Searching for bathymetry (Bathymetry Solution)

The Explore Bathymetry tool allows you to define filters for your bathymetric data. With defined metadata associated to each bathymetric surface, you can filter through the available datasets to access only the necessary surfaces. The Explore Bathymetry window provides access to the collection, extended, and internal metadata. Once a filter is applied, you can either save the filter with the Save Filter tool or create a surface model within the Compose Surface window.

The collection and extended metadata fields are fully configurable. You have the ability to add new fields, add new field drop-down items, or retire fields from the display. The following steps refer to the default metadata fields that come with the ArcGIS for Maritime: Bathymetry installation. If you have made configuration changes that impact the metadata field display, then these steps will differ from your experience.

Accessing the Explore Bathymetry window

You can access the Explore Bathymetry window in ArcMap through the Bathymetry toolbar.

Steps:
  1. Start ArcMap.
  2. On the main menu, click Customize > Toolbars > Bathymetry.
  3. Click the Explore Bathymetry button Explore Bathymetry on the Bathymetry toolbar.

    The Explore Bathymetry window appears. The right side of the window lists all bathymetry datasets from the active BIS geodatabase.

    Explore Bathymetry window

Filtering by properties

The Explore Bathymetry window not only allows you to filter by metadata but also on the properties of the datasets registered to the BIS geodatabase. Properties that you can filter include percentage of no data and pixel resolution. Filtering based on properties such as location will allow you to quickly eliminate unnecessary datasets that may not exist in your area of interest.

TipTip:

You can optionally click Reset Filters to return all filter controls to the default values.

Steps:
  1. Optionally, in the first Percent data coverage text box, type a numeric value for the lower end percent range.
  2. Optionally, in the second Percent data coverage text box, type a numeric value for the upper end percent range.
    NoteNote:

    You can also use the slider bar to adjust the lower and upper data range values. Doing so will display bathymetry that holds a percentage of data coverage within your selected range.

  3. Optionally check the Filter to current extent check box in the Spatial Filter section.

    This automatically filters for datasets within your current data frame extent.

    TipTip:

    You can also set an attribute filter first and check the check box to narrow the results to the current extent.

Filtering by collection metadata

Collection metadata defines the necessary attributes for a collection of bathymetry data. A collection could consist of all bathymetry data holdings in a common geographic area or represent the bathymetry data acquired during a specific survey. The detailed information on the collection can be linked to raster data within the BIS geodatabase.

NoteNote:

The following steps use the default metadata fields that come with the Bathymetry Solution. If you have configured your own metadata fields, then your experience with these steps will be different.

Steps:
  1. In the Collection Metadata section, click the Collection Name drop-down arrow and choose a collection you defined in the Manage Collections dialog box, or choose All to filter across all collections.
  2. Optionally click the Collection Status drop-down arrow and choose the collection status you want to use as a filter.
    • All
    • Planning
    • In Progress
    • Complete

    Any collection status items you have added or removed in the configuration XML file will be reflected in the drop-down menu.

  3. Optionally type a description of the survey you want to query in the Collection Description text box.
  4. Type an organization name in the Contact Organization text box to filter based on a specific organization that is responsible for the bathymetry.
  5. Optionally type a name in the Contact Person text box to filter for a specific person responsible for the bathymetry.
  6. Optionally click the first Survey End Date (from, to) drop-down arrow and choose the value for start date.

    These field values allow you to query for bathymetry acquired during a date range.

  7. Optionally click the second Survey End Date (from, to) drop-down arrow and choose the value for the end date.
  8. Optionally click the Classification drop-down arrow and choose the appropriate classification value.

    The default classification values are:

    • Public
    • Confidential
    • Secret

    Any classification values you added or removed in the configuration XML will be reflected in the drop-down menu.

Filtering by extended metadata

Extended metadata allows you to customize metadata for any of your raster file formats. In particular, it extends the ONS metadata embedded in and specific to the BAG file format. This offers additional metadata for IHO Survey Order, Sensor make and model, and Vessel and Sensor type, as well as any custom metadata you define. For example, you can add fields that define which Multibeam echo sounding equipment was used on a specific vessel.

