@article {7549, title = {Mapping and Geomorphic Characterization of the Vast Cold-Water Coral Mounds of the Blake Plateau}, volume = {4(1)}, year = {2024}, month = {12 January 2024}, pages = {17-47}, publisher = {MDPI}, abstract = {

A coordinated multi-year ocean exploration campaign on the Blake Plateau offshore of the south-23 eastern U.S. has mapped what appears to be the most expansive cold-water coral (CWC) mound 24 province thus far discovered. Nearly continuous CWC mound features span an area up to 500 km 25 long and 110 km wide, with a core area of high density mounds up to 254 km long by 42 km wide. 26 This study synthesized bathymetric data from 31 multibeam sonar mapping surveys and generated 27 a standardized geomorphic classification of the region in order to delineate and quantify CWC 28 mound habitats and compare mound morphologies among subregions of the coral province. Based 29 on the multibeam bathymetry, a total of 83,908 individual peak features were delineated, providing 30 the first estimate of the overall number of potential CWC mounds mapped in the region to date. 31 Five geomorphic landform classes were mapped and quantified: peaks (411 km2), valleys (3,598 32 km2), ridges (3,642 km2), slopes (23,082 km2), and flats (102,848 km2). The complex geomorphology 33 of eight subregions was described qualitatively with geomorphic \“fingerprints\” (spatial patterns) 34 and quantitatively by measurements of mound density and vertical relief. This study demonstrated 35 the value of applying an objective automated terrain segmentation and classification approach to 36 geomorphic characterization of a highly complex CWC mound province. Manual delineation of 37 these features in a consistent repeatable way with a comparable level of detail would not have been 38 possible.

}, keywords = {automated, bathymetry, Blake Plateau, cold-water corals, Desmophyllum, geomorphology, Lophelia, mapping, multibeam sonar, Ocean exploration, reef}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/geomatics4010002}, url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7418/4/1/2}, author = {Derek Sowers and Larry A Mayer and Giuseppe Masetti and Erik Cordes and Ryan Gasbarro and Elizabeth Lobecker and Kasey Cantwell and Samuel Candio and Shannon Hoy and Mashkoor A Malik and Michael White and Matt Dornback} } @article {7367, title = {Aggregation Methods Using Bathymetry Sources of Differing Subjective Reliabilities for Navigation Mapping}, volume = {46}, year = {2023}, month = {6 February 2023}, pages = {99-128}, publisher = {Taylor and Francis}, abstract = {

When planning for ship navigation or compiling data for a bathymetry map, the navigator or mapper uses many different sources of bathymetry information and navigation hazards. The quality of these sources is inconsistent in general, however, making it challenging to provide a coherent picture for planning. Here, we describe an approach for consistent planning/mapping that uses a combination of soft computing and Bayesian estimation. The case study used to exercise this system involves NOAA Electronic Nautical Charts for an area in the Chesapeake Bay. We first interpolate each set of irregularly spaced soundings to gridded versions of each point-cloud set. Each of these intermediate grids is then aggregated into a fused bathymetric realization using order weighted averaging (OWA) to provide the weights for each source based on their subjective reliabilities. The OWA allows for fusion informed by the user\’s subjective risk allowed in the reconstruction of the seafloor surface and provides quantitative methods to generate, use, and record subjective reliability weights. Each sounding point that went into the bathymetry estimate is then categorized as \“no-go,\” \“caution,\” or \“go\” status. Reliability estimates are reused for weighted Bayesian categorization of each output grid cell to compute the navigable surface.

}, keywords = {Bathymetry Fusion, Bayesian Categorical Estimation, Navigation Risk, Order Weighted Average}, doi = {10.1080/01490419.2023.2166173}, author = {Paul A. Elmore and Brian R Calder and Fred Petry and Giuseppe Masetti and Ron Yager} } @proceedings {7463, title = {Improving Hydrographic Data Quality with MAC Assessment Tools and the HydrOffice Suite}, year = {2023}, month = {June 20-22}, address = {Barcelona, Spain}, keywords = {Ocean mapping Multibeam Advisory Committee HydrOffice assessment tools}, author = {Kevin Jerram and Giuseppe Masetti and Paul Johnson and Vicki L Ferrini} } @article {7437, title = {Introducing the Denmark Depth Model}, volume = {2}, year = {2023}, month = {April 6}, pages = {40-42}, publisher = {Geomares Publishing}, abstract = {
The Denmark Depth Model (DDM) is a digital bathymetric model covering Denmark\’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). It was developed based on hundreds of bathymetric survey datasets and historical sources and is the first model released by the Danish Geodata Agency to cover Danish waters with a grid resolution of 50 metres. In light of increasing environmental concerns, the DDM makes a significant contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14, which aims to \“conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.\”
}, url = {https://www.hydro-international.com/content/article/introducing-the-denmark-depth-model}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti} } @article {7467, title = {Mapping and Geomorphic Characterization of the Vast Cold-Water Coral Mounds of the Blake Plateau}, year = {2023}, month = {May 29-June 2}, address = {Edinburgh, Scotland, UK}, abstract = {

The full extent of the largest cold-water coral (CWC) mound province thus far discovered has been recently revealed through multibeam sonar surveys completed during a multi-year exploration campaign on the Blake Plateau offshore of the southeastern U.S. CWC mounds in this region form distinct bumps or pinnacles (composed of slope, ridge, and peak features) readily observable in multibeam bathymetry data and were mapped in depth ranges spanning approximately 350-900 m.

Bathymetric data from 31 multibeam sonar mapping surveys were synthesized and used to generate a standardized geomorphic classification of the region in order to delineate and quantify CWC mound habitats. Seafloor terrain features were classified using the Bathymetry- and Reflectivity-based Estimator for Seafloor Segmentation (BRESS) method developed by Masetti et al. (2018) into five geomorphic landform classes (peaks, valleys, ridges, slopes, and flats) to support the enumeration of coral mound features and to quantify the area of each landform class. The \“peak\” landform class was utilized to identify and count the number of individual apparent CWC mounds.

The complex geomorphology of eight subregions representing distinct spatial patterns of CWC mound formation was described qualitatively with geomorphic \“fingerprints\” and quantitatively by measurements of mound density and vertical relief. Ground-truth for the bathymetric analysis was provided by direct substrate observations from 23 submersible dive videos that revealed coral rubble to be the dominant substrate component within the peak, ridge, and slope landforms explored, thereby validating the interpretation of these bathymetric features as CWC mounds.

The methods used in this study provide a pragmatic standardized approach for identifying, characterizing, and quantifying CWC mound-forming habitats and could be applied to other CWC provinces to enable more direct comparisons among geographically diverse settings.

}, author = {Derek Sowers and Larry A Mayer and Giuseppe Masetti and Erik Cordes and Ryan Gasbarro and Elizabeth Lobecker and Kasey Cantwell and Shannon Hoy and Michael White and Samuel Candio and Mashkoor A Malik and Matt Dornback} } @proceedings {7462, title = {The Multibeam Advisory Committee and Ocean Mapping Community Wiki}, year = {2023}, month = {June 20-22}, address = {Barcelona, Spain}, keywords = {Ocean mapping Multibeam Advisory Committee}, author = {Kevin Jerram and Giuseppe Masetti and Paul Johnson and Vicki L Ferrini} } @proceedings {7464, title = {Multibeam Advisory Committee assessment tools workshop}, year = {2023}, month = {June 20-22}, address = {Barcelona, Spain}, keywords = {Multibeam Advisory Committee ocean mapping multibeam assessment tools}, author = {Kevin Jerram and Giuseppe Masetti and Paul Johnson and Vicki L Ferrini} } @article {7357, title = {Denmark{\textquoteright}s Depth Model: Compilation of Bathymetric Data within the Danish Waters}, volume = {2(4)}, year = {2022}, month = {November 11}, pages = {486-498}, abstract = {

Denmark\’s Depth Model (DDM) is a Digital Bathymetric Model based on hundreds of bathymetric survey datasets and historical sources within the Danish Exclusive Economic Zone. The DDM represents the first publicly released model covering the Danish waters with a grid resolution of 50 m. When modern datasets are not available for a given area, historical sources are used, or, as the last resort, interpolation is applied. The model is generated by averaging depths values from validated sources, thus, not targeted for safety of navigation. The model is available by download from the Danish Geodata Agency website. DDM is also made available by means of Open Geospatial Consortium web services (i.e., Web Map Service). The original datasets\—not distributed with the model\—are described in the auxiliary layers to provide information about the bathymetric sources used during the compilation.

}, keywords = {digital bathymetric model}, doi = {10.3390/geomatics2040026}, url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7418/2/4/26}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Andersen, Ove and Nicki Andreasen and Christiansen, Philip S. and Cole, Marcus A. and Harris, James P. and Langdahl, Kasper and Schwenger, Lasse M. and Sonne, Ian B.} } @article {7321, title = {Effective Automated Procedures for Hydrographic Data Review}, volume = {2(3)}, year = {2022}, month = {August 25}, pages = { 338-354}, publisher = {MDPI}, address = {Basel, Switzerland}, abstract = {

Reviewing hydrographic data for nautical charting is still a predominately manual process, performed by experienced analysts and based on directives developed over the years by the hydrographic office of interest. With the primary intent to increase the effectiveness of the review process, a set of automated procedures has been developed over the past few years, translating a significant portion of the NOAA Office of Coast Survey\’s specifications for hydrographic data review into code (i.e., the HydrOffice applications called QC Tools and CA Tools). When applied to a large number of hydrographic surveys, it has been confirmed that such procedures improve both the quality and timeliness of the review process. Increased confidence in the reviewed data, especially by personnel in training, has also been observed. As such, the combined effect of applying these procedures is a novel holistic approach to hydrographic data review. Given the similarities of review procedures among hydrographic offices, the described approach has generated interest in the ocean mapping community.

}, keywords = {automated procedures, data review, hydrographic survey, nautical charts}, doi = { https://doi.org/10.3390/geomatics2030019}, url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7418/2/3/19/htm}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Tyanne Faulkes and Matthew J. Wilson and Julia Wallace} } @article {7375, title = {Introducing Programming to Ocean Mapping Students}, volume = {28}, year = {2022}, month = {November 11}, pages = {108-120}, publisher = {International Hydrographic Office (IHO)}, address = {Monaco}, abstract = {

The next generation of ocean mappers need to master programming skills to meet increasingly higher expectations for timely ping-to-public data workflows. As such, the e-learning Python for Ocean Mapping (ePOM) project was established at the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping/NOAA-UNH Joint Hydrographic Center (University of New Hampshire). The project aims to support new ocean mapping students and professionals in reaching a minimum level of programming skills. These skills are then expanded with further powerful capabilities by leveraging the open-source Python scientific stack and the NOAA (National Oceanic \& Atmospheric Administration) Office of Coast Survey\’s Pydro distribution. To the best of our knowledge, the ePOM project represents the first attempt at creating a set of comprehensive open-source courses providing students with the required initial coding skills for a career in the ocean mapping field.

}, keywords = {education, ocean data science, ocean mapping, programming, scientific computing}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.58440/ihr-28-a13}, url = {https://ihr.iho.int/articles/introducing-programming-to-ocean-mapping-students/}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Semme J Dijkstra and Rochelle Wigley and Tyanne Faulkes} } @article {7216, title = {Standardized Geomorphic Characterization of the Extensive Cold-Water Coral Mound Province of the Blake Plateau, USA}, year = {2022}, month = {Feb 24 - Mar 4}, abstract = {

A strategically-planned multi-year exploration campaign on the Blake Plateau offshore of the southeastern U.S. has mapped what appears to be the most expansive cold-water coral (CWC) mound province thus far discovered. Bathymetric data from twenty multibeam sonar mapping surveys were synthesized and used to generate a standardized geomorphic classification of the region in order to delineate and quantify CWC mound habitats. CWC mounds in this region form distinct bumps or pinnacles (composed of slope, ridge, and peak features) readily observable in multibeam bathymetry data and were mapped in depth ranges spanning approximately 350-900 m. Seafloor terrain features were classified using the Bathymetry- and Reflectivity-based Estimator for Seafloor Segmentation (BRESS) method developed by Masetti et al. (2018) into five geomorphic landform classes (peaks, valleys, ridges, slopes, and flats) to support the enumeration of coral mound features and to quantify the area of each landform class. The \“peak\” landform class was utilized to identify and count the number of individual apparent CWC mounds. The complex geomorphology of eight subregions representing distinct spatial patterns of CWC mound formation was described qualitatively with geomorphic \“fingerprints\” and quantitatively by measurements of mound density and vertical relief. Ground-truth for the bathymetric analysis was provided by direct substrate observations from 23 submersible dive videos that revealed coral rubble to be the dominant substrate component within the peak, ridge, and slope landforms explored, thereby validating the interpretation of these bathymetric features as CWC mounds. The methods used in this study provide a pragmatic standardized approach for identifying, characterizing, and quantifying CWC mound-forming habitats and could be applied to other CWC provinces to enable more direct comparisons among geographically diverse settings.

}, keywords = {Geomorphic Characterization}, url = {https://osm2022.secure-platform.com/a/gallery/rounds/3/details/6986}, author = {Derek Sowers and Larry A Mayer and Giuseppe Masetti and Erik Cordes and Ryan Gasbarro and Elizabeth Lobecker and Kasey Cantwell and Shannon Hoy and Michael White and Sam Candio and Mashkoor A Malik and Matt Dornback} } @inbook {6972, title = {Application of the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard to Gosnold Seamount, North Atlantic Ocean}, booktitle = {Seafloor Geomorphology as Benthic Habitat}, year = {2020}, month = {November 8}, pages = { 903-916}, publisher = {Elsevier}, organization = {Elsevier}, edition = {2nd }, chapter = {56}, abstract = {

This case study applied the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS) to initial characterization of a deep-sea seamount by combining observations from a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and information derived from multibeam sonar bathymetry and backscatter. Spatial segmentation of the multibeam bathymetry was done using algorithms based on defining bathymorphons resulting in six classes: flats, slopes, ridges, valleys, shoulders, and footslopes. These classes were modified to delineate CMECS \“Level 1\” geoform units for Gosnold Seamount. Further segmentation of landforms was completed using textural analysis of the sonar backscatter mosaic of the seamount to identify segments of the same landform type with similar reflectivity texture. All of the ROV dive video of the seafloor was analyzed manually to create a spreadsheet of 933 georeferenced annotations of organisms and associated substrate types. The dominant sediment type over each 50 m segment of the ROV track was also classified using substrate unit terminology from CMECS into four classes: bedrock (10\% of ROV track), fine unconsolidated sediments on bedrock (84\%), coral rubble (1\%), and sand (5\%). Eleven genera of corals, two classes of sponges, and four classes of echinoderms were observed along the track, with glass sponges dominating the annotation and abundance counts. Nominal regression revealed that depth, temperature, and sediment type were significant predictors of individual coral along the ROV track (P\<.001, P\<.001, P\<.001, respectively). In contrast, slope, sediment type and dissolved oxygen were significant predictors of sponge distribution along the track. In summary the application of CMECS to Gosnold Seamount provided a useful systematic framework for structuring geoform, substrate, and biotic classification of benthic habitat. Using this standard, in combination with the semiautomated seafloor segmentation approach utilized, can provide a consistent and reproducible habitat classification approach for large regions and facilitate comparison of habitats among features.

