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44-21 Revealing the Reef: Satellite Remote Sensing of Navassa Island's Benthic Geomorphology
Session: Recent Advances and New Voices in Marine and Coastal Geoscience (Posters)
Poster Booth No.: 238
Presenting Author:
Jacob Yates
Author:
Yates, Jacob1r>
(1) Mariner Space Institute, San Diego, CA, ,
Abstract:
An observational study utilized the blue spectral band (445-516 nm) of satellite data to examine the spatial distribution of submerged reef complexes around Navassa Island. The island itself is 3.5 km long and 2 km wide, characterized by a raised plateau and steep-sided cliffs that descend to a submarine terrace at depths of approximately 23-30 meters. The reefs extend from the near-shore environment to approximately 1 km offshore. While the windward east coast is exposed to significant wave energy, resulting in extensive rubble fields and minimal coral reef development, the more protected southwest coast exhibits the largest coral cover. The blue spectral band was found to depict intricate submerged reef patterns where wave dynamics were minimal, but showed subdued complexes in areas with high wave action. This study suggests that using satellite imagery in the blue spectral band could be an essential diagnostic tool for monitoring changes in the spatial distribution of similar oceanic island reef complexes.