Reduce Point Density (Maritime)

Available with Maritime Bathymetry license.

Summary

Thins points from a point or multipoint feature class.

Using an input feature class with either a numeric depth field or z-enabled geometry, the tool generates an output feature class with a set of points that have been thinned to a user-specified radius in a shallow or deep-biased manner.

Usage

  • The tool spatially thins sets of points based on depth values.

  • The output layer will be z-enabled if the input is z-enabled.

  • If the input is z-enabled, and you want to see the elevation values stored with each point feature, use the Add Z Information tool either before or after using the Reduce Point Density tool to add this information to the attribute table.

  • When setting the Start Depth and End Depth parameter values, it may help to know the range of the input depths. To see the range, open the input features attribute table, select the depth field name, and click Statistics.

  • To thin depth values from a raster, use the Raster To Point or Raster To Multipoint tool.

  • Specify the values of the Start Depth and End Depth parameters, according to the Depth Direction parameter value.

  • To run this tool with a thinning radius that remains constant with depth, enter a value for the Start Thinning Radius parameter only. To run the tool with a thinning radius that changes gradually with depth, enter a value for both the Start Thinning Radius and End Thinning Radius parameters.

  • The specified thinning radii are approximate in nature. They are intended to honor the Depth Selection Method parameter value and guide the spacing between points preserved in the output.

  • Consider using ModelBuilder to chain together multiple runs of this tool to achieve an output in which the thinning radius remains constant for a single depth range but with multiple densities of points created at different depth ranges.

Parameters

LabelExplanationData Type
Input Features

The input point or multipoint features.

Feature Layer
Output Feature Class

The output feature class.

Feature Class
Depth Field

The field where the depth is stored. It is either a numeric field or the shape field specified in Input Features.

Note:

For multipoint features, this must be the shape field.

Field
Depth Direction

Specifies how the depth value will be captured in the depth field of the input features.

  • Positive UpDepth values will be positive above the surface and negative below the surface. This is default.
  • Positive DownDepth values will be positive below the surface and negative above the surface.
String
Depth Selection Method

Specifies the bias that will be used to select the depths to be retained.

  • Shallow BiasedShallow bias will be used for depth. This is default.
  • Deep BiasedDeep bias will be used for depth.
String
Thinning Radius Unit

Specifies the unit of measure that will be used by the Start Thinning Radius and End Thinning Radius parameters.

  • KilometersThe radius unit will be kilometers.
  • MetersThe radius unit will be meters. This is default.
  • DecimetersThe radius unit will be decimeters.
  • CentimetersThe radius unit will be centimeters.
  • MillimetersThe radius unit will be millimeters.
  • Nautical MilesThe radius unit will be nautical miles.
  • MilesThe radius unit will be miles.
  • YardsThe radius unit will be yards.
  • FeetThe radius unit will be feet.
  • InchesThe radius unit will be inches.
  • Decimal DegreesThe radius unit will be decimal degrees.
  • PointsThe radius unit will be points.
String
Start Thinning Radius

The beginning radius that will be used to remove or thin points relative to each other.

Double
End Thinning Radius
(Optional)

The end radius that will be used to remove or thin points relative to each other. The thinning radius will dynamically change as the algorithm progresses through the range of depth values.

Double
Start Depth
(Optional)

The depth that will be used to begin the thinning algorithm. Depth values that appear before this depth based on the Depth Direction parameter value will be ignored.

Double
End Depth
(Optional)

The depth that will be used to end the thinning algorithm. Depth values that appear after this depth based on the Depth Direction parameter value will be ignored.

Double

arcpy.maritime.ReducePointDensity(in_features, out_feature_class, depth_field, depth_direction, depth_bias, radius_unit, start_thinning_radius, {end_thinning_radius}, {start_depth}, {end_depth})
NameExplanationData Type
in_features

The input point or multipoint features.

Feature Layer
out_feature_class

The output feature class.

Feature Class
depth_field

The field where the depth is stored. It is either a numeric field or the shape field specified in in_features.

Note:

For multipoint features, this must be the shape field.

Field
depth_direction

Specifies how the depth value will be captured in the depth field of the input features.

  • POSITIVE_UPDepth values will be positive above the surface and negative below the surface. This is default.
  • POSITIVE_DOWNDepth values will be positive below the surface and negative above the surface.
String
depth_bias

Specifies the bias that will be used to select the depths to be retained.

  • SHALLOW_BIASEDShallow bias will be used for depth. This is default.
  • DEEP_BIASEDDeep bias will be used for depth.
String
radius_unit

Specifies the unit of measure that will be used by the start_thinning_radius and end_thinning_radius parameters.

  • KILOMETERSThe radius unit will be kilometers.
  • METERSThe radius unit will be meters. This is default.
  • DECIMETERSThe radius unit will be decimeters.
  • CENTIMETERSThe radius unit will be centimeters.
  • MILLIMETERSThe radius unit will be millimeters.
  • NAUTICAL_MILESThe radius unit will be nautical miles.
  • MILESThe radius unit will be miles.
  • YARDSThe radius unit will be yards.
  • FEETThe radius unit will be feet.
  • INCHESThe radius unit will be inches.
  • DECIMAL_DEGREESThe radius unit will be decimal degrees.
  • POINTSThe radius unit will be points.
String
start_thinning_radius

The beginning radius that will be used to remove or thin points relative to each other.

Double
end_thinning_radius
(Optional)

The end radius that will be used to remove or thin points relative to each other. The thinning radius will dynamically change as the algorithm progresses through the range of depth values.

Double
start_depth
(Optional)

The depth that will be used to begin the thinning algorithm. Depth values that appear before this depth based on the depth_direction parameter value will be ignored.

Double
end_depth
(Optional)

The depth that will be used to end the thinning algorithm. Depth values that appear after this depth based on the depth_direction parameter value will be ignored.

Double

Code sample

ReducePointDensity example (Python window)

The following Python window script demonstrates how to use the ReducePointDensity function.

import arcpy
arcpy.CheckOutExtension("Bathymetry")
# Input Data
inputData = r"C:\Data\ReducePointDensity\ReducePointDensityTestData.gdb\ENC_Soundings_Delaware"
# Depth Field
depthField = ‘Depth’
# Output Feature Class
outputData = r"C:\Data\ReducePointDensity\ReducePointDensityTestData.gdb\ENC_Soundings_Delaware_Reduced"
arcpy.maritime.ReducePointDensity(inputData, outputData, depthField, ‘POSITIVE_DOWN’, ‘SHALLOW_BIASED’, 'METERS', 1000)
arcpy.CheckInExtension("Bathymetry")

Environments

This tool does not use any geoprocessing environments.

Licensing information

  • Basic: No
  • Standard: Requires ArcGIS Bathymetry
  • Advanced: Requires ArcGIS Bathymetry

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