}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-814960-7.00056-7}, author = {Derek Sowers and Jennifer A. Dijkstra and Kristen Mello and Giuseppe Masetti and Mashkoor A Malik and Larry A Mayer}, editor = {Peter Harris and Elaine Baker} } @article {6749, title = {Applications of the Gulf of Maine Operational Forecast System to Enhance Spatio-Temporal Oceanographic Awareness for Ocean Mapping}, volume = {6:804}, year = {2020}, month = {January 2020}, publisher = {Frontiers Media}, abstract = {

Despite or perhaps because of recent technological advances in seafloor mapping systems, the resulting products and the overall operational efficiency of surveys are often affected by poor awareness of the oceanographic environment in which the surveys are conducted. Increasingly reliable ocean nowcast and forecast model predictions of key environmental variables \– from local to global scales \– are publicly available, but they are often not used by ocean mappers. With the intention of rectifying this situation, this work evaluates some possible ocean mapping applications for commonly available oceanographic predictions by focusing on one of the available regional models: NOAA\’s Gulf of Maine Operational Forecast System. The study explores two main use cases: the use of predicted oceanographic variability in the water column to enhance and extend (or even substitute) the data collected on-site by sound speed profilers during survey data acquisition; and, the uncertainty estimation of oceanographic variability as a meaningful input to estimate the optimal time between sound speed casts. After having described the techniques adopted for each use case and their implementation as an extension of publicly-available ocean mapping tools, this work provides evidence that the adoption of these techniques has the potential to improve efficiency in survey operations as well as the quality of the resulting ocean mapping products.

}, keywords = {forecast models, ocean mapping, oceanographic variability, sound speed}, doi = {https://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00804}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Michael Smith and Larry A Mayer and John G Kelley} } @proceedings {6747, title = {The e-Learning Python for Ocean Mapping project - Empowering the Next Generation of Ocean Mappers with Effective Programming Skills}, year = {2020}, month = {February 24-27}, address = {Quebec City, Quebec, Canada}, abstract = {

The next generation of ocean mappers will need to master programming skills to face the increasingly higher expectations for timely ping-to-public data workflows. As such, the e-learning Python for Ocean Mapping (ePOM) project was established to support new ocean mapping students and professionals in reaching a minimum level of programming skills. These skills are then expanded with further powerful capabilities by leveraging the open-source Python scientific stack and the NOAA Office of Coast Survey\&$\#$39;s Pydro distribution.

}, keywords = {e-learning, juyter notebooks, programming skills, python}, doi = {https://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.33921.40806}, url = {https://www.conferium.com/OLM/Prg_Present.lasso?showevent=202}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Semme J Dijkstra and Rochelle Wigley and Greenaway, Samuel F and Damian Manda and Andrew A. Armstrong and Larry A Mayer} } @proceedings {6748, title = {Leveraging Predictions from NOAA{\textquoteright}s Oceanographic Forecast Models to Increase Environmental Variability Awareness in Ocean Mapping}, year = {2020}, month = {January 13-17}, address = {Boston, MA}, abstract = {
The efficient acquisition of high-quality data using modern seafloor mapping systems is too often limited by the poor awareness of the oceanographic environment in which the surveys are conducted. As such, two tools that support ocean mappers in accessing the increasingly reliable predictions from NOAA\&$\#$39;s operational 3-D oceanographic forecast modeling systems and also NOAA\&$\#$39;s World Ocean Atlas have been developed and made freely available: Sound Speed Manager and SmartMap.
Sound Speed Manager is an open-source, Python-based library and desktop application to perform accurate processing and management of sound speed profiles. Once loaded, the measured oceanographic data may be enhanced/extended using different sources (e.g. the National Ocean Service\&$\#$39;s Gulf of Maine Operational Forecast System, the National Weather Service\&$\#$39;s Global Real-Time Forecast System), validated, and exported in several file formats commonly recognized by acquisition and processing applications. The processed profiles are stored in a per-project SQLite database, and several analysis functions and tools to manage the database-stored profiles are also available.
SmartMap provides web services (and a GIS portal) that transpose publicly-available oceanographic environmental data predictions into the estimated effects on the survey data.
The adopted spatial variability analysis estimates the uncertainty using model-retrieved synthetic profiles. The data ingestion is performed using a combination of code written in Python and C++ to combine the strengths of both languages. The results, provided as a water-depth percentage of ray-tracing depth uncertainty, are useful in all the phases of a survey, from planning to the execution and processing phases. SmartMap outputs can be accessed using Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) web services (and thus loaded as a
map layer in existing desktop GIS applications) and through a dedicated Web GIS site (https://www.hydroffice.org/smartmap/).
Ongoing research efforts for both tools are targeting the adoption of NOS\&$\#$39; operational Great Lakes, estuarine and coastal 3-D oceanographic forecast modeling systems - like the Gulf of Maine Operational Forecast System (GoMOFS) - to enhance and extend (or even substitute) the data collected on-site by sound speed profilers, and the use of the model-derived environmental uncertainty as a meaningful input to better predict profiling times.
}, doi = {https://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.12426.00966}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Larry A Mayer and Paul Johnson and John G Kelley} } @proceedings {6750, title = {Open Backscatter Toolchain (OpenBST) - A Community-Vetted Workflow for Backscatter Processing}, year = {2020}, month = {February 24-27}, address = {Quebec City, Quebec, Canada}, abstract = {

Seafloor acoustic backscatter collected by multibeam echosounders (MBES) is routinely used to generate products such as backscatter mosaics and angular response curves. However, the usability of backscatter products has been hindered by a lack of consistent outputs that may be the result of differences in sonar calibration, data collection and processing. The Open BackScatter Toolchain (OpenBST) project aims to mitigate discrepancies that arise from existing processing workflows by providing open-source, community-vetted processing algorithms for backscatter data. In this work, an example of the OpenBST approach was applied to the backscatter processing workflow for a popular multibeam echosounder, using a reference dataset recently collected in Portsmouth Harbor, NH. At each processing step, intermediate outputs are produced (and compared) using commonly adopted methodologies. Finally, an analysis of the relative relevance of selecting those methodologies at the various intermediate steps is presented.

}, keywords = {acoustic baskscatter, ocean mapping, open source, Seafloor Characterization}, doi = {https://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.19660.77442}, url = {https://www.conferium.com/OLM/Prg_Present.lasso?showevent=202}, author = {Michael Smith and Giuseppe Masetti and Larry A Mayer and Mashkoor A Malik and Augustin, Jean-Marie and Cyrille Poncelet and Ian Parnum} } @proceedings {6775, title = {Soundings Validation: Toolbox Research to Operations}, year = {2020}, month = {February 24-27}, address = {Quebec City, Quebec, Canada}, abstract = {

Charted bathymetry encompasses the cartographer\’s effort to accurately describe submarine topography based on the source information. A key factor in the selection process is that, at any location, the charted features do not give a false impression that the water depth is deeper than it actually is. Our research work focused on development of an\ automated solution for the identification of locations where this goal is violated. We present the research work from conceptualization to the development of an ArcGIS Toolbox\ named \“Sounding Validation Toolbox\” that consists of three automated tools, as well as the challenges and results in the process of making it operational with the Marine Chart Division of NOAA/Office of Coast Survey.

}, keywords = {nautical surface test; triangle test; selected soundings; automated nautical cartography; charted soundings}, doi = {10.6084/m9.figshare.12196185}, url = {https://www.conferium.com/OLM/Prg_Present.lasso?showevent=202}, author = {Christos Kastrisios and Brian R Calder and Giuseppe Masetti and Brian Martinez and Peter Holmberg} } @article {6740, title = {Standardized Geomorphic Classification of Seafloor Within the United States Atlantic Canyons and Continental Margin}, volume = {7(9)}, year = {2020}, month = {January 28}, pages = {1-9}, abstract = {

Accurate seafloor maps serve as a critical component for understanding marine\ ecosystems and guiding informed ocean management decisions. From 2004 to\ 2015, the Atlantic Ocean continental margin offshore of the United States has been\ systematically mapped using multibeam sonars. This work was done in support of\ the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) Project and for baseline characterization of\ the Atlantic canyons, but the question remains as to the relevance of these marginwide\ data sets for conservation and management decisions pertaining to these areas.\ This study utilized an automatic segmentation approach to initially identify landform\ features from the bathymetry of the region, then translated these results into complete\ coverage geomorphology maps of the region utilizing the coastal and marine ecological\ classification standard (CMECS) to define geoforms. Abyssal flats make up more than\ half of the area (53\%), with the continental slope flat class making up another 30\% of\ the total area. Flats of any geoform class (including continental shelf flats and guyot flats)\ make up 83.06\% of the study area. Slopes of any geoform class make up a cumulative\ total of 13.26\% of the study region (8.27\% abyssal slopes, 3.73\% continental slopes, and 1.25\% seamount slopes). While ridge features comprise only 1.82\% of the total\ study area (1.03\% abyssal ridges, 0.63 continental slope ridge, and 0.16\% seamount\ ridges). Key benefits of the study\’s semi-automated approach include computational\ efficiency for large datasets, and the ability to apply the same methods to large regions\ with consistent results.

}, keywords = {Atlantic, bathymorphon, classification, coastal and marine ecological classification standard, geoform, geomorphology, geomorphometry, seafloor}, doi = {10.3389/fmars.2020.00009}, url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00009}, author = {Derek Sowers and Giuseppe Masetti and Larry A Mayer and Paul Johnson and James V. Gardner and Andrew A. Armstrong} } @article {6703, title = {Adding Value to Broad-Scale Ocean Exploration Mapping Data Through Standardized Geomorphic Classification and Backscatter Data Analysis}, year = {2019}, month = {December 9-13}, pages = {San Francisco, CA}, abstract = {

Accurate maps of ocean bathymetry and seafloor habitats serve as a fundamental basis for understanding marine ecosystems and guiding marine spatial planning efforts. From 2004-2015, a vast region of the Atlantic Ocean continental margin offshore of the United States has been systematically mapped using multibeam sonars in support of the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) Project and for baseline characterization of the Atlantic canyons. Now that these high cost and high quality datasets have been collected, there is a rich opportunity to further analyze and interpret these data to generate value-added spatial datasets on seafloor geomorphology, substrate, and potential habitat suitability for deep sea biota. This study presents a methodology to generate geomorphology and predicted substrate spatial datasets using semi-automated classification methods that are transparent and repeatable, and utilizing a standardized classification scheme (the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard - CMECS). \ The approach developed through this work provides a model of how to consistently classify seafloor attributes using CMECS as an organizing framework across large potential regions nationally or globally.

This study utilized an automatic segmentation approach to identify landform features from the bathymetry of the region, then translated these results into complete coverage geomorphology (CMECS geoform component) maps of the region. Results provide a characterization of the marine landscape that serves as an inventory of the cumulative area and abundance of geoforms and the spatial relationships among them. Geoform summary statistics were calculated over the study region to quantify the area of each geoform type. These analyses represent a first step in identifying regions of consistent morphology within which the consistency of the backscatter can then be determined. Detailed analysis of the backscatter response for insights into predicted substrate types within the region represents the next phase of the study, and preliminary results will be presented. Key benefits of the study\’s semi-automated approach include computational efficiency for large datasets, and the ability to apply the same methods to large regions with consistent results.

}, author = {Derek Sowers and Giuseppe Masetti and Larry A Mayer and Paul Johnson and James V. Gardner and Andrew A. Armstrong} } @proceedings {6547, title = {On the Effective Validation of Charted Soundings and Depth Curves}, year = {2019}, month = {March 18-21}, address = {Biloxi, MS}, abstract = {

Depth curves and charted soundings are two structural components of nautical charts, both derived from a more detailed dataset through generalization. Once depth curves are generated, the cartographer makes a selection of soundings that complements the depth curves and other features carrying bathymetric information in the adequate representation of the seabed morphology at the scale of the product. The selection of charted soundings \– which is currently either performed fully manually, or partially manually using a computer-assisted solution \– must meet the safety constraint, i.e., that no source sounding exists that is shoaler than what the mariner would expect by mentally interpolating the charted bathymetric information. According to International Hydrographic Organization S-4 publication, for well-surveyed areas that is achieved through the \“triangular method of selection\” and consists of two tests: the Triangle Test and the Edge Test. There are currently no fully automated solutions, so, with the ultimate goal of supporting \“cartography at point of use\”, we consider the problem of automating the validation of shoal-selected soundings. We discuss an implementation of the triangle test with improved performance near linear features, the first automated implementation of the edge test, and that the edge test may identify shoals that the triangle test fails to detect, confirming its significance in the validation process. We demonstrate an \“intrinsic\” limitation of the two tests that makes infeasible a fully automated solution based solely on the two tests. Finally, to overcome the intrinsic limitation, we propose a new validation test, named Nautical Surface Test, that captures the local morphology at the appropriate charting resolution as the solution for the automated validation of the charted bathymetric information.

}, keywords = {Analytical cartography, Computer cartography, Data Generalization, Delaunay Triangulation, depth interpolation, Nautical cartography, nautical surface test, Sounding Selection}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18705.89440}, author = {Christos Kastrisios and Brian R Calder and Giuseppe Masetti and Peter Holmberg} } @article {6526, title = {High Resolution Mapping of Morphologic Features and Seafloor Sediments of the New Hampshire and Vicinity Continental Shelf, Western Gulf of Maine}, year = {2019}, month = {March 17-19}, pages = {Portland, ME}, abstract = {

The Western Gulf of Maine (WGOM) seafloor is extremely complex with extensive bedrock outcrops, marine modified glacial deposits, marine formed shoals, and muddy offshore basins. Many of the depositional features found on the shelf are dominated by remnant glacial features (e.g., drumlins, eskers, moraines) that were significantly modified by marine processes as sea-level fluctuated following deglaciation. The glacial deposits were eroded, leaving very coarse lag deposits, while supplying sand and fine gravel to develop wave formed features (shoals). A number of the nearshore glacial and other physiographic features found on the shelf continue onshore. As a result, the New Hampshire continental shelf\’s morphologic features and sediment are highly diverse and vary significantly over short distances.

