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Sea ExplorationsOperation Laser Line 2006
Operation Laser Line 2006
November 8 - 13, 2006
 The
laser line scan (LLS) systems utilize a sweeping blue-green
laser to reflect light across the seafloor to generate a gray-scale
image similar to a black and white photograph. Mapping of
coral reefs has been identified as one of the first and most
important steps needed to address the increasing decline of
the world's coral reefs. Photography or direct observation
is required to identify corals and other coral reef community
organisms, but only small areas can be covered with these
techniques.
Laser
line scanning has been suggested as an alternative method
that can provide high-resolution imagery of the seafloor over
a much wider area than conventional photography. Laser line
scan (LLS) systems sweep a blue-green laser across the bottom
and uses the reflected light to generate a gray-scale image
of the seafloor that is similar to a black and white photography.
 The
NOAA Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center, in collaboration
with partners from the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration, the
Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory, the Hawaii Division of
Aquatic Resources and the UH Botany Department will embark
on a 6-day research cruise from November 8 - 13, 2006.The
only commercially-available LLS system in the world will be
deployed at a handful of sites off the coast of Maui.
Expedition
survey targets include beds of commercially-harvested black
coral, a recently-discovered deep hard coral reef, an important
nursery area and fishing site for commercially-harvested groundfish,
deep algae beds, and a WWII aircraft wreck. This wide range
of targets will enable us to thoroughly evaluate LLS technology,
and hopefully provide the impetus to design less expensive
and more capable LLS systems to meet management and research
needs in coral reef ecosystems.
Mission Facts
*
Although laser line scan (LLS) systems have been in existence
for decades, there is only one system in the world, Scientific
Applications International Corporation's Northrop-Grumman
SM-2000, which is commercially available.
* LLS sends and receives the laser light by bouncing it off
of two separate four-sided, pyramid-shaped rotating mirrors.
* The entire LLS system requires two to three 20 ft shipping
containers to hold all the equipment needed to install it
on a research or survey vessel.
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