Special to UM News

The University’s Helicopter Observation Platform will conduct aerial shipwreck surveys.

MIAMI—A research team led by the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science has been awarded funding from the National Geographic Society to conduct aerial shipwreck surveys in Biscayne National Park using technology on its specially designed helicopter. The project will begin in October and run through August 2017.

The research team, led by Frederick “Fritz” Hanselmann, director of UM’s Underwater Archaeology and Underwater Exploration program, and Charles Lawson, Biscayne National Park’s cultural resources manager and archaeologist, will use the  Rosenstiel School’s one-of-a-kind Helicopter Observation Platform (HOP) to conduct aerial geomagnetic surveys to identify potential marine archaeological sites located in the South Florida-based national park.

The test-of-concept project will use advances in airborne and underwater technologies to conduct a rapid assessment to identify potential archaeological sites followed by ground-truthing of aerial results with diver-led visual surveys. Rosenstiel School Dean Roni Avissar will serve as chief pilot and UM Professor and National Geographic Explorer Kenny Broad as co-pilot for flight operations. Bert Ho, senior underwater archaeologist with the National Park Service’s Submerged Resources Center, will be the project’s geophysical expert, along with a representative of Geometrics LLC, and will deploy an airborne magnetometer from the HOP to acquire the data that could lead to the discovery of more shipwrecks in the park.

“If successful, this approach could be a game changer in our ability to rapidly identify and archive submerged cultural resources,” said Hanselmann.

The commercial Airbus Helicopters H125 aircraft that will be used in the study is capable of collecting critical scientific information at the Earth’s surface, whether marine or continental, and the thin atmospheric boundary layer above it. Fully fueled and with both pilot and co-pilot on board, the HOP can carry a scientific payload of up to 1,000 pounds internally (about 2,000 pounds externally) and fly for nearly four hours without refueling at an airspeed of 65 knots. Its fast cruising speed is 140 knots and its range, at that speed, is 350 nautical miles. The Geometrics magnetometer is used to pick up ferrous or metallic differences from the region’s magnetic signature, which have the potential to be historic shipwrecks.

The project will provide significantly more information to park officials on the 50,000 acres of unsurveyed area within Biscayne National Park and allow increased research and protection of critical heritage sites. Over 40 shipwrecks are located within the waters of Biscayne National Park, ranging from 350-foot-long iron steamers and single colonial anchors to 17th century sailing vessels built primarily of wood.

The researchers will use data obtained from previous boat-towed geomagnetic surveys to compare the effectiveness of helicopter-based aerial survey as an underwater archeological method. “If proven effective, this survey model can translate to other, more difficult areas for archaeological survey and ocean exploration,” said Hanselmann.

Additionally, National Geographic fellow Corey Jaskolski will create detailed maps using a 3D image-based scanning based on photogrammetry, which takes many high-resolution underwater images using a calibrated camera system stitched together into incredibly high-resolution 3D models. The image maps will be shared interactively for student or scientist study within virtual or augmented reality, or 3D printed to scale for accurate measurement and analysis.

The study, titled: “A Baseline Characterization of Biscayne National Park’s Submerged Cultural Resources Utilizing Aerial Geomagnetic Survey and Underwater 3-D Imaging,” was funded by a grant from the National Geographic Society’s Expeditions Council.