Over the last decade, the geology (primarily morphology, depositional systems, and controlling processes) of the New Hampshire and vicinity continental shelf has been extensively studied based on archived databases (subbottom seismics, vibracores and surficial sediments), as well as more recently available high resolution multibeam echosounder (MBES) bathymetry and backscatter. In addition, field campaigns were conducted in 2016-2017 to obtain additional ground truth (bottom sediment samples and videography). From this database, high resolution seafloor maps were developed using various seafloor classifications, but primarily the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS). Although much of the mapping effort ultimately relies on human interpretation or expert opinion, new approaches using acoustics are being evaluated such as BRESS (Bathymetry- and Reflectivity-Based Estimator for Seafloor Segmentation: see Masetti et al. 2018). The overall mapping effort is focusing on morphologic features (geoforms), classification of the grain size of surficial sediment, and description of selected sand and gravel deposits. The new surficial geology maps represent a major advance in our efforts to understand and characterize the New Hampshire and vicinity continental shelf.

}, keywords = {morphology, seafloor sediments, Western Gulf of Maine}, doi = {doi: 10.1130/abs/2019NE-328549}, url = {https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2019NE/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/328549}, author = {Larry G Ward and Zachary S. McAvoy and Giuseppe Masetti and Rachel C Morrison} } @article {6704, title = {High-Resolution Surficial Geology Mapping of the New Hampshire Inner Continental Shelf and Coastline: An Important Step Towards Coastal Resiliency}, year = {2019}, month = {November 4-8}, pages = {Portland, ME}, abstract = {

The continental shelf off New Hampshire (NH) is extremely complex with extensive bedrock\ outcrops, remnant glacial deposits, sand and gravel ridges and shoals, and muddy offshore\ basins. The depositional features were significantly modified by marine processes as sea-level\ fluctuated following deglaciation. Many of the glacial features found on the inner shelf continue\ onshore. The NH coast is extremely heterogeneous as well, ranging from pocket beaches,\ attached barriers interrupted by rocky headlands (many previously covered with till) or glacial\ features (e.g., drumlins), and a barrier island. The composition of the beaches reflects the\ variability in sediment sources ranging from fine sand to cobbles with bimodal beaches being\ common. The combination of a reduction in sediment supply and an acceleration in sea-level rise\ has led to much of the NH coast being stressed by erosion and more frequent flooding.\ Furthermore, coastal erosion and flooding are expected to be exacerbated by climate change. To\ help build coastal resiliency, high-resolution surficial geology maps of the NH shelf were\ developed depicting seafloor features (geoforms) and surficial sediment using CMECS. In\ addition, potential sources of sand and fine gravel were evaluated for beach nourishment.\ Presently, similar work is being done on the NH beaches: mapping major coastal features,\ determining beach sediment grain size under accretional and erosional conditions, and assessing\ beach stability. A goal of this work is to link the surficial geology of the mainland (published by\ the NH Geological Survey), the coast, and the inner shelf to better define the physiography, the\ sediment distribution (and sources), and the controlling processes. Ultimately, mapping the\ surficial geology, along with existing and new high-resolution topography and bathymetry\ surveys, will help coastal managers, planners, and the public prepare for sea-level rise and\ climate change, and build coastal resiliency.

}, keywords = {coastal resiliency, nh inner continental shelf and coastline, surficial geology mapping}, url = {https://www.gulfofmaine2050.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Gulf-of-Maine-2050-Abstract-Booklet-Updated-November-5-2019.pdf}, author = {Larry G Ward and Zachary S. McAvoy and Nathan W. Corcoran and Giuseppe Masetti and Paul Johnson and Rachel C Morrison} } @proceedings {6519, title = {Hydrographic Survey Validation and Chart Adequacy Assessment Using Automated Solutions}, year = {2019}, month = {March 18-21}, address = {Biloxi, MS, USA}, abstract = {

The rising trend in automation is constantly pushing the hydrographic field toward the exploration and the adoption of more effective approaches for each step of the ping-to-public workflow. However, the large amount of data collected by modern acquisition systems - especially when paired with the force multiplier factor provided by autonomous vessels - conflict with the increasing timeliness expected by today\’s final users. Such a situation represents a processing challenge for the largely human-centered solutions that are currently available, and the adoption of automated and semi-automated data quality procedures seems the only scalable and long-term solution to the problem. At the same time, there is an inherent value in propagating the application of such procedures upstream in the survey workflow. In fact, capturing potential issues close (in time and space) to their occurrence has the advantages of reducing the efforts required for their solution and limiting their extent. As such, modern surveys should rely more and more on robust data quality procedures that are applied in near real-time.

With the challenge to automate and standardize a large portion of the quality controls used to analyze hydrographic data, NOAA\’s Office of Coast Survey and the UNH Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping have jointly developed (and made publicly available) a pair of software solutions - QC Tools for quality control and CA Tools for chart adequacy - that collect algorithmic implementations for a number of these tasks. Their aim is to verify whether the acquired data satisfy the adopted agency standards (and, in a more general sense, fit for the intended purpose). These standards usually focus on data quality aspects like data density, coverage, and uncertainty evaluation which are largely automated by the developed tools discussed in this paper, leaving to the experienced hydrographer the duty to review the results and supervise the validation process. After an overview of the tools (and the relevant recent improvements driven by field feedback), this work focuses on a new chart adequacy algorithm as well as an experimental approach for bathymetric anomaly detection and classification. A number of examples that use the publicly available solutions in real-world scenarios are also illustrated.

}, keywords = {automated solutions, ca tools, chart adequacy, hydroffice, hydrographic survey validation, qc tools}, doi = {10.13140/RG.2.2.28983.57761}, url = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331966330_Hydrographic_Survey_Validation_and_Chart_Adequacy_Assessment_Using_Automated_Solutions}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Tyanne Faulkes and Christos Kastrisios} } @article {6517, title = {The Open Backscatter Toolchain (OpenBST) Project: Towards an Open-Source and Metadata-Rich Modular Implementation}, year = {2019}, month = {March 18-21}, pages = {Biloxi, MS}, abstract = {

Most ocean mapping surveys collect seafloor reflectivity (backscatter) along with bathymetry. While the consistency of bathymetry processed by commonly adopted algorithms is well established, surprisingly large variability is observed between the backscatter mosaics generated by different software packages when processing the same dataset. Such a situation severely limits the use of acoustic backscatter for quantitative analysis (e.g., monitoring seafloor change over time, or remote characterization of seafloor characteristics) and other commonly attempted tasks (e.g., merging mosaics from different origins).

Acoustic backscatter processing involves a complex sequence of steps, but inasmuch as commercial software packages mainly provide end-results, comparisons between those results offer little insight into where in the workflow the differences are generated. In addition, preliminary results of a software-inter-comparison working group have shown that each processing algorithm tends to adopt a distinct, unique workflow; this causes large disagreements even in the initial per-beam reflectivity values resulting from differences in basic operations such as snippet averaging and evaluation of flagged beams.

Far from ideal, this situation requires a clear shift from the past closed-source approach that has caused it. As such, the Open Backscatter Toolchain (OpenBST) project aims to provide the community with an open-source and metadata-rich modular implementation of a toolchain dedicated to acoustic backscatter processing. The long-term goal is not to create processing tools that would compete with available commercial solutions, but rather a set of open-source, community-vetted, reference algorithms usable by both developers and users for benchmarking their processing algorithms.

As a proof-of-concept, we present a prototype implementation with the key elements of the OpenBST approach:

The data conversion from a native acquisition format (i.e., Kongsberg EM Series) to NetCDF-based data structures (components of the eXtensible Sounder Format) better suited to data exploration, processing and metadata coupling.

A processing pipeline constituted by a set of interlocking, task-oriented tools simplifying their substitution with alternative approaches.

The creation of final products (i.e., angular response curves and backscatter mosaics) capturing relevant acquisition and processing metadata.

}, keywords = {Acoustic backscatter, angular response analysis, multibeam echosounder, software intercomparison}, doi = {10.13140/RG.2.2.19336.67849}, url = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331965414_The_Open_Backscatter_Toolchain_OpenBST_project_towards_an_open-source_and_metadata-rich_modular_implementation}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Augustin, Jean-Marie and Mashkoor A Malik and Cyrille Poncelet and Xavier Lurton and Larry A Mayer and Glen A Rice and Michael Smith} } @article {6623, title = {Opening the Black Boxes in Ocean Mapping: Design and Implementation of the HydrOffice Framework}, year = {2019}, month = {July 11}, pages = {Freemantle, WA, Australia}, abstract = {

Modern ocean mapping relies heavily on complex algorithms that may strongly affect the reported outputs (e.g., gridded bathymetry, acoustic mosaics). When implemented in commercial software, these algorithms usually cannot be directly examined, and thus represent black boxes.

To ease the understanding of existing algorithms and the creation of better tools for ocean mapping, since 2016 the UNH Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping and NOAA Office of Coast Survey have been developing an open research framework containing applications that cover all phases of the ping-to-public process. This effort, called HydrOffice, aims to facilitate data acquisition, to automate and enhance data processing, and to improve survey products. These themes are driving the creation of a growing collection of hydro-packages, each dealing with specific aspects of the ocean mapping workflow. The overall goal is to speed up the testing of new ideas and the Research-to-Operations (R2O) transition by minimizing the effort to develop and test new ideas.

HydrOffice has developed a number of applications that encode both existing specifications and long-term best practices, while enabling and extending recent discoveries and research-driven techniques. In return, many users have reported HydrOffice increases workflow efficiency, confirming the benefits of this approach.

}, keywords = {hydroffice, ocean mapping, open tools}, doi = {10.13140/RG.2.2.18516.55681}, url = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334611395_Opening_the_Black_Boxes_in_Ocean_Mapping_Design_and_Implementation_of_the_HydrOffice_Framework}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Tyanne Faulkes and Brian R Calder} } @article {6516, title = {Preliminary Evaluation of Multibeam Backscatter Consistency Through Comparison of Intermediate Processing Results}, year = {2019}, month = {March 18-21}, pages = {Biloxi, MS}, abstract = {

Although backscatter mosaics of the seafloor are now routinely produced from multibeam sonar data, significant differences have been observed in the products generated by different software when processing the same dataset. This represents a major limitation to a number of possible uses of backscatter mosaics, including quantitative analysis, monitoring seafloor change over time, and combining results from multiple data sources. A recently published study from the Backscatter Working Group: established under auspices of GEOHAB (http://geohab.org/) and consisting of more than 300 researchers representing academia, governments and industry (Lurton et al., 2015) also highlighted this issue. The study recommended that \“to check the consistency of the processing results provided by various software suites, initiatives promoting comparative tests on common data sets should be encouraged [\…]\”.\  With the aim of facilitating such a comparison, the Backscatter Software Intercomparison Project (BSIP) was launched in May 2018. Software developers were invited to actively participate in BSIP and discuss how the inconsistencies might be overcome and, or at least made more transparent. To date, the developers of four software packages (CARIS SIPS, MB Process, QPS FMGT, and Sonarscope) have actively collaborated on this project and other interested software vendors are encouraged to participate in this project.

Since backscatter data processing is a complex and (as yet) non-standardized sequence of steps, the root causes of observed differences in the end-results derived using different software packages are difficult to pinpoint. It is thus necessary to obtain data at intermediate stages of processing sequences. We provided software developers with several small datasets collected using different\  multibeam sonar models and asked them, at this initial stage of the project, to generate intermediate processing results focused on the output of the first stages of processing (i.e., as read by the software tools) as well as the fully processed results. Large differences between software outputs were observed. A major observation, even at this early stage of the project, was that in the absence of accepted standards, different software have adopted different methods to generate the initial backscatter value per beam from the raw data (snippets), prior to starting the processing sequence. This initial difference is critical and hinders any comparison of the subsequent steps during backscatter processing. We conclude by presenting our plans for the next steps of the project including working closely with commercial software vendors in finding ways to overcome this limitation, as well as standardizing outputs and terminology.

Lurton, X., Lamarche, G., Brown, C., Lucieer, V. L., Rice, G., Schimel, A., \& Weber, T. (2015). Backscatter measurements by seafloor-mapping sonars: guidelines and recommendations. A collective report by members of the GeoHab Backscatter Working Group, (May), 1-200.

}, keywords = {Acoustic backscatter, multibeam echosounder, software intercomparison}, doi = {10.13140/RG.2.2.10948.07043}, url = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331964795_BSIP_Backscatter_Software_Intercomparison_Project_Preliminary_Evaluation_of_Multibeam_Backscatter_Consistency_through_Comparison_of_Intermediate_Processing_Results}, author = {Mashkoor A Malik and Giuseppe Masetti and Alexandre C. G. Schimel and Marc Roche and Margaret Dolan and Julian Le Deunf} } @article {6563, title = {Preliminary Evaluation of Multibeam Backscatter Consistency through Comparison of Intermediate Processing Results}, year = {2019}, month = {May 13-17}, pages = {Saint-Petersburg, Russia}, doi = {10.13140/RG.2.2.13881.21606}, url = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333403406_Preliminary_Evaluation_of_Multibeam_Backscatter_Consistency_through_Comparison_of_Intermediate_Processing_Results}, author = {Mashkoor A Malik and Giuseppe Masetti and Alexandre C. G. Schimel and Marc Roche and Margaret Dolan and Julian Le Deunf} } @proceedings {6622, title = {Pydro and HydrOffice}, year = {2019}, month = {June 18-20}, address = {Canberra, ACT, Australia}, keywords = {hydroffice, ocean mapping, open tools, pydro}, doi = {10.13140/RG.2.2.21557.42721}, url = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334605587_AusSeabed_Workshop_-_Pydro_and_HydrOffice}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Tyanne Faulkes} } @article {6518, title = {Pydro \& HydrOffice: Open Tools for Ocean Mappers}, year = {2019}, month = {March 18-21}, pages = {Biloxi, MS}, abstract = {

The workshop provides an overview of a number of Python-based, open tools that are freely available in the Pydro and HydrOffice frameworks. Each tool aims to solve/automate common ocean-mapping tasks. No previous knowledge about Python or the specific frameworks is required.

