Voyis, a leading provider of underwater laser scanning and imaging technology, proudly announces the use of its AUV sensor payload by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for their work to restore Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities (MDBC) injured by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. This application enables significant advances in the quality of deep-sea data collected to inform habitat restoration.
The depths of the ocean remain one of the least explored frontiers on our planet. In the wake of environmental challenges such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, the need for high quality data to inform restoration efforts in deep-sea habitats has never been more urgent. Recognizing this imperative, NOAA acquired Voyis optical sensors to enhance their operations through the use of these cutting-edge technologies.
The Project
The dimly lit mesophotic zone of the ocean is home to a wide variety of marine life, including deep-sea corals, fish, sea anemones, sponges, and sea cucumbers. Similar communities, devoid of sunlight, thrive in the deep benthic regions, where rocky formations host corals, sea stars, sea urchins, fish, and crabs. Notably, certain deep-sea corals found in both zones exhibit slow growth rates and astonishing longevity, with colonies of some species enduring for over a millennium.
Within the Gulf of Mexico, these mesophotic and deep benthic communities sprawl across extensive stretches of the seafloor, spanning depths from 160 to approximately 13,000 feet. Despite their apparent isolation, they play a pivotal role as foundational species within a larger interconnected food web throughout the region. For instance, they serve as crucial habitats for fish and invertebrates, protecting and nurturing their eggs and larvae. As these organisms mature, many disperse to other areas of the ocean for feeding and reproduction.
Tragically, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 inflicted severe damage on these habitats, impacting over 770 square miles of deep-sea terrain. Affected areas included the vicinity of the spill site and extended up the continental slope to portions of the Pinnacles mesophotic reef complex situated at the continental shelf edge in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The spill’s repercussions included oil toxicity harming seafloor-dwelling organisms and sediment from drilling operations smothering marine life. Consequently, the oil contamination disrupted both the seafloor habitat and the marine food chain.
NOAA’s expeditions to collect data about mesophotic and deep-sea habitats in the region are critical to restoration efforts following the oil spill. These expeditions are gathering key data to inform restoration projects in some of the Gulf of Mexico’s most inaccessible yet crucial habitats. Voyis expertise in underwater scanning and imaging technology provides NOAA with uniquely detailed and previously unavailable data in support of the agency’s environmental conservation and stewardship mission.
“Our partnership with NOAA represents a shared vision of harnessing technology to address complex environmental challenges,” said Brenden St John, Head of Ocean Sciences at Voyis. “Through our collaboration, we aim to provide NOAA with the tools and insights needed to advance deep-sea exploration and restoration efforts.”
High Resolution Underwater Colour Imaging
Optical Sensors for Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Studies
Traditional methods of oceanic mapping, such as ship-based sonar, face limitations in capturing microscale remote sensing observations in deeper waters. This is where Voyis’ Recon LS system comes into play. Combining underwater laser scanning and imaging technology, the Recon LS system enables NOAA to overcome the challenges of microscale mapping and detection.
“Our use of underwater lasing and imaging technologies empowers us to explore the depths of the ocean with more clarity and precision,” said Chris Taylor, technical advisor to the project with NOAA. “Integrating these sensors into our autonomous underwater vehicle platforms adds another tool in our toolbox for deep-sea remote data collection, informing our restoration efforts in the Gulf of Mexico.”
Underwater Laser Scanning of Seabed
The utilization of Voyis’ technology in NOAA’s MDBC restoration leverages the forefront of innovation in optical sensors to shape the future of oceanic conservation and exploration.
NOAA’s 2024 field season is underway, continuing to apply Voyis technologies to yield groundbreaking discoveries and insights into the depths of the ocean. Together, NOAA and Voyis are charting new territories and setting new precedents for data collection to support deep-sea environmental conservation.
