Welcome to the Pacific Mapping Program (PMP) Home Page

About the PMP

The Pacific Mapping Program (PMP) was established on July 1, 1990 in the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, to facilitate the exploration and development of the Pacific Islands Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This is a unique program to conduct research, service and graduate education in ocean mapping, initially funded by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the National Ocean Service/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOS/NOAA), and Pacific International Center for High Technology Research (PICHTR). Since 1994, it has been supported by the State of Hawaii at the College of Engineering. From September 1998, PMP is in the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST).

Research and Services

Research includes the integration of various types of available mapping data in the EEZ of the Pacific Islands Region (Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Marianas), and the investigation of new data integration methods and data analysis techniques. Bathymetric data, side-scan sonar images, gravity, magnetic and seismic data have been collected from governmental agencies and academic institutions. 3D bathymetric maps and side-scan sonar image mosaics have been generated. Data integration has been a strong point in PMP's research. This includes the generation of integrated maps of bathymetric data and side-scan sonar images, correction of pixel locations of side-scan sonar images by using bathymetric data acquired separately, and the improvement of bathymetric data by the shape from shading technique. Data from SeaBeam and GLORIA were integrated successfully to generate three-dimensional maps of Cook and other seamounts.

Research in developing a Marine Geographic Information System (GIS) and a correlation study between free-air gravity anomaly and bathymetry is also being conducted. PMP is also studying navigational problems using GPS. Pacific-wide contacts for mapping research and data acquisition have been made with agencies and researchers of several Pacific nations.

Service includes providing needed mapping information for ocean resource assessment, educating personnel by providing specialized workshops, and identifying areas where mapping is lacking and where mapping should be done.