The enhanced spectral resolution of hyperspectral and control of
bandwidths of multispectral data yield an advantage over color
aerial photography particularly when coral health and time
series analysis of coral reef community structure are of
interest. Depending on the type of instrument, a spectral
imaging system can be utilized to see multiple colors from
ultraviolet through the far infrared range. The AURORA
hyperspectral imaging system collected 72 ten nm bands in the
visible and near infrared spectral range with a 3 meter pixel
resolution. The data was processed to select band widths, which
optimized feature detection in shallow and deep water.
Photointerpreters can accurately and reliably delineate
boundaries of features in the imagery as they appear on the
computer monitor using a software interface such as the Habitat
Digitizer. Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS),
National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), Center