Abstract

Seabed Mapping at the British Geological Survey: Acquisition to Interpretation
Track: Ocean, Coastal, and Marine Resources
Authors: rhys cooper

The British Geological Survey owns and operates a marine survey boat.Multibeam generates very high resolution dtms of the seabed which are totally changing the way BGS creates offshore digital maps.This presentation outlines how BGS has adopted this technology,using an ArcGIS workflow,to interpret seabed features and processes,and improve geological understanding. Backscatter mosaics,derived from the return signal of multibeam sonar, provide valuable additional information on the acoustic properties of the seabed;a hard, rough seabed reflects more acoustic energy than a soft, smooth seabed.ArcGIS provides numerous tools to aid classification and generalization within the interpretation workflow.It also enables the integration of 'groundtruthing' seabed samples and the creation of bathymetry-derived layers: such as rugosity, slope and aspect.Seabed sediment maps combined with other geological and biological data are used for habitat mapping essential in the delineation of Marine Protected Areas.This talk will also highlight how BGS are using the new Bathymetry Extension within ArcGIS.