}, keywords = {hydroffice, ocean mapping, open tools, pydro}, doi = {10.13140/RG.2.2.32339.02086}, url = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331966078_Pydro_HydrOffice_Open_Tools_for_Ocean_Mappers}, author = {Damian Manda and Giuseppe Masetti} } @article {7177, title = {Results from the First Phase of the Seafloor Backscatter Processing Software Inter-Comparison Project}, volume = {9(12)}, year = {2019}, month = {December 16}, pages = {516}, publisher = {MDPI}, abstract = {

Seafloor backscatter mosaics are now routinely produced from multibeam echosounder data and used in a wide range of marine applications. However, large differences (\>5 dB) can often be observed between the mosaics produced by different software packages processing the same dataset. Without transparency of the processing pipeline and the lack of consistency between software packages raises concerns about the validity of the final results. To recognize the source(s) of inconsistency between software, it is necessary to understand at which stage(s) of the data processing chain the differences become substantial. To this end, willing commercial and academic software developers were invited to generate intermediate processed backscatter results from a common dataset, for cross-comparison. The first phase of the study requested intermediate processed results consisting of two stages of the processing sequence: the one-value-per-beam level obtained after reading the raw data and the level obtained after radiometric corrections but before compensation of the angular dependence. Both of these intermediate results showed large differences between software solutions. This study explores the possible reasons for these differences and highlights the need for collaborative efforts between software developers and their users to improve the consistency and transparency of the backscatter data processing sequence.

}, keywords = {Acoustic backscatter processing; Multibeam Echo Sounders; seafloor mapping}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences9120516}, author = {Mashkoor A Malik and Alexandre C. G. Schimel and Giuseppe Masetti and Marc Roche and Julian Le Deunf and Margaret Dolan and Beaudoin, Jonathan and Augustin, Jean-Marie and Hamilton, T and Ian Parnum} } @article {6447, title = {Towards Automated Validation of Charted Soundings: Existing Tests and Limitations}, volume = {22(4)}, year = {2019}, month = {June 3}, publisher = {Taylor \& Francis}, abstract = {

The nautical chart is one of the fundamental tools in navigation used by mariners to plan and safely execute voyages. Its compilation follows strict cartographic constraints with the most prominent being that of the safety. Thereby, the cartographer is called to make the selection of the bathymetric information for portrayal on charts in a way that, at any location, the expected water depth is not deeper than the source information. To validate the shoal-biased pattern of selection two standard tests are used, i.e. the triangle and edge tests. To date, some efforts have been made towards the automation of the triangle test, but the edge test has been largely ignored. In the context of research on a fully automated solution for the compilation of charts at different scales from the source information, this paper presents an algorithmic implementation of the two tests for the validation of selected soundings. Through a case study with real-world data, it presents the improved performance of the implementation near and within depth curves and coastlines and points out the importance of the edge test in the validation process. It also presents the, by definition, intrinsic limitation of the two tests as part of a fully automated solution and discusses the need for a new test that will complement or supersede the existing ones.

}, keywords = {automated nautical cartography, category zone of confidence, chart discrepancies, chart safety constraint, nautical chart generalization, nautical surface test, selected soundings, sounding generalization, Sounding Selection}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1080/10095020.2019.1618636}, author = {Christos Kastrisios and Brian R Calder and Giuseppe Masetti and Peter Holmberg} } @proceedings {6665, title = {Validation of the Shoal-Biased Pattern of Bathymetric Information on Nautical Charts}, volume = {1}, year = {2019}, month = {July15-20}, publisher = {International Cartorgaphic Association}, address = {Tokyo, Japan}, keywords = {chart safety constraint, nautical chart generalization, Sounding Selection, Triangle Test}, doi = {10.5194/ica-abs-1-163-2019}, url = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334504598_Validation_of_the_shoal-biased_pattern_of_bathymetric_information_on_nautical_charts}, author = {Christos Kastrisios and Brian R Calder and Giuseppe Masetti and Peter Holmberg} } @article {6405, title = {Applications of Sonar Detection Uncertainty for Survey Quality Control and Data Processing}, year = {2018}, month = {October 1-3}, pages = {St. John{\textquoteright}s, NL, Canada}, abstract = {

An objective measurement of the bathymetric uncertainty introduced by sonar bottom detection has been proposed (Lurton and Augustin, 2009) to overcome the sonar-specific heuristic solutions proposed by constructors. This approach pairs each sounding with an estimation of sonar detection uncertainty (SDU) based on the width of the signal envelope (amplitude detection) or the noise level of the phase ramp (phase detection), thus capturing the intrinsic quality of the received signal and any applied signal-processing step.

Along with the environment characterization and the motion sensor accuracy, the SDU represents a major contributor to the total vertical uncertainty (TVU). As such, the monitoring of the SDU statistics by detection types, acquisition modes, and transmission sectors (when available) provides an effective way to alert the surveyor about ongoing issues in the data collection. It also has potential application in the evaluation of the health status of the sonar - for example, by comparing SDU-derived performance of repeated surveys on the same seafloor area and estimating the uncertainty contributions from environment and motion. Finally, the SDU may be integrated in multiple stages of the data processing workflow, from data pre-filtering to hydrographic uncertainty modeling, up to more advanced applications like hypotheses disambiguation in statistical gridding algorithms (e.g., CUBE).

Based on such considerations, we conducted a study to explore possible applications of the estimated SDU values for survey quality control and data processing. The results of the analysis applied to real data \– collected using multibeam echosounders from manufacturers who are early adopters of this metric (i.e., Kongsberg Maritime and Teledyne Reson) \– provide evidence that SDU is a useful tool for survey monitoring.

}, keywords = {hydrographic uncertainty model, quality factor, sonar detection uncertainty}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.24445.00485/1}, url = {http://www.shallow-survey.com/Conference,Program/}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Augustin, Jean-Marie and Xavier Lurton and Brian R Calder} } @article {6403, title = {Automated Identification of Discrepancies Between Nautical Charts and Survey Soundings}, volume = {7}, year = {2018}, month = {September 28 }, pages = {392}, publisher = {MDPI Publishing}, address = {Basel, Switzerland}, abstract = {

Timely and accurate identification of change detection for areas depicted on nautical charts constitutes a key task for marine cartographic agencies in supporting maritime safety. Such a task is usually achieved through manual or semi-automated processes, based on best practices developed over the years requiring a substantial level of human commitment (i.e., to visually compare the chart with the new collected data or to analyze the result of intermediate products). This work describes an algorithm that aims to largely automate the change identification process as well as to reduce its subjective component. Through the selective derivation of a set of depth points from a nautical chart, a triangulated irregular network is created to apply a preliminary tilted-triangle test to all the input survey soundings. Given the complexity of a modern nautical chart, a set of feature-specific, point-in-polygon tests are then performed. As output, the algorithm provides danger-to-navigation candidates, chart discrepancies, and a subset of features that requires human evaluation. The algorithm has been successfully tested with real-world electronic navigational charts and survey datasets. In parallel to the research development, a prototype application implementing the algorithm was created and made publicly available.

}, keywords = {change detection, chart adequacy, Nautical cartography, ocean mapping, safety of navigation, triangulated irregular network}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi7100392}, url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2220-9964/7/10/392}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Tyanne Faulkes and Christos Kastrisios} } @article {6309, title = {Bathymetric and Reflectivity-derived Data Fusion for Preliminary Seafloor Segmentation and Strategic Bottom Sampling}, year = {2018}, month = {May 7-11}, pages = {Santa Barbara, CA}, abstract = {

Modern multibeam sonars and processing software typically produce geo-located bathymetry and backscatter mosaic products, thus offering the opportunity to treat both data sets together to support seafloor characterization. However, there are few studies that have offered general methods for using machine-focused (automated) approaches for seafloor segmentation that combine and use the information found in co-located bathymetric digital elevation models (DEMs) and acoustic reflectivity mosaics.

We explore a methodology to combine both bathymetry and backscatter data to automatically segment the seafloor. The proposed method attempts to mimic the approach taken by a skilled analyst assuming that, when called upon to manually segment a seafloor area, the analyst initially evaluates the context surrounding the area and attempts to take full advantage of both bathymetric and reflectivity products rather than focusing on small-scale geomorphometric variability (e.g., local rugosity). The result is a bathymetry- and reflectivity-based estimator for seafloor segmentation that mimics the positive aspects of the segmentation process as performed by a skilled analyst (e.g., the use of context and multiple inputs) but avoids the inherent deficiencies (subjectivity, processing time, lack of reproducibility).

The algorithm starts by adopting principles of topographic openness, pattern recognition, and texture classification to identify geomorphic elements of the seafloor or \“area kernels\”, and then derives the final seafloor segmentation by merging or splitting the kernels based on the principles of similarity and multi-modality.

The output is a collection of preliminary, homogeneous, non-overlapping seafloor segments of consistent morphology and acoustic backscatter texture. Each labeled segment is enriched by a list of derived, physically-meaningful attributes that can be used for subsequent task-specific analysis. In this work, the resulting segments have been evaluated as possible inputs to identify a strategic seafloor sampling (ground-truthing) plan aimed at advancing characterization results while optimizing operational field efforts.

}, keywords = {seafloor segmentation, strategic bottom sampling}, url = {https://www.geohab2018.org/program}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Larry A Mayer and Larry G Ward and Derek Sowers} } @article {6248, title = {A Bathymetry- and Reflectivity-Based Approach for Seafloor Segmentation}, volume = {8 (1)}, year = {2018}, month = {January 8}, pages = {14}, publisher = {MDPI Publishing}, address = {Basel, Switzerland}, abstract = {

A robust and flexible technique to segment seafloor acoustic mapping data by analyzing co-located bathymetric digital elevation models and acoustic backscatter mosaics is presented. The algorithm first uses principles of topographic openness, pattern recognition, and texture classification to identify geomorphic elements of the seafloor or \“area kernels\”, and then derives the final seafloor segmentation by merging or splitting the kernels based on principles of similarity and multi-modality. The output is a collection of homogeneous, non-overlapping seafloor segments of consistent morphology and acoustic backscatter texture. Each labeled segment is enriched by a list of derived, physically-meaningful attributes that can be used for subsequent task-specific analysis.

}, keywords = {Acoustic applications, object segmentation, seafloor, underwater acoustics}, doi = {10.3390/geosciences8010014}, url = {http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/8/1/14}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Larry A Mayer and Larry G Ward} } @article {6470, title = {Development of Consistent and Recordable Fusion Methods Using Bathymetry Sources of Differing Subjective Reliabilities for Navigation or Seafloor Mapping}, year = {2018}, month = {December 10-14}, pages = {Washington, DC}, abstract = {

When planning for ship navigation or compiling data for a bathymetry map, the navigator or mapper use many different sources of bathymetry information and navigation hazards. Sources include electronic charts at different scales, gridded bathymetry of different ages and quality, special purpose vector products, sonar data, crowdsourced data, etc. The quality of these sources, however, are inconsistent in general, making it especially challenging to provide a coherent picture for planning. An experienced navigator or mapper not only would use more than just the soundings, grids and depth areas to form a mental model of the seafloor, but also subjective assessment of information reliability and attitudinal character varying between optimistic/aggressive to pessimistic/conservative outlooks (or in between) depending on the purpose for the map. Here, we present an expert system approach for consistent planning/mapping that uses a combination of Bayesian and fuzzy logic processes. We present two examples of using these processes with sources of differing subjective reliabilities as follows: 1) navigation risk surface / or safety contour and 2) fusion of multiple bathymetry grids/sources for mapping. The major contribution of this process is the capability to record subjective weighting of source and the fusion process used. For the first application, we first interpolate each bathymetry source with control over the user\&$\#$39;s subjective risk allowed in the reconstruction. Each cell is set to 2, 1, or 0, for \"Known Unsafe\", \"Maybe Safe\" and \"Known Safe\" status, based on the ship\&$\#$39;s current draft. Weighted Bayesian categorical estimation (Dirichlet conjugate prior) computes a fused risk surface. The fuzzy logic process known as Order Weighted Averaging (OWA) provides the weights for each source. This component provides quantitative methods to generate, use and record subjective weights. The maximum a posteriori reconstruction for each cell provides a best estimate of status from all sources; analysis of the probability mass distribution in the cell provides guidance on reliability of the assignment. The second application uses this same process, but instead of pre-interpolation and categorical fusion, the OWA provides average bathymetry directly.

}, url = {https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm18/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/393098}, author = {Paul A. Elmore and Brian R Calder and Giuseppe Masetti and Ronald R Yager and Fredrick E Petry} } @article {6406, title = {A First Step Towards Consistency of Multibeam Backscatter Estimation Requesting and Comparing Intermediate Backscatter Processing Results From Backscatter Processing Software}, year = {2018}, month = {October 1-3}, pages = {St. John{\textquoteright}s, NL, Canada}, abstract = {

Backscatter mosaics of the seafloor are now routinely produced from multibeam sonar data, and used in a wide range of marine applications. However, significant differences (up to 5 dB) have been observed between the levels of mosaics produced by different software processing a same dataset. This is a major detriment to several possible uses of backscatter mosaics, including quantitative analysis, monitoring seafloor change over time, and combining mosaics. A recently concluded international Backscatter Working Group (BSWG) identified this issue and recommended that \“to check the consistency of the processing results provided by various software suites, initiatives promoting comparative tests on common data sets should be encouraged [\…]\”. However, backscatter data processing is a complex (and often proprietary) sequence of steps, so that simply comparing end-results between software does not provide much information as to the root cause of the differences between results.\ \ \ \ \ 

In order to pinpoint the source(s) of inconsistency between software, it is necessary to understand at which stage(s) of the data processing chain do the differences become substantial. We have invited willing software developers to discuss this framework and collectively adopt a list of intermediate processing steps. We provided a small dataset consisting of various seafloor types surveyed with the same multibeam sonar system, using constant acquisition settings and sea conditions, and have the software developers generate these intermediate processing results, to be eventually compared. If the experiment proves fruitful, we may extend it to more datasets, software and intermediate results. Eventually, software developers may consider making the results from intermediate stages a standard output as well as adhering to a consistent terminology, as advocated by Schimel et al. (2018). To date, the developers of four software (Sonarscope, QPS FMGT, CARIS SIPS, MB Process) have expressed their interest in collaborating on this project.

}, keywords = {Acoustic backscatter, reflectivity, software comparison}, doi = {https://www.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.33443.09767}, url = {http://www.shallow-survey.com/Conference,Program/}, author = {Mashkoor A Malik and Alexandre C. G. Schimel and Marc Roche and Giuseppe Masetti and Margaret Dolan and Julian Le Deunf} } @article {6262, title = {HydrOffice: Past, Present, and Future}, year = {2018}, month = {February 5-8}, pages = {Portland, OR}, keywords = {bag explorer, bress, hydroffice, qc tools, smartmap, sound speed manager}, url = {https://www.slideshare.net/giumas/hydroffice-past-present-future}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti} } @proceedings {6511, title = {Multibeam Advisory Committee: Looking back on seven years of multibeam echosounder system acceptance and quality assurance testing for the ships of the U.S. Academic Fleet}, year = {2018}, month = {September 11-14}, address = {Bordeaux, France}, url = {https://www.km.kongsberg.com/ks/web/nokbg0397.nsf/AllWeb/454DE0551A3C2BAEC125834C0046C0AF/$file/A-Multibeam_Advisory_Committee_MAC_Paul_Johnson.pdf?OpenElement}, author = {Paul Johnson and Vicki L Ferrini and Kevin Jerram and Giuseppe Masetti} } @article {6311, title = {Requesting and Comparing Intermediate Results from Several Backscatter Data Processing Software: A First Step Towards Future Consistency of Multibeam Backscatter Estimation}, year = {2018}, month = {May 7-11}, pages = {Santa Barbara, CA}, abstract = {

Backscatter mosaics of the seafloor are now routinely produced from multibeam sonar data, and used in a wide range of marine applications. However, significant differences (up to 5 dB) have been observed between the levels of mosaics produced by different software processing a same dataset. This is a major detriment to a number of possible uses of backscatter mosaics, including quantitative analysis, monitoring seafloor change over time, and combining mosaics. The Backscatter Working Group (BSWG) identified this issue and recommended that \“to check the consistency of the processing results provided by various software suites, initiatives promoting comparative tests on common data sets should be encouraged [\…]\”. However, backscatter data processing is a complex (and often proprietary) sequence of processing steps, so that simply comparing end-results between software does not provide much information as to the root cause of the differences between results.\ 

In order to pinpoint the source(s) of inconsistency between software, it is necessary to understand at which stage(s) of the data processing chain do the differences become substantial. Schimel et al. (2018) recently provided a comprehensive framework for this processing chain, including a self-consistent terminology for intermediate processing steps and corrective terms. We propose to invite willing software developers to discuss this framework and collectively adopt a list of intermediate processing steps that they can all generate. We will then provide a small dataset consisting of various seafloor types surveyed with the same multibeam sonar system, using constant acquisition settings and sea conditions, and have the software developers generate these intermediate processing results, to be eventually compared. If the experiment proves fruitful, we may extend it to more datasets, software and intermediate results. Eventually, software developers may consider making the results from intermediate stages a standard output as well as adhering to a consistent terminology, as advocated by Schimel et al. (2018). To date, the developers of four software (Sonarscope, QPS FMGT, SwathEd, MB Process) have expressed their interest in collaborating on this project.

}, keywords = {Acoustic backscatter, software comparison}, url = {https://www.geohab2018.org/program}, author = {Alexandre C. G. Schimel and Marc Roche and Mashkoor A Malik and Christophe Vrignaud and Giuseppe Masetti and Margaret Dolan} } @article {6239, title = {Research-driven Tools for Ocean Mappers}, volume = {22, 1}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan/Feb 2018}, pages = {29-33}, publisher = {GeoMares Publishing}, abstract = {

Fighting Repetitive, Manual and Error-Prone Routines the Smart Way.

}, keywords = {bag explorer, hydroffice, qc tools, smartmap, sound speed manager}, url = {https://www.hydro-international.com/content/article/research-driven-tools-for-ocean-mappers}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Matthew J. Wilson and Brian R Calder and Gallagher, B and Zhang, Chen} } @article {6414, title = {Sound Speed Management and Environmental Variability Estimation for Ocean Mapping}, year = {2018}, month = {October 15-19}, pages = {Woods Hole, MA}, keywords = {multibeam advisory committee, oceanographic variability, smartmap, sound speed manager, sound speed profiles}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.27141.81129}, url = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328399055_Sound_Speed_Management_and_Environmental_Variability_Estimation_for_Ocean_Mapping}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Paul Johnson} } @article {6101, title = {Automated Tools to Improve the Ping-to-Chart Workflow}, volume = {17}, year = {2017}, month = {May 2017}, pages = {21-30}, publisher = {International Hydrographic Bureau}, address = {Monaco}, abstract = {

The review of hydrographic and cartographic data sets is still too often based on tedious and error-prone manual actions; however, these same characteristics make the work suitable for automation. As such, a software suite of task-specific solutions was developed to support the reviewer. The specific application of these tools to NOAA Coast Survey specifications as a case study highlighted improved quality, timeliness, and user confidence in the reviewed data, and provided a training resource for new personnel. Finally, the tools drove the algorithmic interpretation of agency specifications that can establish the foundation for a fully automated workflow.

}, keywords = {automation, Data Processing, data review, quality control}, url = {https://www.iho.int/mtg_docs/IHReview/IHR_Intro.htm}, author = {Matthew J. Wilson and Giuseppe Masetti and Brian R Calder} } @proceedings {6058, title = {Finding Fliers: New Techniques and Metrics}, year = {2017}, month = {March 20-23}, publisher = {The Hydrographic Society of America}, address = {Galveston, TX}, abstract = {

Fliers in bathymetric grid products evidence an inaccurate portrayal of the seafloor, and must be remediated before final product creation. Traditional methods to ensure flier detection and removal are apparently not sufficient since nearly 25\% of surveys received at NOAA in 2015 had final grid deliverables affected by fliers. These grids not only require time and effort to resolve, but also compromise the lineage of the original field submission. This work describes new automated techniques for flier identification and compares their effectiveness to traditional, manual methods of flier detection. The benefits of automatic identification being statistically significant, integration of the flier identification techniques could be in the gridding algorithm is suggested as a means to reduce the rate of fliers delivered on the created surfaces.

}, keywords = {bathymetry, fliers, metrics, qc, survey}, url = {http://www.ushydro2017.com/}, author = {Matthew J. Wilson and Giuseppe Masetti and Brian R Calder} } @article {6097, title = {How to Improve the Quality and the Reproducibility for Acoustic Seafloor Characterization}, year = {2017}, month = {May 1-5}, pages = {Nova Scotia, Canada}, abstract = {

Current commercial solutions for processing acoustic data with the aim of seafloor characterization does not take full advantage of the wide spectra of information collected by modern sonars (e.g., water column data, multiple sectors). In addition, those solutions tend to act as a \‘magic black-box\’ with only a few user-defined parameters. This can be seen as an advantage (it makes these technologies available to a large community), but it also engenders a lack of data reproducibility. Currently, it is a real challenge to \‘properly\’ merge backscatter-based products from different vendors (and even from the same vendor given the lack of metadata).

In order to mitigate both issues, we developed a different approach. The proposed workflow is organized into two main phases: the first part focuses on artifact identification and reduction, while the second part is product-oriented. The artifact-oriented phase applies a (growing) set of algorithms to facilitate the identification of corrupted data so that they can then be ignored or, if required by the user, reconstructed using several different techniques. This approach also provides a metric that can then be used to identify which ping should be excluded during seafloor characterization.

The first phase is cleanly separated from the product creation. At the end of it, corrected data in the sonar\’s native format are generated together with an (optional) \‘difference\’ file (containing only the data that has been modified) and a human-readable and computer-interpretable textual description of all the applied processes. This \‘native-format\’ solution is better than converting the data to a hybrid generic data format which may not adequately preserve all of the important information from the file. The \‘difference\’ files reduce the amount of data storage since they contain only the changes, rather than doubling the storage requirement. An additional advantage is modularity. For instance, based on the kind of survey different strategies combining the identification and reduction methods can be built. Once the valid, corrected data files are created, they can be mosaicked or analyzed for seafloor characterization by the user-preferred application.

The proposed approach is demonstrated with real-world data by first using a set of bubble washdown detection algorithms, then improving the quality of the generated outputs. Specifically, the mosaic is created after the reconstruction of the corrupted samples with a weighted randomization schema, while the seafloor characterization is improved by ignoring the corrupted data.

A possible future development of this approach is to carry all the line-based descriptions of the applied processes together with the products. To make this possible in a robust way, we propose the creation of an open, community-driven product data format mimicking what has been done for bathymetric data by the Open Navigation Surface Working Group (BAG format).

}, keywords = {angular response curve, artifacts, backscatter, marianas, Seafloor Characterization}, doi = {10.4095/305398}, url = {http://geohab2017.wixsite.com/geohab2017/program}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Brian R Calder and Larry A Mayer} } @proceedings {6062, title = {Methods for Artifact Identification and Reduction in Acoustic Backscatter Mosaicking}, year = {2017}, month = {Marc 20-23}, publisher = {The Hydrographic Society of America}, address = {Galveston, TX}, abstract = {

Modern multibeam sonars provide high resolution measurements of acoustic backscatter that were unthinkable just a few decades ago. However, many aspects of the data acquisition can heavily impact these measurements, reducing the data quality in the output mosaic and any attempt of seafloor characterization. This work first describes techniques to identify the presence of artifacts (e.g., bubble wash-down), then explores possible scenarios for how to reduce the lack of knowledge in such areas. Finally, it outlines an approach for how to retain the information from the processing steps used in an attempt to increase output reproducibility and reusability.

}, keywords = {angular response curve, artifacts, backscatter, marianas, Seafloor Characterization}, url = {http://www.ushydro2017.com/}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Brian R Calder and John E. Hughes Clarke} } @article {6216, title = {A Ray-Tracing Uncertainty Estimation Tool for Ocean Mapping}, volume = {6}, year = {2017}, month = {11 December 2017}, pages = { 2136 - 2144}, publisher = {IEEE}, abstract = {

A tool to estimate the ray-tracing component of the surveyed depth uncertainty was created and made publicly available through web services and a Web GIS. The estimation is based on a spatial variability analysis at the time of validity of two popular, global-scope sources of oceanographic environmental data. The tool has potential applications in all the phases of ocean mapping, from survey planning to data collection and processing.

}, keywords = {Acoustic applications, computational modeling, Geographic Information Systems, oceanographic techniques, ray tracing, underwater acoustics, web services}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2017.2781801}, url = {http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8183436/}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and John G Kelley and Paul Johnson and Beaudoin, Jonathan} } @article {6102, title = {Sound Speed Manager: An Open-Source Application to Manage Sound Speed Profiles}, volume = {17}, year = {2017}, month = {May 2017}, pages = {31-40}, publisher = {International Hydrographic Bureau}, address = {Monaco}, abstract = {

The execution of a modern survey using acoustic sensors cannot overlook an accurate environmental characterization of the water column. In particular, the selected sound speed profile is critical for ray tracing, while knowing the temperature and the salinity variability is crucial in the calculation of valid absorption coefficients. Built on decades of experience and feedback from hydrographic surveyors, Sound Speed Manager provides a streamlined workflow that guides the user to perform accurate processing and management of sound speed profiles. Developed following criteria of simplicity of use, robustness of results, and openness of the chosen solutions, Sound Speed Manager is a ready-for-use but customizable application, with a long-term support plan, made freely available to the hydrographic community under an open source license model.

}, keywords = {oceanography, sound speed, survey}, url = {https://www.iho.int/mtg_docs/IHReview/IHR_Intro.htm}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Gallagher, B and Brian R Calder and Zhang, Chen and Matthew J. Wilson} } @proceedings {6061, title = {Sound Speed Manager: An Open-Source Initiative to Streamline the Hydrographic Data Acquisition Workflow}, year = {2017}, month = {March 20-23}, publisher = {The Hydrographic Society of America}, address = {Galveston, TX}, abstract = {

The use of inaccurate sound speed data heavily affects all survey products, from the bathymetry to the backscatter mosaic to the water column imagery. Thus, sound speed profiling (SSP) is a key element for any workflow that aims to collect high-quality echosounder data. Historically, surveyors have addressed SSP using a mixture of manufacturer-specific tools, spreadsheets, scripts and some manual hacking. Far from optimal, this approach carries several disadvantages such as being error prone and inconsistent among different sound profile systems. Tools such as Velocipy, SVP Editor, and HydrOffice SSP Manager have bridged this gap, but have limitations. A new open-source tool that combines the best features of these into a single \“best of breed\” tool is here described. A joint development of NOAA Coast Survey and UNH CCOM/JHC, but open to contributions from the wider user community, Sound Speed Manager provides a route to long-term, reliable, SSP management in a convenient, readily re-distributable, flexibly licensed, form.

}, keywords = {attenuation, sound speed, survey}, url = {http://www.ushydro2017.com/}, author = {Gallagher, B and Giuseppe Masetti and Zhang, Chen and Brian R Calder and Matthew J. Wilson} } @proceedings {5826, title = {NOAA QC Tools: Origin, Development, and Future}, year = {2016}, month = {May 16 - 19}, publisher = {Canadian Hydrographic Association}, address = {Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada}, abstract = {

Advancing multibeam technology allows us to map the seafloor better than ever before, and we have plenty of stunning bathymetry to show for it. Yet the ever-increasing data volume presents some challenges during both quality review and in its generalization to nautical chart scale. Specific challenges and inefficiencies in these processes are addressed with NOAA QC tools, specifically: 1) \"flier finder,\" which scans gridded bathymetry and flags anomalous data \"fliers\" for easy identification and removal, 2) feature scans, to ensure proper attribution and accurate representation within gridded bathymetry, and 3) an automated method of comparing survey soundings to those charted, as a formal means of chart comparison, identification of dangers to navigation, and also in the evaluation of a prospective chart sounding selection.

This paper discusses the QC tools listed above, with regards to: 1) their organic development within NOAA, to alleviate redundant, manually intensive tasks better suited for automation, 2) their implementation into the Rapid Survey Assessment (RSA) process of the NOAA Hydrographic Surveys Division (HSD), 3) their joint development with the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping \& Joint Hydrographic Center (CCOM/JHC) through their integration within the HydrOffice research framework, and 4) future and ongoing improvements.

Proposed innovation includes flier identification through a multi-detector algorithm, a \“smart\” chart sounding selection, and a wide range of task-specific applications to facilitate all phases of ocean mapping.

