Benthic Terrain Modeler (BTM) 3.0, tools for understanding and classifying the benthic environment. [Sofware]

Abstract

A full tutorial with sample data is included with this zip file within the 'tutorial' directory. This self-paced training module introduces the benthic terrain modeling concepts used in the BTM, and steps users through sample analyses. Please note: the tutorial, which includes sample data applies only to the individual ArcPy scripts located in the BTM Toolbox and not to the BTM Add-In. BTM was initially a partnership between the NOAA Coastal Services Center and the Davey Jones' Locker Seafloor Mapping/Marine GIS Lab Oregon State University. The current version of BTM is a collaboration between NOAA CSC and ESRI, with thanks also to the the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, Cal State University Monterey Bay, the UC-Santa Cruz Institute of Marine Sciences & NOAA Fisheries Ecology Division. Source and Issues: BTM is on GitHub! Get the latest code, send us pull requests, and see our current issues at http://github.com/EsriOceans/btm. Full published description : Geosciences 8: 94, 24pp. DOI:10.3390/geosciences8030094. Benthic Terrain Modeler, a collection of tools for understanding and classifying the benthic environment. In particular ocean and coastal scientists and resource managers can use in concert with bathymetric data to classify and understand the benthic environment. BTM was initially developed as a desktop extension for ArcGIS versions 8.x through 9.2SP3. The most recent release (3.0) of BTM for ArcGIS 10.1+ is comprised of a series of ArcPy scripts combined in a custom toolbox that allows the user to run the individual processes as separate functions. The BTM toolbox contains a set of tools that allow users to create grids of bathymetric position index (BPI), standardized BPI’s, slope, and terrain ruggedness from an input bathymetric data set. Additionally, two terrain classification tools give users the freedom to create their own zone and structure classifications and define the relationships that characterize them. New users of BTM will want to take advantage of the simple graphical user interface that wraps around all BTM tools, recreating the full "wizard" experience that was available in the previous releases.