Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government

This map was printed on an electronic plotter directly from digital files. Dimensional calibration may vary between electronic plotters and between X and Y 

directions on the same plotter, and paper may change size due to atmospheric conditions; therefore, scale and proportions may not be true on plots of this 

map.

For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services, Box 25286, Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225, 1–888–ASK–USGS

Digital files available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3261/

Suggested Citation: Kvitek, R.G., Dartnell, P., Phillips, E.L., and Cochrane, G.R., 2013, Colored shaded-relief bathymetry, Offshore of Carpinteria map area, 

California, sheet 1 in Johnson, S.Y., Dartnell, P., Cochrane, G.R., Golden, N.E., Phillips, E.L., Ritchie, A.C., Kvitek, R.G., Greene, H.G., Endris, C.A., Seitz, G.G., Sliter, 

R.W., Erdey, M.D., Wong, F.L., Gutierrez, C.I., Krigsman, L.M., Draut, A.E., and Hart, P.E. (S.Y. Johnson and S.A. Cochran, eds.), California State Waters Map 

Series—Offshore of Carpinteria, California: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3261, pamphlet 42 p., 10 sheets, scale 1:24,000, 

http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3261/.

US Army Corps

of Engineers

Figure 1. Map showing areas of multibeam-echosounder and bathymetric-sidescan surveys (pink shading), 

bathymetric and topographic-lidar surveys (orange diagonal lines), and publically available interferometric 

synthetic aperture radar (ifSAR) topography (yellow shading). Also shown are data-collecting agencies 

(CSUMB, California State University, Monterey Bay, Seafloor Mapping Lab; USACE, U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers; USGS, U.S. Geological Survey) and dates of surveys if known.

USGS, 2006

USGS, 2005

CSUMB, 2007

Carpinteria

Rincon

Point

CSUMB, 2007

119°35' 119°30'

34°25'

34°20'

Summerland USACE, 2009

20

60

40

20

50

30

10

DISCUSSION

This colored shaded-relief bathymetry map of the Offshore of Carpinteria map area in southern California 

was generated from bathymetry data collected by California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB), by the 

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and by Fugro Pelagos for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Joint 

Lidar Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise (fig. 1). The southeastern nearshore and shelf areas, as well as 

the western midshelf area, were mapped by CSUMB in the summer of 2007, using a 244-kHz Reson 8101 

multibeam echosounder. The western nearshore area, as well as the western outer shelf area, were mapped by 

the USGS in 2005 and 2006, using 117-kHz and 234.5-kHz SEA (AP) Ltd. SWATHplus-M phase-differencing 

sidescan sonars. The nearshore bathymetry and coastal topography were mapped for USACE by Fugro 

Pelagos in 2009, using the SHOALS-1000T bathymetric-lidar and Leica ALS60 topographic-lidar systems. All 

these mapping missions combined to collect bathymetry from the 0-m isobath to beyond the 3-nautical-mile 

limit of California’s State Waters.

During the CSUMB mapping mission, an Applanix position and motion compensation system (POS/MV) 

was used to accurately position the vessel during data collection, and it also accounted for vessel motion such 

as heave, pitch, and roll (position accuracy, ±2 m; pitch, roll, and heading accuracy, ±0.02°; heave accuracy, 

±5%, or 5 cm). NavCom 2050 GPS receiver (CNAV) data were used to account for tidal-cycle fluctuations, 

and sound-velocity profiles were collected with an Applied Microsystems (AM) SVPlus sound velocimeter. 

Soundings were corrected for vessel motion using the Applanix POS/MV data, for variations in water-column 

sound velocity using the AM SVPlus data, and for variations in water height (tides) using vertical-position 

data from the CNAV receiver. Final XYZ soundings and bathymetric-surface models were referenced to the 

World Geodetic System of 1984 (WGS 1984) relative to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 

1988). 

During the USGS mapping missions, differential GPS (DGPS) data were combined with measurements 

of vessel motion (heave, pitch, and roll) in a CodaOctopus F180 attitude-and-position system to produce a 

high-precision vessel-attitude packet. This packet was transmitted to the acquisition software in real time and 

combined with instantaneous sound-velocity measurements at the transducer head before each ping. The 

returned samples were projected to the seafloor using a ray-tracing algorithm that works with previously 

measured sound-velocity profiles. Statistical filters were applied to the raw samples that discriminate the 

seafloor returns (soundings) from unintended targets in the water column. The original soundings were 

referenced to the WGS 1984 relative to the MLLW (Mean Lower Low Water) tidal datum, but, through 

postprocessing using National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) VDatum tool, the 

soundings were transformed to the NAVD 1988. Finally, the soundings were converted into 2-m-resolution 

bathymetric-surface-model grids.

During the Fugro Pelagos mapping mission that was completed as part of the National Coastal Mapping 

Program of USACE, the Leica ALS60 topographic-lidar and the SHOALS-1000T bathymetric-lidar systems 

were mounted on an aircraft that flew survey lines at an altitude of 300 to 400 m (bathymetry) and 300 to 

1,200 m (topography), at speeds of between 135 and 185 knots. The ALS60 system collected data at a maximum pulse rate of 200 kHz, and the SHOALS system collected data at 1 kHz. Information on aircraft position, 

velocity, and acceleration were collected using the Novatel and POS A/V 410 systems (SHOALS) and the 

onboard GPS/IMU system (ALS60). Aircraft-position data were processed using POSPac software, and the 

results were combined with the lidar data to produce 3-D positions for each lidar shot. Various commercial and 

proprietary software packages were used to clean the data, to convert all valid data from ellipsoid to orthometric heights, and to export the data as a series of topography and bathymetry ASCII files. Final grids were 

provided in geographic coordinates referenced to the NAVD 1988.