}, author = {Matthew J. Wilson and Giuseppe Masetti and Brian R Calder} } @article {6553, title = {U.S. Extended Continental Shelf Cruise to Map Northern Sections of Northern Mariana Islands Continental Shelf}, year = {2016}, month = {October 30}, pages = {145}, institution = {Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping / Joint Hydrographic Center}, address = {Durham, NH}, abstract = {

This report describes a 32-day Extended Continental Shelf-related bathymetry cruise to the Northern Mariana Islands Continental Shelf plus a 13-day extension of the cruise conducted by Fugro contract personnel following debarkation of the NOAA and University of New Hampshire personnel. The mapping area on this cruise will junction with Extended Continental Shelf Project data acquired by NOAA and the University of New Hampshire in 2006, 2007, and 2010, with bathymetry acquired by Okeanos Explorer in 2016, with bathymetry outside the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that was generously provided to NOAA by Japan Coast Guard in 2016, and with miscellaneous bathymetric data from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) multibeam bathymetry archive. A study of the U.S. data holdings pertinent to the formulation of U.S. potential definition of an Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) under the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) identified areas where new bathymetric surveys are needed (Mayer, et al., 2002). The report recommended that multibeam echo sounder (MBES) data are needed to rigorously define an extended continental shelf. The Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping/Joint Hydrographic Center (CCOM/JHC) at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) was funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to conduct research on ECS topics including new surveys and archive the resultant data.

This is the 5th Extended Continental Shelf Project cruise to the Mariana Islands region. Earlier cruises were completed in 2006, 2007, and 2010 (Gardner 2006, Gardner 2007, Gardner 2010, Armstrong, 2011). NOAA entered into a contract with Fugro Pelagos, Inc., who provided the 75-m, 2065-ton M.V. Fugro Supporter with a hull-mounted Kongsberg Maritime EM122 MBES and an Edgetech 3300 HM (hull-mounted) chirp sub-bottom profiler. In addition to the ship and associated sensors, Fugro provided three science technicians for technical support of the cruise, and an onboard survey representative. Under the guidance of the NOAA Joint Hydrographic Center Chief Scientist, NOAA and UNH provided the science party who carried out the data acquisition and onboard data processing for both the EM122 and the 3300. The 32-day cruise began and ended in Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and included a 3-day mid-cruise port call in Saipan for engineering and multibeam repairs. The 13-day extension began in Saipan and ended at sea when the Fugro team aboard Fugro Supporter completed their additional mapping effort and the ship began a transit to Palau. The survey data included multibeam bathymetry, backscatter, and full-water column data, as well as high-resolution CHIRP sub-bottom profiling (SBP).

}, author = {Andrew A. Armstrong and Giuseppe Masetti} } @proceedings {5497, title = {A Bayesian marine debris detector using existing hydrographic data products}, year = {2015}, month = {May 18 - May 21}, publisher = {IEEE}, address = {Genoa, Italy}, abstract = {

Natural disasters can represent a massive source of marine debris deposition along the coastline due to strong winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surge. Such an extensive amount of debris of different size, shape, and materials could threaten navigation, natural resources, and/or human safety. After a disaster (e.g., hurricane, typhoon, tsunami, etc.), effectively and quickly processing large amounts of hydrographic data, collected using commercial systems for detection and classification of marine debris, would be highly advantageous to the necessary remediation operations. Such a task involves some degree of modeling and approximation to make the analysis computationally attractive and sufficiently effective in practice (i.e., an approximate solution with a well-structured model is preferred to an exact solution with a suboptimal model).

For this reason, a target model was built postulating a simplified description of the object properties, and a detector was specifically outlined for marine debris, detecting discrete objects which differ (e.g., protrude) from the surrounding seafloor, being close or connected to the bottom. The scope of the detector was also constrained to analyze products commonly available in existing post processing software (mainly, bathymetric digital terrain models (DTM) and backscatter mosaics with several associated data sets, such as statistics derived from the core data, or during construction) so that the technique may be quickly inserted into existing workflows, which eases resource management in a response situation.

For the backscatter mosaic, as in many existing algorithms, target detection is based on the observation that denser material (often anthropogenic) makes debris returns much stronger than the surrounding background. However, the often used approach to object detection through simple thresholding (e.g., based on the premise that on a mosaic the object return is brighter than the background) was modified since it tends to fail when the background is textured (i.e., detectors are not aware of image correlation). For the bathymetric DTM, a few spatial indices were used as proxies for any discontinuity and, thus, a possible target. For both backscatter and bathymetry, the adoption of classical estimation techniques usually generates point estimate or a confidence interval, which becomes important when fusion of target information coming from different products is attempted. In order to provide appropriate distributions for exploitation, Bayesian methods were adopted since they permit use of multiple-source asymmetric and discontinuous posterior distributions that may be carried into further analysis. A hierarchical scheme is proposed where a series of modeling tasks are implemented through a probabilistic model, casting the debris detection problem as one of estimating properties of the posterior distribution describing the probability of objects occurring given the observed data products.

The proposed model hypothesizes that the observed products are formed through observations of naturally smooth processes, modified to incorporate the presence of potential objects. Pragmatic advantages of the proposed Bayesian framework are the opportunity to include prior knowledge as well as developing an extendible robust scheme for estimating the probability of an object occurring at any point in the area of interest, making detection simpler. For instance, additional background information can be added as it becomes available. By inspection on existing nautical charts, the backscatter return far from marine debris can be approximated using a texture model or, in case the area has a geological context of large scatterers, a default model providing less informative priors.

A Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) system is used to estimate probability of object presence on a per pixel/node basis. The data probability under the hypothesis of having marine debris is produced by the detector from different types of products, related both to bottom detection (depth) and to the intensity time series usually collected over it (backscatter). Together with the updated posterior probabilities, the Bayesian estimator maintains a binary detection layer. Such a layer provides a means to partially vectorize the analysis, i.e. applying prior constraints through computational geometry, and can also be used as the basis for higher-order (e.g., object-based) constraints or detection modeling.

Finally the paper provides some examples of debris detections based on the analysis of real data collected after the Super Storm Sandy event, and the detector outcomes are shown in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed technique. Since the framework provides sufficient flexibility to integrate additional source of information, we are currently working on extending the detector with a set of ad hoc hydrographic products with the intent to improve the detection performance.

}, keywords = {Bayesian estimator, hierarchical model, marine debris, spatial data analysis, target detection}, url = {http://www.oceans15mtsieeegenova.org/index.cfm}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Brian R Calder} } @article {5636, title = {Geophysical Mapping of Vercelli Seamount: Implications for Miocene Evolution of the Tyrrhenian Back Arc Basin}, year = {2015}, month = {6 August 2015}, publisher = {ScienceDirect}, abstract = {

Since the Tortonian, the geodynamic evolution of the Tyrrhenian Sea has been driven by an eastward roll-back of the entire Apennine subduction system, triggering distinct episodes of back-arc basin formation with spots of oceanic crust. Major structural differences are observed between northern and southern portions of the Tyrrhenian Sea, reflecting two distinct evolution stages of the Ionian slab retreat. In the central portion of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the seafloor morphology is characterized by a set of magmatic intrusions and structural highs associated to an E\–W magnetic lineament along the 41st geographical parallel. The Vercelli seamount represents one example of structural highs correlated to Miocene magmatic episodes along the 41st parallel zone. In this study, we discuss the results of new high resolution magnetic data and morphological mapping of the Vercelli seamount acquired during the VER2010 cruise. The seamount represents the relict part of a granitic intrusion emplaced during the Tortonian phase of Tyrrhenian rifting. Tectonic and deep-sea erosive processes have jointly modified the seamount structure that can be observed nowadays. Cumulative gradient analysis highlights an asymmetric morphology of the flanks as a result of erosive action of opposite water mass gyres which modelled the southern portion of the seamount. The joint interpretation of magnetic and bathymetric datasets identifies a high magnetized source laying close to the base of the seamount and located in correspondence to a small basin. This structure has been modelled as a post-Tortonian lava sequence emplaced between structural highs in correspondence of N\–S elongated flat sedimentary basin. Modelling of new geophysical data highlights the relationship between crustal setting and magnetic evidences of the central Tyrrhenian Sea, providing a new interpretation of the 41st magnetic lineament.

}, keywords = {Forward modelling, Magnetic anomaly, Multibeam swath bathymetry, Seamount, Tyrrhenian Sea}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2015.06.006}, author = {Cocchi, L. and Giuseppe Masetti and Muccini, F. and Carmisciano, C.} } @article {5563, title = {Huddl: the Hydrographic Universal Data Description Language}, volume = {13}, year = {2015}, month = {May 2105}, pages = {17-32}, publisher = {International Hydrographic Bureau}, address = {Monaco, Monaco Cedex, Monaco}, abstract = {

Since many of the attempts to introduce a universal hydrographic data format have failed or have been only partially successful, a different approach is proposed. Our solution is the Hydrographic Universal Data Description Language (Huddl), a descriptive XML-based language that permits the creation of a standardized description of (past, present, and future) data formats, and allows for applications like Huddler, a compiler that automatically creates drivers for data access and manipulation. Huddl also represents a powerful solution for archiving data along with their structural description, as well as for cataloguing existing format specifica-tions and their version control. Huddl is intended to be an open, community-led initiative to simplify the issues involved in hydrographic data access.

}, keywords = {compiler, database, format, huddl, huddler}, url = {http://www.iho.int/mtg_docs/IHReview/IHR_Intro.htm}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Brian R Calder} } @proceedings {5467, title = {Huddler: a multi-language compiler for automatically generated format-specific data drivers}, year = {2015}, month = {March 16-19}, address = {Gaylord Hotel, National Harbor, Maryland, USA}, abstract = {

The Hydrographic Universal Data Description Language (Huddl) permits description of data organization in existing and future hydrographic data formats. Huddler represents an implementation of one of the many advantages of having such format descriptions: a compiler that automatically creates drivers for data access and manipulation.

The compiler is based on an XML parsing library that loads into memory the format description (frontend), and a code generator (backend) that creates code able to access the data in three different types of computer languages: procedural ANSI C, object-oriented C++, and multi-paradigm Python. The system is designed to admit other languages readily. The compiler is accessible via command line or a GUI application, named Hush (Huddl Schema Handler), which provides additional tools and information to the user. The compiler is here demonstrated with a variety of data formats from sonar manufacturers (e.g., Kongsberg EM Series) and acquisition software companies (e.g., HyPack) both legacy and in active development, both binary and ASCII.

Finally, a community-oriented website to access, catalogue, and disseminate hydrographic data formats resources and Huddl-specific information has been developed and is now publicly available.

}, keywords = {c, c++, data formats, huddl, huddler, python, xml}, url = {http://www.ushydro.org/2015}, author = {Brian R Calder and Giuseppe Masetti} } @article {5666, title = {Marine Object Manager as Information Fusion Tool for Detected and Database-Stored Shipwrecks}, year = {2015}, month = {October 12-13}, address = {Gothenburg, Sweden}, abstract = {

The combination of information present in bathymetric and imagery-based products is a key requirement for any modern shipwreck-detection approach for areas whereas optic means cannot be adopted. \ If the data sources and the processing involved are correctly weighted in a fusion algorithm, the detection task can be extended beyond a simple binary (presence/absence) decision to provide a meaningful metric that evaluates confidence in the presence of new features. \ In combination with other existing information (e.g., Electronic Nautical Charts - ENCs), this metric can become a proxy for areas with high probability of change (for shipwrecks to be either added or removed) with respect to the baseline knowledge of the area. \ The dual, and partially contradictory, goals of such a system are to highlight areas with high probability of change, and to use the existing nautical documentation as a spatial filter to resource consumption on known features. \ Determining an appropriate balance between these is an interesting challenge.

Based on such considerations, we describe an approach for how to combine the results of different target detection algorithms, as well as in comparing such results with existing ENCs and geographic databases. \ The main goal is to help the analyst in focusing on specific areas (with higher likelihood of new features), prioritizing them on safety-of-navigation criteria and reducing the common pitfall of subjectivity in the processing workflow. \ Although mainly aimed at reducing the time required to take survey data and apply it to the chart, the approach is also well suited for different scenarios such as rapid response after hurricanes.

These concepts are tested and demonstrated by an application prototype that uses real data products, existing nautical documentation, and publicly available geospatial services to support analyst decisions.\  The application also supports a schema-based mechanism for consistent data exchange and content validation.

}, keywords = {database, pollution, risk assessment, Shipwrecks}, url = {http://www.lighthouse.nu/project/wrecks-world-iii-shipwreck-risk-assessment}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Brian R Calder} } @article {5643, title = {A Marine Object Manager for Detected and Database-stored Features}, year = {2015}, month = {14-18 September}, address = {Plymouth, UK}, abstract = {

The combination of information present in bathymetric and imagery-based products is a key requirement for any modern feature-detection approach that aims to be adopted in coastal areas whereas the seafloor is deep enough that optic means are not reliable. \ If the data sources and the processing involved are correctly weighted in a fusion algorithm, the detection task can be extended beyond a simple binary (presence/absence) decision to provide a meaningful metric that evaluates confidence in the presence of new features. \ In combination with other existing information (such as that present in ENCs), this metric can become a proxy for areas with high probability of change (for features to be either added or removed) with respect to the baseline knowledge of the area. \ The dual, and partially contradictory, goals of such a system are to highlight areas with high probability of change, and to use the existing nautical documentation as a spatial filter to resource consumption on known features. \ Determining an appropriate balance between these is an interesting challenge.

Based on such considerations, this work describes an approach for how to effectively assist data analysts in combining the results of different target detection algorithms, as well as in comparing such results with existing features present on ENCs and geographic databases (e.g., spatial DBMS). \ The main goal is to help the analyst in focusing on specific areas (with higher likelihood of new features), prioritizing them on safety-of-navigation criteria and reducing the common pitfall of subjectivity in the processing workflow. \ Although mainly aimed at reducing the \“ping-to-chart\” time, the approach is also well suited for different scenarios such as rapid response to the short-term increase in marine debris deposition related to major events like hurricanes and floods.

These concepts are tested and demonstrated by a Marine Object Manager application prototype that uses real acoustic data products, existing nautical documentation, and publicly available geospatial services to support analyst decisions.\  The application also supports a schema-based mechanism for consistent data exchange and content validation.

