Use of a semi-submersible vessel to supplement satellite data in mapping the sub-tidal environment of Lonsdale Bight, Australia

Abstract

The study was designed to identify the connection between features on the satellite image and the sea floor in Lonsdale Bight, Victoria, Australia, and to produce a map based on the findings. It used a semi-submersible vessel with an observation pod that can be lowered 1 m below the sea surface; this provides a stable platform from which spatially accurate data can be collected in the sub-marine environment, free from atmospheric effects. The results indicated a link between the depth and composition of the seabed and the spectral values found in the associated satellite image. Hence, the semi-submersible vessel is an ideal tool for seafloor imaging in shallow waters, without the disadvantages associated with diving.