Once all the bathymetric-surface models were transformed to a common projection and datum, the files 

were merged into one overall 2-m-resolution bathymetric-surface model and clipped to the boundary of the 

map area. An illumination having an azimuth of 300° and from 45° above the horizon was then applied to the 

bathymetric surface to create the shaded-relief imagery. In addition, a modified “rainbow” color ramp was 

applied to the bathymetry data, using reds and oranges to represent shallower depths, and light greens to 

represent greater depths (note that the Offshore of Carpinteria map area requires only the shallower part of the 

full-rainbow color ramp used on some of the other maps in the California State Waters Map Series; see, for 

example, Kvitek and others, 2012). This colored bathymetry surface was draped over the shaded-relief 

imagery at 60-percent transparency to create this colored shaded-relief map. Bathymetric contours were 

generated from a modified 10-m-resolution bathymetric surface where a smooth arithmetic mean convolution 

function that assigns a weight of one-ninth to each cell in a 3-pixel by 3-pixel matrix was applied iteratively to 

the surface ten times.

The onshore-area image was generated by applying the same illumination (azimuth of 300° and from 45° 

above the horizon) to the coastal airborne topographic-lidar data, as well as to publicly available, 3-m-resolution,

interferometric synthetic aperture radar (ifSAR) data, available from NOAA Coastal Service Center’s Digital 

Coast, at http://csc-s-mapsq.csc.noaa.gov/dataviewer/viewer.html (last accessed April 5, 2011).

REFERENCE CITED

Kvitek, R.G., Phillips, E.L., and Dartnell, P., 2012, Colored shaded-relief bathymetry, Hueneme Canyon and 

vicinity, California, sheet 1 in Johnson, S.Y., Dartnell, P., Cochrane, G.R., Golden, N.E., Phillips, E.L., 

Ritchie, A.C., Kvitek, R.G., Greene, H.G., Krigsman, L.M., Endris, C.A., Clahan, K.B., Sliter, R.W., 

Wong, F.L., Yoklavich, M.M., and Normark, W.R. (S.Y. Johnson, ed.), California State Waters Map 

Series—Hueneme Canyon and vicinity, California: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 

3225, pamphlet 41 p., 12 sheets, available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3225/.

EXPLANATION

Depth (in meters) and illumination (bright areas are illuminated, facing false sun; dark areas 

are in shadow, facing away from false sun)

Shallow

Deep

Direction of illumination from false sun—Position of false sun is at 300° azimuth, 45° above 

horizon [arrow included in explanation for illustration purposes only; not shown on map]

Area of “no data”—Areas near shoreline not mapped owing to insufficient high-resolution 

seafloor mapping data; areas beyond 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters were 

not mapped as part of California Seafloor Mapping Program

3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters

Bathymetric contour (in meters)—Derived from modified 10-m-resolution bathymetry grid. 

Contour interval: 10 m

CALIF.

0 4 8 Nautical Miles

Kilometers 0 5 10

120° 119°40' 119°20' 119°

34°

34°20'

MAP LOCATION

Ventura

Santa Barbara

Anacapa

Island

Santa Cruz Island Santa Rosa Island

Area of Santa Barbara Channel Map

Limit of California’s

State Waters

1

California State University Monterey Bay, Seafloor Mapping Lab;

2

U.S. Geological Survey

Colored Shaded-Relief Bathymetry, Offshore of Carpinteria Map Area, California

By

Rikk G. Kvitek,1 Peter Dartnell,2 Eleyne L. Phillips,2 and Guy R. Cochrane2

2013

ONE MILE = 0.869 NAUTICAL MILES

BATHYMETRIC CONTOUR INTERVAL 10 METERS

1 .5 0 1 KILOMETER

1000 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 FEET

1 1/2 0 1 MILE

SCALE 1:24 000

APPROXIMATE MEAN

DECLINATION, 2013

MAGNETIC NORTH

12 / ° 1 2

TRUE NORTH

Shaded-relief bathymetry by Peter Dartnell, 2011 (data collected by U.S. Geological 

Survey in 2005 and 2006 and by California State University, Monterey Bay, Seafloor 

Mapping Lab in 2007). Bathymetric contours by Andrew C. Ritchie, 2011

GIS database and digital cartography by Nadine E. Golden and Eleyne L. Phillips

Edited by Taryn A. Lindquist

Manuscript approved for publication June 13, 2013

Onshore elevation data from NOAA Coastal Services Center (data 

collected by EarthData International in 2002-2003) and from U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers (data collected by Fugro Pelagos in 

2009). California's State Waters limit from NOAA Office of Coast 

Survey

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 11N

NOT INTENDED FOR NAVIGATIONAL USE

20

10

30

40

50

60

10

Carpinteria

Rincon Point

Rincon Island

Summerland

119°35' 119°30'

34°25'

34°20'

119°35' 119°30'

34°25'

34°20'

Scientific Investigations Map 3261

Sheet 1 of 10

Pamphlet accompanies map

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey