The Transparency of Selected U.S. Coastal Waters with Applications to Laser Bathymetry.
Abstract
The operational effectiveness of airborne laser hydrography systems, considering the optical environment of the coastal waters of Oregon, Washington, and the Gulf Coast states, is examined. The best times of the year are predicted for conducting laser bathymetry, considering the temporal and spatial variability of optical properties due to seasonal effects, and charts of seasonally averaged optical measurements are given. Original formulas to convert beam attenuation coefficients and Secchi depth measurements to irradiance attenuation coefficients are included. The number of irradiance attenuation lengths to the bottom depth (Kd) are used as the indicator to estimate areas where laser hydrography systems would be successful and are shown by season and region. The conclusions of this thesis are that airborne laser hydrography is not practical in the coastal waters of Oregon and Washington, would be practical in limited areas of the western Gulf Coast, and would be very practical in teh eastern Gulf Coast area. Along the eastern Gulf Coast a 38,800 sq nmi area, delineated by a Kd = 4 contour, is judged surveyable by laser. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADA081732
Entities
People
- Maxim F. Van Norden
- Steven E. Litts
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School