MARCH 17, 2009--The US Geological Survey (USGS; http://www.usgs.gov) is using a GigE camera from Prosilica (Burnaby, BC, Canada) to study sand grains and their potential impact on the shape of sea-beds. The research is being conducted through the USGS Coastal & Marine Geology Program (CMGP) at Menlo Park/Santa Cruz (California).
One of the project's objectives is to capture close-up color images of sand grains to study their coarseness and how their size influences suspension of sediments by waves and currents. The research team will be looking to develop a theoretical model to predict how the sea-bed morphology off the Californian coastline might change over time and, in the longer term, study changes in ocean behavior.
The USGS has undertaken similar projects in the past (e.g., Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center's study of sediments in the Colorado River); however, this is the first time that the organization has used a camera with Gigabit Ethernet technology. For more information, go to: http://www.prosilica.com/company/news/newsletters/january2009.pdf
