Video-Supervised Classification of Sonar Data for Mapping Seafloor Habitat
| Book title | Marine Habitat Mapping Technology for Alaska |
|---|---|
| Year | 2008 |
| Article DOI | 10.4027/mhmta.2008.13 (about DOIs) |
| Pages | 185–194 |
| PDF link* | View full text in PDF format [508 KB] |
*This low-resolution PDF is optimized for viewing on screen. High-resolution chapters are available on CD only.
Abstract
A new raster map product called a "seafloor character map" has been developed to describe benthic habitat, and will be produced as part of a suite of products for the California Coast State Waters Mapping Project. The map resolution is identical to that of the sonar data from which it is derived and preserves the gradational qualities of the substrate in a marine environment unlike map products based on delineated polygonal regions. Each pixel is given a value, through a supervised numerical classification method groundtruthed by seafloor video observations. The classification combines information about bottom hardness, rugosity, slope, and depth based on current standards used in California fisheries management. Both the GIS layer and a digital map image will be published as part of a folio that will also include the sonar and video observation data, derived images of the data, and traditional geologic and habitat interpretations.