NoteNote:

The following steps use the default metadata fields that come with the Bathymetry Solution. If you have configured your own metadata fields, then your experience with these steps will be different.

Steps:
  1. In the Extended Metadata section, click the IHO Survey Order drop-down arrow and choose the IHO Survey Order you want to use to filter bathymetry.

    The default orders are:

    • Special Order
    • Order 1a
    • Order 1b
    • Order 2
    • Order 1 (deprecated)
    • Order 3 (deprecated)

    Any orders you have added or removed from the list in the configuration XML file will be reflected in the drop-down menu.

  2. Click the Sensor drop-down arrow and choose the appropriate sensor manufacturer you want to use to filter bathymetry.

    The default list of sensors are:

    • Sensor 1
    • Sensor 2
    • Sensor 3

    Any sensors you have added or removed from the list in the configuration XML file will be reflected in the drop-down menu.

  3. Click the Vessel drop-down arrow and choose the data collection vessel you want to use to filter bathymetry.

    The default list of vessels are:

    • Vessel 1
    • Vessel 2
    • Vessel 3

    Any vessels you have added or removed from the list in the configuration XML file will be reflected in the drop-down menu.

  4. Click the Data Type drop-down arrow and choose the appropriate data type filter.

    The default data type values are:

    • Multibeam
    • Single Beam
    • Interferometry
    • LiDAR

    Any data types you have added or removed from the list in the configuration XML file will be reflected in the drop-down menu.

Filtering by internal metadata

Internal metadata contains the ONS metadata fields that adhere to the ISO 19115 geographic metadata standard and are stored within datasets in the BAG file format. Since the internal metadata fields are derived from the BAG dataset’s internal metadata, you don’t have the same customization options as you do with the collection and extended metadata field display. However, you can hide fields from the display.

NoteNote:

You can only configure internal metadata filters for BAG data registered with an ArcSDE BIS geodatabase.

NoteNote:

The following steps use the default internal metadata fields that come with the Bathymetry Solution. If you have customized the field display, then your experience with these steps will be different.

Steps:
  1. In the Internal Metadata section, type a value in the Title text box to filter based on a specific dataset title.
    NoteNote:

    If your active BIS is a file geodatabase, you will not be able to filter based on internal metadata and these filters will be disabled.

  2. Type a value in the Abstract text box to filter based on a specific dataset abstract.
  3. Click the first Date drop-down arrow and choose the beginning date value filter.
  4. Click the second Date drop-down arrow and choose the ending date value filter.
  5. Type a name in the Contact Person text box to filter based on a specific person responsible for the datasets.
  6. Type an organization name in the Responsible Organization text box to filter based on a specific organization responsible for the bathymetry.
  7. Type an X,Y value in the first Cellsize text box.
  8. Type an X,Y value in the second Cellsize text box.

    The values in the Cellsize text boxes filter all datasets that have a cell size value between the first and second boundaries you define.

    TipTip:

    You can also move both ends of the slider bar to adjust the values in the Cellsize text boxes.

Saving the filters

You can save the filter settings to a file and later apply the filter to other bathymetry data, as well as add filtered bathymetry data directly to the Compose Surface window to sort the data and apply display rules.

Steps:
  1. Click the Save Filter button Save Filter at the top of the Explore Bathymetry window.

    The Save As dialog box appears.

    Save As dialog box
  2. Optionally browse to a new location where you want to save your filter.
  3. Type a name for the file in the File name text box.
  4. Click Save.
  5. Optionally click the Preview button Preview at the top of the Explore Bathymetry window.

A mosaic dataset that references your filtered data, as well as a Bathymetry Data Index referencing all available data within your system, is added to ArcMap.

NoteNote:

The mosaic dataset generated by the Preview tool has approximate values calculated for the Min, Max, Mean, and Standard Deviation raster statistics fields and should not be used for analysis. In addition, the preview also has a Stretch Type parameter of the Stretch function configured for Minimum-Maximum, which will include all pixel values, even outliers. If you need to generate precise statistics or exclude outlying pixel values, it is highly recommended that you use the Calculate Statistics tool and configure the Stretch function parameters to meet your requirements.

Related Topics

3/3/2014