Ocean Color from Aerial Drones for Fine Scale Surveys Across the Gulf Stream Front
Abstract
The distribution of productivity and diversity in the ocean has not been well characterized below the scale of a few kilometers. The dynamics of the ecological and physical environment at this scale are poorly understood, yet may be important for ecosystem stability in a changing ocean and help predict important broad scale properties of the ocean. Aerial drones are capable of rapidly sampling large areas with high resolution, and could help address this current observational blindspot if properly deployed. The Gulf Stream front is an environment with intense fine-scale variability, the interface of two contrasting biogeochemical provinces, and is an ideal testbed for understanding fine-scale biophysical dynamics. We developed a drone-based workflow with a wide field of view imager for mapping ocean color and temperature, flew multiple surveys across the Gulf Stream front off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and validated it with a variety of in-situ optical and sampling techniques. We will present early results from these surveys, a guide for drone-based ocean color, and a vision for the role drones may play in biological oceanography.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2021
- Bibcode:
- 2021AGUFM.B13A..08G