}, keywords = {hierarchical model, marine debris, spatial data analysis, target detection}, url = {http://www.shallowsurvey2015.org/?page=home}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Brian R Calder and Matthew J. Wilson} } @proceedings {5612, title = {Multibeam Mapping of Feature Rich Seafloor in the U.S. Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument and on Mendocino Ridge off the California Coast}, year = {2015}, month = {March 16-19}, publisher = {The Hydrographic Society of America}, address = {National Harbor, MD}, url = {http://www.hypack.com/ushydro/2015/}, author = {Andrew A. Armstrong and James V. Gardner and Brian R Calder and Giuseppe Masetti} } @article {5738, title = {U.S. Law of the Sea Cruise to Map the Western Flank of the Kingman Reef-Palmyra Atoll Section of the Line Islands, Equatorial Pacific Ocean}, year = {2015}, month = {December 20}, pages = {62}, institution = {Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping / Joint Hydrographic Center}, address = {Durham, NH}, abstract = {

KM15-20 was Leg 2 of the continuing long-term bathymetric mapping of the area around Kingman Reef and Palmyra Atoll, in the equatorial Pacific. The objective of the cruise was to collect all of the bathymetric, acoustic backscatter, and sub-bottom data that might be useful to support a potential submission by the U.S. under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, Article 76 [1]. The responsibility for conducting the mapping was given to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) by the U.S. Congress, and has been implemented since 2003 through a cooperative agreement with the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping and NOAA-UNH Joint Hydrographic Center at the University of New Hampshire. This cruise supplements data from a prior cruise [2] to identify the morphology of the Foot of the Slope (FoS) around the northern end of the Line Islands chain.\ 

The cruise consisted of primary bathymetric mapping in water depths of approximately 5000m using the R/V Kilo Moana (Figure 1.2), operated by the University of Hawai\‘i. The primary mapping sonar was a Kongsberg EM122 multibeam echosounder (bathymetry and acoustic backscatter), with a Knudsen Engineering 3260 chirp sub-bottom profiler, and a Bell Aerospace bgm-3 marine gravimeter. Motion measurement was provided by an ApplAnix pos/mv 320 gps-aided inertial motion unit, while sound speed profile measurements were conducted using Sippican expendable bathythermograph (xbt) and expendable conductivity, temperature and depth (XCTD) probes.

}, keywords = {kingman reef, Law of the Sea, line islands, palmyra atoll}, author = {Brian R Calder and Giuseppe Masetti} } @article {5266, title = {Development of an adaptive fusion algorithm for marine debris recognition within the post-Sandy restoration framework}, year = {2014}, month = {15-17 April 2014}, address = {St. John{\textquoteright}s, NL, Canada}, abstract = {

Recognition of marine debris represent a difficult task due to the extreme variability of the marine environment, the possible targets, and the variable skill levels of human operators. The range of potential targets is much wider than similar fields of research such as mine hunting, localization of unexploded ordnance or pipeline detection. In order to address this additional complexity, an adaptive algorithm is being developing that appropriately responds to changes in the environment, and context.

The preliminary step is to properly geometrically and radiometrically correct the collected data. Then, the core engine manages the fusion of a set of statistically- and physically-based algorithms, working at different levels (swath, beam, snippet, and pixel) and using both predictive modeling (that is, a high-frequency acoustic backscatter model) and phenomenological (e.g., digital image processing techniques) approaches. The expected outcome is the reduction of inter-algorithmic cross-correlation and, thus, the probability of false alarm. At this early stage, we provide a proof of concept showing outcomes from algorithms that dynamically adapt themselves to the depth and average backscatter level met in the surveyed environment, targeting marine debris (modeled as objects of about 1-m size).

The project relies on a modular software library, called Matador (Marine Target Detection and Object Recognition).

}, keywords = {emergency response, fusion adaptive algorithm, marine debris, target classification, target detection}, url = {http://www.chc2014.ca/}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Brian R Calder} } @article {5267, title = {Huddl for description and archive of hydrographic binary data}, year = {2014}, month = {15-17 April 2014}, address = {St. John{\textquoteright}s, NL, Canada}, abstract = {

Many of the attempts to introduce a universal hydrographic binary data format have failed or have been only partially successful. In essence, this is because such formats either have to simplify the data to such an extent that they only support the lowest common subset of all the formats covered, or they attempt to be a superset of all formats and quickly become cumbersome. Neither choice works well in practice. This paper presents a different approach: a standardized description of (past, present and future) data formats using the Extensible Markup Language (XML). That is, XML is used to provide a structural and physical description of a data format, rather than the content of a particular file.

Done correctly, this opens the possibility of automatically generating both multi-language data parsers and documentation for format specification based on their XML descriptions, as well as providing easy version control of them. This solution provides also a powerful approach for archiving data together with their structural description, so that binary data will be easy to access in the future. Intending to provide a relatively low-effort solution to catalogue the wide range of existing formats, we suggest the creation of a catalogue of format descriptions, each of them capturing the logical and physical specifications for a given data format (with its subsequent upgrades).

A C/C++ parser code generator is used as an example prototype of one of the possible advantages of the adoption of such a hydrographic data format catalogue.

}, keywords = {binary data formats, code generator, XML catalog, XML schemas}, url = {http://hydrography.ca/chc-2014-conference.html}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Brian R Calder} } @article {5397, title = {New geological, geophysical and biological insights on the hydrothermal system of the Panarea {\textendash} Basiluzzo Volcanic complex (Aeolian Islands, Tyrrhenian Sea)}, year = {2014}, month = {10-12 Sept 2014}, address = {Milan, Italy}, abstract = {

Since the exhalative crisis of 2002 cruises were carried out to investigate morphology, magnetic and gravity fields, fluid escape, plume anomalies, biological and microbiological activity, benthic fluxes, early diagenesis, mineralogy and geochemistry of water and sediments of the hydrothermal system of Panarea. The volcanic complex was mapped by multibeam, including backscatter analysis, and magnetometric surveys were done to detect low magnetization in areas with hydrothermal activity, i.e., vents, sulphide deposits, chimney fields. CTD by ship and on ROV detected acidic plumes at bottom (minimum pH value 6.5) and mid depths. An Automatic Benthic Chamber was deployed on a terrace (40m) and in depressions with gas-charged and hydrothermally altered sediments (80m). At the 40m site, strong releases of Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC) and Fe, Mn, Zn (75.7, 2.0, 2.9, 3.4 \µmol m -2\  day -1 ) were found. Average decrease of pH in the chamber was ~4 units day -1 with a H + benthic flux of 0.32 \µmol m -2 day -1 ). DIC values of seawater had average 2.3, increasing to 3.1 on degassing vents, while 7.5 \µmol was measured on top of a bubbling core.

ROV dives explored and sampled several sites; active chimneys (black, red crusts and yellowish-orange precipitates at top) were recovered on the SE flanks of Basiluzzo; pH value of 5 was measured aboard on sediments. XRD and XRF data on the external crust showed Fe-Mn oxyhydroxides, including goethite and opal, with Co, Ce, Sr, Zn and Cu enrichments, whereas the inner part are depleted of Fe, Mn and other metals, mostly under detection limits. SEM imagery shows porous filamentous minerals, that are probably bacterial in origin. Dives to SW discovered fields of partially or totally relict chimneys at the same depth (~200m). Chimneys are present on the edges of slope failures and settled on areas of relative lower positive magnetic anomaly, indicating possible shallow depth level of hydrothermal alteration. Reddish crusts and sediments, and acid, gas boiling water (pH 5.5) were cored at 90 m depth upslope of the \&$\#$39;active\&$\#$39; chimneys; upslope from the \&$\#$39;relict\&$\#$39; chimney\&$\#$39;s fields, oxized-normal sediments were found. Biological investigations on the sediments revealed a community strongly dominated by the amphipod Ampelisca ledoyeri (43.8 \% of the total abundance), probably dwelling in the tube-patches. Rare species were detected on the chimney\&$\#$39;s samples. The phylogenetic diversity of microbial communities in the precipitates collected on chimneys and on Bottaro vent was analyzed by bacterial and archaeal 16S rDNA clone libraries, showing a dominance of sulfur-oxidazing epsilon and gamma proteobacteria. Very interesting groups of archaea were revealed including methanotrophic Thermoplasmatales and members of SM1 candidate division. Overall prokaryotic diversity was found similar to that of deep sea hydrothermal vents and other sulfidic habitats. White microbial mats were found in an area S of Panarea, on a N-S oriented fracture.

}, url = {http://www.geoscienze2014.it/index.php/sessioni/elenco-abtsracts}, author = {Bortoluzzi, G. and Spagnoli, F. and Aliani, S. and Romeo, T. and Canese, S. and Esposito, V. and Grassi, M. and Giuseppe Masetti and Dialti, L. and Cocchi, L. and Muccini, F. and Lacono, V. and Yakimov, M. and La Spada, G. and Ligi, M. and Giordano, P. and Franchi, F. and Ferrante, V. and Borgognoni, L. and Tudino, T. and Guideri, M. and Ivaldi, R. and Pratellesi, M. and Marziani, F. and Niccolini, F. and Barbieri, E. and Capaccioni, B. and Andaloro, F.} } @article {5265, title = {Rapporto sulle attivita{\textquoteright} oceanografiche, geochimiche, geologiche, geofisiche e di campionamento durante la crociera PANA13 con ITS Magnaghi : Panarea, I.Eolie, Tirreno S.Orientale, 2013-06-02- 2013-06-08.}, year = {2014}, pages = {22}, institution = {RAPPORTI ISMAR}, chapter = {Istituto di Scienze Marine}, address = {Roma, Italy}, url = {http://www.ismar.cnr.it/products/reports-campagne?set_language=en\&cl=en}, author = {Grassi, M. and Giuseppe Masetti and Dialti, L. and Bortoluzzi, G. and Filippone, M. and Ricci, E. and Pratellesi, M. and Spagnoli, F. and Borgognoni, L. and Tudino, T. and Aliani, S. and Battaglia, P.} } @article {5262, title = {A Risk Index Methodology for Potentially Polluting Marine Sites (PPMS)}, volume = {34(3)}, year = {2014}, month = {2014/05/25}, pages = {391-405}, publisher = {Springer}, abstract = {

Attempting to assess the risk of a release from a Potentially Polluting Marine Site (PPMS) can be a very subjective process. The Marine Site Risk Index (MaSiRI) is designed to provide a more objective approach to this process by adopting a table-based evaluation scheme, while still allowing for the inevitable unknown conditions by including a subjective \“expert correction\” in a suitably controlled manner.

Building on a Geographic Database (GeoDB) of PPMS records, the MaSiRI algorithm applies data filters to remove PPMS records for which it is not applicable, and then estimates a basic risk index based on core data that almost all sites would contain. It can then refine the results for those sites that have auxiliary data, varying the assessed risk as appropriate, according to standard rule-sets.

A Risk Level of Confidence (RLC) is computed and adjusted to express dynamic confidence in the risk value (e.g., due to reliance on estimates rather than measured values), and where appropriate an upper and lower bound of risk can be used to assess the range of values associated with an estimated parameter. This information can be visualized by a composite quality symbol proposed here. MaSiRI is demonstrated on three illustrative shipwrecks, and then compared against the DEEPP project database from the Pelagos Sanctuary in the western Mediterranean.

The aggregate results of the comparison are broadly similar to DEEPP, within the limits of the comparison, but provide a more detailed analysis in the case of estimated pollutant volume, and ubiquitous assessment of levels of confidence.

}, keywords = {level of confidence, PPMS, Quality Symbol, risk assessment, Risk Index}, url = {http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10669-014-9504-7$\#$}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Brian R Calder} } @article {5761, title = {U.S. Extended Continental Shelf Cruise to Map Sections of the Mendocino Ridge}, year = {2014}, month = {Oct. 12}, pages = {83}, institution = {University of New Hampshire}, chapter = {Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping/Joint Hydrographic Center}, address = {Durham, NH}, keywords = {Extended Continental Shelf, Law of the Sea, mendocino ridge, r/v atlantis}, author = {Andrew A. Armstrong and Giuseppe Masetti} } @proceedings {5398, title = {Use of seafloor stereo-images to validate automatic classification of benthic habitats}, year = {2014}, month = {May 5 - May 9}, address = {Lorne, Victoria, Australia}, abstract = {

Here we present a technique for automatic classification of seafloor data collected during the 2012 HABCAM-V4 cruises, a federally funded long term project part of the annual NOAA sea-scallop\’s survey.

This project will analyse a unique data set that includes simultaneously collected data such as:
- Hi-resolution multi-beam (digital bathymetry and backscatter intensity)
- Seafloor stereo image data (e.g. species and substrate)
- Environmental parameters (e.g. temperature, salinity, water turbidity)

The analysis will be based on an unsupervised spatial clustering (K-means) of a combination of several predictors like morphological features (curvature, rugosity, fractal index, surface area) and backscatter intensity. The final results will be validated by analysing the identified classes with a randomly selected subset of underwater photographs for each class.

The seafloor classification map produced is then used as a preliminary \"habitat classification\" for further classification. It can be reused to define selection criteria for the underwater images used by automatic classifier or by manual image annotator tools.

Results from this project will also help to define new survey track-lines prior to and during HABCAM surveys.

}, url = {http://geohab.org/conferences/2014-lorne-australia/}, author = {Massimo Di Stefano and Giuseppe Masetti and Larry A Mayer} } @proceedings {5263, title = {Caratterizzazione dell{\textquoteright}ambiente marino dei Campi Flegrei. Risultati preliminari della campagna oceanografica RICAMAR 2013}, year = {2013}, month = {November 5 - 7}, publisher = {Atti 17a Conferenza Nazionale ASITA}, address = {Riva del Garda, Italy}, abstract = {

The caldera of the Phlegraean Fields (also known as Campi Flegrei) is one of the most dangerous and populated volcanic area in the world, covering an area that comprises the western part of Naples and the Gulf of Pozzuoli. The main peculiarity of current volcanic activity is the gradual and periodic lift (positive or negative) of part of the Earth\&$\#$39;s surface (bradyseism) combined, only during the positive phase, with a strong sismicity and surficial hydrotermal activity. Deformative models, calibrated using land-based measurements, highlighted the Gulf of Pozzuoli as the area with the largest deformation.

Although the network of monitoring sensors on land is well developed and structured, there is a lack of sensing systems for the marine deformation. The activities of \"RIlievi per la Caratterizzazione dell\’Ambiente MARino nel Golfo di Pozzuoli 2013 (RICAMAR2013)\" project - sinergically conducted by the Italian Navy\&$\#$39;s Survey Vessel \"Ammiraglio Magnaghi\", the Italian Hydrographic Office (IIM) and the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV)- were targeted to fulfill this gap. In fact, the creation of marine observatories about the caldera\&$\#$39;s phenomena will be based on the data collected during these bathymetric, magnetometric, stratigrafic and hydrologic surveys.

