 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.
  • 2016-05-12T00:00:00 - 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.
  • 2016-05-16T00:00:00 - The DEM was quantitatively evaluated by comparing with source datasets and with elevation values extracted from NGS geodetic monuments. It was visually evaluated by converting to UTM-zone coordinates (units of meters horizontally and vertically) and then creating a slope grid to identify gridding artifacts in the DEM.
Processing Environment Native Dataset Environment: Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise; ESRI ArcGIS 10.3.1.4959
Source Datasets
  • INOCAR / SHOA Hydrographic Surveys
    • Description of Source: hydrographic surveys
    • Time Instant: 2015-01-01
  • Chadwick multibeam grid
  • Processed Gridded submersible Multibeam Sonar Data acquired along the Galapagos Spreading Center during the Atlantis expedition AT15-63
    • Description of Source: processed gridded submersible multibeam sonar data
    • Temporal extent used: 2010-03-15 to 2010-04-14
  • Galapagos region multibeam bathymetry compilation, 97W-86W (investigator Scott White)
    • Description of Source: processed gridded multibeam sonar data
    • Temporal extent used: 1987-01-01 to 2012-01-01
  • Galapagos Spreading Center multibeam bathymetry grids 85°-96°W
    • Description of Source: processed gridded multibeam sonar data
    • Temporal extent used: 2005-05-19 to 2005-05-20
  • Optically Derived Bathymetry for Wolf, Urvina, Marchena, Isabela, Florena, Darwin, Baltra Islands
    • 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: optically derived bathymetry
    • Time Instant: 2014-08-22
  • Multibeam bathymetry for Santiago, Floreana, Fernandina, and Santa Cruz Islands
    • Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
      Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is the world's leading, independent non-profit organization dedicated to ocean research, exploration, and education.
    • Description of Source: multibeam bathymetry
    • Time Instant: 2015-08-01
  • Multibeam Bathymetry Database (MBBDB)
  • NGDC Marine Trackline Geophysics Database
    • Marine Geophysical Trackline Data (download)
      Marine Geophysical Trackline Data
    • Description of Source: trackline bathymetry
    • Temporal extent used: 1958-01-01 to 2002-01-01
  • 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: gridded bathymetry
    • Time Instant: 2015-03-18
  • Digitized NGA nautical chart soundings
    • Description of Source: digitized nautical chart soundings
    • Time Instant: 2016-04-30
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