Geo 565 Annotated Bibliography
Contact me
Susan Merle
susan.merle@oregonstate.edu or susan.merle@noaa.gov
I'm Susan Merle, employed by Oregon State University and the NOAA Vents Program. We study hydrothermal venting on submarine volcanoes and mid-ocean ridges. One of my specialties is visualizing the seafloor in 2-D, 2.5-D and 3-D. These annotations are presented in chronological order to indicate the advances made in the field of seafloor mapping, and the utilization of those data over the last decade. The last paper talks about visualizing the water column as well as the seafloor, which provides a glimpse into future directions in marine mapping. Above is an image I created depicting a few of the Mariana arc submarine volcanoes.
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Ford, S.F. Captain. 2000. The first three-dimensional nautical chart. ESRI User Conference Proceeding, 35 pgs.
The author created the first 3D electronic nautical chart in 1999. His study site was the area of the approaches to the Cape Cod Canal. Data inputs into ARC/INFO and ArcView included digitized paper nautical charts overlaid on NOAA bathymetric data. USGS DEMs were incorporated for the shoreline data. The gap between the data sets was then, and is still now an issue that many are addressing. At the time of the publication the limiting factor was computer processing speeds and monitor screen resolution to display the 3D data. He also addressed the issue of vertical datum differences in the topographic and bathymetric data that need resolving. Given the advances in the last decade in computer technology, Ford was quite a visionary. Improvements in maritime navigation visualization are coming to pass none too soon as the waterways become more congested and vessel accidents can lead to catastrophic conclusions, such as the Exxon Valdez oil spill. I spend months each year on ships and still have not seen a 3D display on the bridge, 10 years after this paper was published. I’ll have to take a closer look.
Wright, D. J., Donahue, B.T., and Naar, D.F., 2002. Seafloor mapping and GIS coordination at America's remotest national marine sanctuary (American Samoa),in Wright, D.J. (ed.), Undersea with GIS, ESRI Press, Redlands, California, 33-63.
This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the baseline surveys during 2001 at Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary (FBNMS) in American Samoa. Those surveys included multibeam bathymetry surveys at various scales, followed immediately by diver "rebreather" video transects to document biology in the areas. Multibeam survey strengths and weaknesses were analyzed using GIS, incorporating "control points" to aid in the accuracy of data processing decisions. Terrestrial and bathymetric and biological data were integrated into the FBNMS GIS, and a data clearinghouse was established . This data integration and sharing will assist in intelligent decision making with regarding the sanctuary. For myself, this paper provided relevant tips on multibeam data analysis using GIS techniques, as well as steps for creating a true marine GIS database.
Heap, A. Dec 2006. Classifying Australia's seascapes for marine conservation. AUSGEONews. Issue No. 84, 6 pgs.
Andrew Heap’s article is subtitled “Geoscience data predicts seabed biodiversity”. He indicates the significance of using physical oceanographic datasets to create 'seascapes' required for marine management across Australia's entire marine region. Examples of the physical datasets used to create the seascapes include bathymetry, slope, tidal currents, and most importantly, the percent of mud/sand/gravel cover. The premise is that seabed biota correlate to the mud and gravel seabed . That premise is extrapolated stating that physical properties can be used as surrogates to represent of marine biodiversity. All the physical data sets are analyzed and integrated using a GIS spatial analysis tools. Those seascapes will be used in decision-making regarding the establishment of marine protected areas offshore Australia. This paper pointed out the possibilities of using available oceanographic datasets in conjunction, to assist in intelligent decision-making on a national level.
Olsson, U., Ericson, M., Nilsson, S., Oias, H. 2007. A practical approach to quality control and quality analysis of depth data. Hydro Conference Proceeding, 17 pgs.
This paper denotes methods of establishing survey system accuracy, and the implementation of methods of quality control during data collection that will lead to conclusions of depth data quality. The goal is to collect data that will fulfill the ISO 9001 data quality standards. The authors designate techniques for ground-truthing the multibeam system. A RTK GPS system gives a precise 3D position of a man-made object on the seafloor. That object position can be used to aid in determining the accuracy of online multibeam survey controls including height, heading, position, timing and heave. Quality analysis during data acquisition and post-processing is performed using IVS 3D software such as the cross check tool, and the main Fledermaus interface. These data analysis tools are easy to use, enabling the multibeam operator to quickly analyze data quality and perhaps the need to re-survey areas that do not meet the data quality criteria.
Long, E. and Chapman, E.J. 2008. A unique approach to bathymetry mapping in a large river system. ArcUser Online Spring 2008. 12 pgs.
The subtitle for this article is "Using GIS tools to evaluate hidden habitat". The authors' goal was to create a comprehensive river GIS. The Allegheny River provides habitat for many threatened species, and was of great interest to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC). The first step was scanning USACE navigational charts and digitizing nautical features. They then performed a tightly-spaced bathymetric survey using a GPS fish finder. The bathymetric data were resolved into raster grids and TINs using ArcGIS spatial analyst. They then created a "view flyover" with ArcScene. The video was used for public outreach. An effort is now underway to add more data to the database in hopes of mapping the entire navigable portion of the river.
Hogrefe, K.R., Wright, D.J. and Hochberg, E.J. 2008. Derivation and integration of shallow-water bathymetry: Implications for coastal terrain modeling and subsequent analyses. Marine Geodesy, 31: 299-317.