}, keywords = {bradyseism, caldera, marine deformation}, url = {http://atti.asita.it/ASITA2013/titoli.html}, author = {Grassi, M. and Carmisciano, C. and Cocchi, L. and Dialti, L. and Filippone, M. and Guideri, M. and Ivaldi, R. and Giuseppe Masetti and Muccini, F. and Pratellesi, M. and Ricci, E. and Stefanelli, P.} } @article {5247, title = {CCOM-JHC Summer Hydro 2012: A High-Res Survey Under 12 Flags}, year = {2013}, month = {October 08, 2013}, address = {Venice, Italy}, abstract = {

The University of New Hampshire Summer Hydrographic Field Course conducted a hydrographic survey off the coast of Southern Maine (USA) during the summer of 2012. The MBES data were acquired using a Kongsberg EM 2040 operated both at 300 kHz and 400 kHz in normal mode (multisector) and short CW (70 \µs), positioned with an Applanix POS/MV (Ver. 4) and using Real-Time Kinematic corrections broadcast from a GNSS base station.

The survey team was composed of faculty, staff and students (5 GEBCO scholars) from 12 nations spanning the globe. The survey provided a unique learning opportunity and a interactive learning environment for sharing experiences and comparing a wide number of national hydrographic Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in the main framework of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - Office of Coast Survey (NOAA-OCS) standards.

The resulting high resolution bathymetry and backscatter products lead to the discovery of several interesting geological features that are currently under investigation. The survey area covers four square nautical miles (196 linear nautical miles of data acquisition) over a highly dynamic seafloor ranging in depth from zero to 35 meters, with 200\% approximate average coverage. Additionally, 17 grab samples and 21 underwater videos have been conducted for geological and biological seafloor characterization as a direct result of this survey. All soundings from this survey are adequate to supersede prior surveys in their common areas, and are recommended for use in chart update.

The proposed poster will highlight the bathymetry, backscatter, and geological features, including a V-shaped morphologic structure.

}, keywords = {backscatter, multibeam bathymetry}, url = {http://www.gebco.net/about_us/gebco_science_day/documents/ccom_poster_gebco_2013.pdf}, author = {Berry, Anna and Cezairle, Yunus and Chowdhury, Mohammad and Englert, Chris and Gunasinghage , Prasadh and Guo, Xiao and Hassan, Norhizam and Giuseppe Masetti and Minami, Hiroki and Nguyen, Thanh and Thein, Saw and Welton, Briana and Matthew J. Wilson and Andrew A. Armstrong and Semme J Dijkstra and Smith, Ben and Terry, Emily} } @article {5178, title = {Design of a standardized geo-database for risk monitoring of potentially polluting marine sites}, volume = {34(1)}, year = {2013}, month = {4 December 2013}, pages = {138-149}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {New York, NY, USA}, abstract = {

An increasing availability of geospatial marine data provides an opportunity for hydrographic agencies to contribute to the identification of potentially polluting marine sites (PPMS).

This new acronym has been created not only to refer to shipwrecks of modern vessels, but also for other types of marine sites such as dumping areas, pipelines, etc. Independent of the specific type, a PPMS represents a potential source of pollution for the marine environment. Although several type-specific databases are available worldwide (from local to global scale), there is an evident lack of uniformity (e.g., different aims of data collection). A common approach description of these sites at local single-site level may permit aggregation for multiscale decisions, e.g., for remediation and incident response.
To adequately manage these sites, a standardized PPMS geospatial database (GeoDB) application has been designed to collect relevant information suitable for site inventory and geo-spatial analysis. In particular, benefits in structuring the data in conformance with the Universal Hydrographic Data Model (IHO S-100) and encoding using the Geographic Markup Language (GML) are presented.

A possible practical storage solution is proposed using a GML-enabled spatial relational database management system. Finally, a Web GIS deployment is illustrated, being the simplest way to communicate to the public the collected information, with the related possibility of using the data as a Web Map Service in almost any GIS, allowing for better development and integration with other available datasets. The adoption of the PPMS GeoDB product
specification as part of the IHO S-100 series would represent an innovative and important contribution from the hydrographic community to reduce, or at least better manage, environmental and economic risks related to PPMSs.

}, keywords = {marine environment, PPMS, Risk Monitoring, shipwreck, Spatial Standard}, url = {http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10669-013-9486-x?sa_campaign=email/event/articleAuthor/onlineFirst}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Brian R Calder} } @article {5264, title = {RICAMAR2013: Rilievi per la caratterizzazione dell{\textquoteright}ambiente marino nel Golfo di Pozzuoli. Rapporto sull{\textquoteright}attivit{\`a}. 13 - 31 maggio 2013}, year = {2013}, pages = {56, vol. 262(2013)}, institution = {Rapporti Tecnici INGV (ISSN 2039-7941)}, chapter = {Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia}, url = {http://www.ingv.it/editoria/rapporti/rapporto262/}, author = {Carmisciano, C. and Grassi, M. and Cocchi, L. and Giuseppe Masetti and Filippone, M. and Ricci, E. and Pratellesi, M. and Ivaldi, R. and Iannaccone, G. and Berrino, G. and De Natale, G. and Chiodini, G. and Caliro, S. and Dialti, L. and Guideri, M. and Muccini, F. and Stefanelli, P. and Orsi, G. and Iafolla, V. and Italiano, F. and Buongiorno, F. and Stramondo, S. and Bignami, C. and Polcari, M. and Silvestri, M.} } @proceedings {4858, title = {Developing a GIS-Database and Risk Index for Potentially Polluting Marine Sites}, year = {2012}, month = {May 15 - May 17}, address = {Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada}, abstract = {

The increasing availability of geospatial marine data provides an opportunity for hydrographic offices to contribute to the identification of \“Potentially Polluting Marine Sites\” (PPMS). These include shipwrecks, oil rigs, pipelines, and dumping areas. To adequately assess the environmental risk of these sites, relevant information must be collected and converted into a multi-scale geodatabase suitable for site inventory and geo-spatial analysis. In addition, a Risk Index \– representing an assessment of the magnitude of risk associated with any site \– can be derived to determine the potential impacts of these PPMS. However, the successful collection and integration of PPMS information requires some effort to \‘normalize\’ and standardize the data based on recognized international standards. In particular, there is benefit in structuring the data in conformance with the Universal Hydrographic Data Model (IHO S-100) recently adopted by the International Hydrographic Organization. In this paper, an S-100 compliant product specification for a PPMS geo-spatial database and associated Marine Site Risk Index is proposed which can be used by national hydrographic offices and marine protection agencies.

}, keywords = {GIS Database; Risk Index for Potentially Polluting Marine Sites; GML; PPMS; MaSiRI; shipwreck; IHO S-100}, url = {www.chc2012.ca}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Brian R Calder and Alexander, Lee} } @mastersthesis {5029, title = {A Geo-database for Potentially Polluting Marine Sites and Associated Risk Index}, volume = {Ocean Engineering/Ocean Mapping}, year = {2012}, month = {12/2012}, pages = {284}, school = {University of New Hampshire}, address = {Durham, NH}, abstract = {

The increasing availability of geospatial marine data provides an opportunity for hydrographic offices to contribute to the identification of \“Potentially Polluting Marine Sites\” (PPMS).

To adequately manage these sites, a PPMS Geospatial Database (GeoDB) application was developed to collect and store relevant information suitable for site inventory and geo-spatial analysis. The benefits of structuring the data to conform to the Universal Hydrographic Data Model (IHO S-100) and to use the Geographic Mark-Up Language (GML) for encoding are presented. A storage solution is proposed using a GML-enabled spatial relational database management system (RDBMS). In addition, an example of a risk index methodology is provided based on the defined data structure. The implementation of this example was performed using scripts containing SQL statements.

These procedures were implemented using a cross-platform C++ application based on open-source libraries and called PPMS GeoDB Manager.

Manuscript

}, keywords = {GML Application, IHO S-100 Data Model, PPMS, Quality Symbol, Risk Index, Shipwrecks}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti} } @article {4987, title = {Potentially Polluting Marine Sites GeoDB: An S-100 Geospatial Database as an Effective Contribution to the Protection of the Marine Environment}, volume = {8}, year = {2012}, month = {November 2012}, pages = {27-40}, publisher = {International Hydrographic Bureau}, address = {Monaco, Monaco Cedex, Monaco}, abstract = {

Potentially Polluting Marine Sites (PPMS) are objects on, or areas of, the seabed that may release pollution in the future. A rationale for, and design of, a geospatial database to inventory and manipu-late PPMS is presented. Built as an S-100 Product Specification, it is specified through human-readable UML diagrams and implemented through machine-readable GML files, and includes auxiliary information such as pollution-control resources and potentially vulnerable sites in order to support analyses of the core data. The design and some aspects of implementation are presented, along with metadata requirements and structure, and a perspective on potential uses of the database.

}, keywords = {GML, IHO S-100, marine environment, PPMS, shipwreck, spatial SQL}, url = {http://www.iho.int/mtg_docs/IHReview/2012/IHR_November2012.pdf}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Brian R Calder and Alexander, Lee} } @article {4290, title = {Remote identification of a shipwreck site from MBES backscatter}, volume = {111}, year = {2012}, month = {30 November 2012}, pages = {44-52}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {http://ees.elsevier.com/jema/}, abstract = {

The method described attempts to remotely identify the shape of an anthropogenic object, such as a wreck of a modern vessel, using reflectivity data from Multi-Beam Echosounder (MBES) systems. In the beam domain, the backscatter strength values \– geometrically and radiometrically corrected \– are used to extract a large number of Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM) features with different input parameters. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is applied in order to achieve dimensionality reduction whilst a K-means algorithm clusters as \“shipwreck site\” a large number of beams for each line. After the geo-referencing process, a K-nearest-neighbors (K-NN) technique is applied as a filter for possible misclassifications. Finally, the shape of the shipwreck site is defined from the georeferenced beams using the \α-shape method, constructing an output compatible with Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

}, keywords = {Multibeam Sonars, Seafloor Characterization}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301479712003520}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Brian R Calder} } @proceedings {4289, title = {Correzioni geometriche e radiometriche applicabili a valori di backscatter raccolti con sistemi MBES Kongsberg EM 3002}, year = {2011}, month = {15-18 November}, address = {Reggia di Colorno, ITA}, abstract = {

This paper describes possible geometric and radiometric corrections for backscatter values collected by MBES Kongsberg EM 3002. The corrections permit to obtain values related mainly to the physical characteristic of the insonified seafloor. These corrections, preliminary to the application of any following technique of analysis, directly influence the quality of products extracted from the seafloor reflectivity.

}, keywords = {Seafloor Characterization}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and A. Trucco and Sacile, R.} } @article {2892, title = {I relitti delle navi da guerra: status e tutela giuridica}, volume = {5}, year = {2011}, pages = {24-31}, publisher = {Ministero Della Difesa}, address = {Rome, Italy}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Orsini, F.} } @article {2893, title = {Remote characterization of seafloor adjacent to shipwrecks using mosaicking and analysis of backscatter response}, volume = {43}, year = {2011}, pages = {77-92}, publisher = {Italian Society of Remote Sensing}, keywords = {Seafloor Characterization}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Sacile, R. and A. Trucco} } @book {, title = {La Missione Atalanta e la politica estera dell\’Unione Europea}, year = {2010}, publisher = {Aracne Editrice}, organization = {Aracne Editrice}, address = {Rome, Rome, Italy}, keywords = {Other}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Orsini, F.} } @proceedings {3243, title = {Acquisizione marina dell\’alto strutturale del Mt. Vercelli (Mar Tirreno Centrale) e del golfo di Napoli: descrizione dei rilievi e primi risultati}, volume = {3}, number = {2}, year = {2010}, month = {Oct 26 - Oct 28}, pages = {517-518}, chapter = {29th}, address = {Prato, Italy, Italy}, keywords = {Seafloor Characterization}, author = {Cocchi, L. and Muccini, F. and Carmisciano, C. and Vagni, R. and Giuseppe Masetti} } @proceedings {3242, title = {Caratterizzazione remota del fondale marinotramite analisi e mosaicatura del backscatter}, year = {2010}, month = {Nov 9 - Nov 12}, pages = {1275-1280}, address = {Brescia, Brescia, Italy}, keywords = {Seafloor Characterization}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Sacile, R. and A. Trucco} } @article {2883, title = {GIS e GeoDB: due acronimi per capire il mondo. Elementi teorici e spunti argomentativi sull{\textquoteright}integrazione dei dati geografici}, volume = {3}, year = {2010}, pages = {91-100}, publisher = {Italian Ministero Della Difesa}, address = {Rome, Rome, Italy}, keywords = {Other}, url = {http://www.marina.difesa.it/conosciamoci/editoria/marivista/Pagine/201003.aspx}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Carnevale, L.} } @proceedings {3218, title = {Carte nautiche elettroniche dell{\textquoteright}I.I.M. e cartografia tecnica regionale: studio di fattibilita per una necessaria integrazione}, year = {2009}, month = {Dec 1 - Dec 4}, pages = {1387-1392}, address = {Bari, Bari, Italy}, abstract = {

With this work we tried to move a little step to find which information presented in the Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC) produced by the Italian Hydrographic Office and in the regional topographic databases could be integrated.

The backbone idea is to operate at the level of finished products, skipping any problem about the source data, collected with different rules and specifications. At this theoretical study is followed the realization, with the Ligurian Region\’s cooperation, of a demonstrative ENC named \“Chiavari Harbour\”. The easiness with whose the aforesaid ENC\’s \“landing part\” has been created let us suppose a quick qualitative improvement of the Italian Hydrographic Office\’s portfolio of ENC.

On the other hand, from the integration of ENC\’s data, the Regions could obtain a set of \“marine\” information at the moment largely uncared.

}, keywords = {Other}, url = {http://atti.asita.it/Asita2009/Pdf/042.pdf}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti} } @article {2862, title = {Environmental Risks Monitoring of Shipwrecks in Italian Seas}, volume = {11}, year = {2009}, pages = {52-60}, publisher = {International Hydrographic Bureau}, address = {Monaco, Monaco Cedex, Monaco}, keywords = {Other}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Orsini, F.} } @article {2861, title = {L{\textquoteright}Unione Europea contro la pirateria marittima nel Golfo di Aden}, volume = {6}, year = {2009}, pages = {10-15}, publisher = {Italian Ministero Della Difesa}, address = {Rome, Rome, Italy}, keywords = {Other}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Orsini, F.} } @article {2863, title = {Tutela dell\’ambiente marino: Le responsabilit\à degli Stati costieri nell\’individuazione e nel monitoraggio dei relitti marini presenti nelle acque di propria giurisdizione}, volume = {5}, year = {2009}, pages = {26-31}, publisher = {Gazzetta Ambiente}, address = {Rome, Rome, Italy}, keywords = {Other}, url = {http://www.gazzettaambiente.it/scheda.cfm?id=392\&le_responsabilita_degli_stati_costieri_nell_individuazione_e_nel_monitoraggio_dei_relitti_marini}, author = {Giuseppe Masetti and Orsini, F.} }