RUI: Hydrographic Survey and GIS Database Development for Anthropogenic Debris and Marine Habitats at McMurdo Station, Antarctica

该项目将绘制海底碎片和相关底栖生物栖息地的地图和特征，并绘制麦克默多附近海底的轮廓。在麦克默多的近岸海洋环境中倾倒或堆积了大量不明成分的桶和其他碎片。这个项目将是确定潜在有毒碎片对环境的程度和风险的第一个关键步骤。主要研究人员将使用高分辨率侧扫描声纳、水深剖面、水肺测量和摄影记录来记录碎片的分布和性质，同时绘制当地自然栖息地的地图。拟议的工作还将产生麦克默多地区的第一个详细的水深等高线图。深度等高线数据是开发准确近岸水流模型的关键要素，该模型用于预测新麦克默多下水道排放口流出物的运动。这些数据集将作为一个综合底栖生物地理信息系统的基本要素，由现有的国家科学基金会和南极支助协会的计算机设施维持。将包括的要素将是侧扫声纳图像、深度、导航轨迹、碎片、栖息地类型、群落类型沉积物化学和污染物负荷、物种列表和照片的基础地图叠加。

This project will map and characterize seafloor debris and associated benthic habitats and to contour the seafloor in the vicinity of McMurdo. Large numbers of barrels with unknown contents and other debris have been dumped or accumulated in the near-shore marine environment in McMurdo. This project will be the first critical step in determining the extent and risk to the environment of the potentially toxic debris. The principal investigators will use high resolution sidescan sonar, bathymetric profiling, scuba surveys, and photographic records to document the distribution and nature of debris while also mapping local physical habitats. The proposed work will also produce the first detailed bathymetric contour chart of the McMurdo area. Depth contour data are key elements in the development of accurate nearshore currents models needed to predict the movement of effluents from the new McMurdo sewer outfall. These data sets will be incorporated as the foundation elements in a comprehensive benthic Geographic information System to be maintained on existing National Science Foundation and Antarctic Support Associates computer facilities. Elements to be include will be the base map overlays for sidescan sonar images, depth, navigation tracks, debris, habitat type, community type sediment chemistry and pollutant loads, species lists and photographs.