title: GhostNet marine debris survey in the Gulf of Alaska--satellite guidance and aircraft observations.
abstract: Marine debris, particularly debris that is composed of lost or abandoned fishing gear, is recognized as a serious threat to marine life, vessels, and coral reefs. The goal of the GhostNet project is the detection of derelict nets at sea through the use of weather and ocean models, drifting buoys and satellite imagery to locate convergent areas where nets are likely to collect, followed by airborne surveys with trained observers and remote sensing instruments to spot individual derelict nets. These components of GhostNet were first tested together in the field during a 14-day marine debris survey of the Gulf of Alaska in July and August 2003. Model, buoy, and satellite data were used in flight planning. A manned aircraft survey with visible and IR cameras and a LIDAR instrument located debris in the targeted locations, including 102 individual pieces of debris of anthropogenic or terrestrial origin.
authors.affiliation: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR), 5200 Auth Road, Camp Springs, MD 20746, USA. William.G.Pichel@noaa.gov
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Pichel
authors.forename: Timothy S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Veenstra
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Churnside
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arabini
authors.forename: Karen S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.forename: Russell E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Brainard
authors.forename: Dale
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kiefer
authors.forename: Simeon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ogle
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clemente-Colón
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000401:Aircraft; D000413:Alaska; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D058998:Remote Sensing Technology / Q000379:methods*; D018531:Spacecraft; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D014873:Water Pollutants