Assets for media use, including b-roll and photos of 鈥榰ncrewed鈥� vessel & mission control lab; infographic; survey area map; drone footage; and other assets are .
Written by Kristen Kusek, Former Communications Director for USF CMS
This week, OB体育官网 marine scientists launched their first field mission in Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico to test a new approach to mapping shallow coastal areas -- the most vulnerable to coastal changes and storm events, but the hardest to survey.
They are using a suite of technologies to generate high-resolution maps of these coastal areas: acoustic sensors mounted on an uncrewed surface vessel (USV) that is remotely operated, laser-based sensors mounted on an airplane, and satellite-derived imagery.
鈥淐oastal areas may be the easiest to get to, but they are the hardest to survey from large ships that have depth limitations and may be less nimble than smaller craft,鈥� said Steve Murawski, who heads the Center for Ocean Mapping and Innovative Technologies () at the USF College of Marine Science (USF CMS) that is leading the mission in partnership with NOAA and two private companies. 鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to figure out the best mix of agile technologies for surveying complex, shallow areas 鈥� a top priority for Florida, the nation and the globe,鈥� Murawski said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 our primary goal.鈥�
The target areas in Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico exhibit an array of conditions with differences in depth, water clarity, boat traffic and habitat types, which makes this area a fertile testing ground. The work will be applicable to other coastal areas around Florida and beyond, said Murawski, who previously led the 10-year research effort in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.