The authors lay out steps for integrating topography and bathymetry to create a continuous surface from island to sea, which aids in understanding of the terrestrial influences on the marine environment. The difficulty in such data integration is filling the gap between the terrestrial (USGS DEM) and marine (bathymetric) data in the area of the surf zone (0 to 15m). The surf zone is an area that is usually too dangerous to survey with a research vessel. Multibeam surveys in very shallow water is a time-intensive operation, if it can be done at all. To fill that gap IKONOS satellite data was used, in areas with lititle or no cloud cover. The attenuation of blue and green spectral data proved to be a good way of deriving depths in the data gap area. Error analysis was conducted using control points from several sources. All the data were using ArcGIS. The data gap between land and sea has been a problem issue on a large scale (territorial sea mapping initiative) and smaller scales such as the one presented in this article.
Wedding, L.M. and Friedlander, A.M. 2008. Determining the influence of seascape structure on coral reef fishes in Hawaii using a geospatial approach. Marine Geodesy, 31: 246-266.
The authors make use of LIDAR data collected in Hawaii in 1999 and 2000. Those data were gridded using GIS spatial analysis tools to derive grids of bathymetry (out to 40m depth), slope and rugosity. The geomorphic data were analyzed along with more limited fish abundance data. The goal of this endeavor is to link the geology and the biology, defining the most diverse and abundant fish habitats, providing information for intelligent decision-making regarding Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), called Marine Life Conservation Districts (MLCDs) in Hawaii. As a person who collects, analyzes, and visualizes bathymetry data, this is another example of the power of bathymetry data. It can be utilized for more than just telling you how “deep” it is.
Iampietro, P.J., Young ,M.A., Kvitek, R.G. 2008. Multivariate prediction of rockfish habitat suitability in Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary and Del Monte Shalebeds, California, USA. Marine Geodesy, 31: 359-371.
The authors are investigating solutions for fisheries management, trying to address declining fisheries, and assist in informed decision making regarding Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). They compare studies done earlier at Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary (CBNMS) and subsequent studies at the Del Monte Shalebeds. Habitat-based assessment has been used as a proxy for incomplete stock assessments to gain a more complete understanding of fish abundance. Seascape metric surfaces (slope, rugosity topographic position index) were derived from the bathymetric data. Generalized linear models (GLMs) were analyzed using ArcRstats toolbox. First-cut criteria for planning can be provided by this method, and given the lack of biological data, this model uses already available remote-sensing data to provide crucial first-cut criteria for use in planning.
Kobara, S. and Heyman W.D. 2008. Geomorphometric patterns of Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) spawning aggregation sites in the Cayman Islands. Marine Geodesy, 31: 231-245.
This paper looks at known Nassau grouper spawning aggregation sites in the Caymen Islands to determine what geomorphological conditions the sites have in common. Bathymetric surveys were performed at the five spawning sites off the Caymen islands. Raster grids and TINs of the bathymetry were created and analyzed with ArcGIS spatial analyst. Those data were synthesized with the Landsat ETM+ images to create shelf-edge and shoreline contours. The authors found that the fish prefer to aggregate for spawning where the steep island shelf-edge drops-off into much deeper water, at reef promontories, and in 25-45m water depth. These are essential habitats for the Nassau grouper as well as other fish species who spawn in the same fashion. This information can assist in characterizing essential fish habitat, with the goal to protect the species from over-fishing and extinction.
Doucet, M., Ware, C., Arsenault, R., Weber,T., Ahmad Malik, M., Mayer, L., Gee, L. 2009. Advanced Mid-Water Tools for 4D Marine Data fusion and Analysis. Oceans Conference Proceeding, 9 pgs.
New multibeam sonars are capable of mapping the water column as well as the seafloor. This paper describes a new commercial software developed by IVS 3D called FM Midwater. The software enables the user to examine massive amounts of water column data using several different analysis tools including beam fan, beam line, point cloud and volume objects. The user can quickly sort through the data and clip out the water column data of interest (such as seafloor methane plumes, fishing gear, schools of fish, etc.). The resulting object can be brought into the Fledermaus 3-D software package, and overlaid on the bathymetry collected by the same system. The software package incorporates the time element resulting in data are actually 4-D. In terms of my research interests, this software can be used to isolate gas bubbles in the water column rising from submarine volcanoes. Moorings in the water column can also be imaged. The hope for me and my colleagues is that the water column data can be used as another tool in locating underwater volcanoes.
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Other papers of interest featuring marine mapping and GIS
Nasby N., R.W. Embley, M. Hixon, S. Merle, B. Tissot, D. Wright. 2002. Integration of submersible transect data and high resolution multibeam sonar imagery for a habitat based groundfish assessment of Heceta Bank, Oregon. Fishery Bulletin, 100: 739-751.
Chadwick, W.W. Jr., R.W. Embley, P.D. Johnson, S.G. Merle, S. Ristau, A. Bobbitt. 2005. The submarine flanks of Anatahan Volcano, commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 146: 8-25.
Whitmire, C.E., Embley, R.W., Wakefield, W.W., Merle, S.G., Tissot, B.N., 2007, A quantitative approach for using multibeam sonar data to map benthic habitats, in Todd, B.J., and Greene, H.G., eds., Mapping the Seafloor for Habitat Characterization: Geological Association of Canada, Special Paper 47: 111-126.
