AIRBORNE LIDAR BATHYMETRY: THE SHOALS SYSTEM

The Scanning Hydrographic Operational Airborne Lidar Survey (SHOALS) system was developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a tool for monitoring the nearshore bathymetric environments typical of their coastal projects. In this capacity, the system has been deployed at many tidal inlets, providing information concerning channel shoaling, change in shape of the ebb and flood tidal shoals, and overall patterns of sand movement. SHOALS has demonstrated the ability to achieve order-of-magnitude increases in survey speed for collection of accurate, densely spaced bathymetric and topographic measurements while remaining cost-competitive with conventional survey methods. Surveying 16 sq km per hour and collecting soundings every 4 m, SHOALS remotely measures water depths using state-of-the-art light detection and ranging (lidar) technology. With vertical measurements ranging from adjacent beach and structure topography through depths of 40 m, this capability allows rapid, accurate mapping of coastal projects. SHOALS missions have had a variety of purposes. Among these are navigation, shore protection, coastal structure evaluation, nautical charting, and emergency response. This paper presents lidar bathymetry technology by describing the SHOALS system and discussing several projects surveyed to date. In addition, it details system components and operating procedures and discusses system performance.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03741001
• Corporate Authors:

  International Navigation Association

  Graaf de Ferraris-gebouw, Boulevard du Roi Albert II 20, Box 3
  B-1000 Brussels,   Belgium 
• Authors:
  • Irish, J L
  • McClung, J K
  • Lillycrop, W J
• Publication Date: 2000-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 43-53
• Serial:
  • Bulletin of the International Navigation Association
  • Issue Number: 103
  • Publisher: International Navigation Association
  • ISSN: 0374-1001

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bathymetry; Channels (Waterways); Hydrographic surveying; Laser radar; Nautical charts; Navigation; State of the art; Technological innovations; Tides; Topographic maps
• Identifier Terms: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Subject Areas: Hydraulics and Hydrology; Marine Transportation; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00792420
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 24 2000 12:00AM