Improved Geohazards and Benthic Habitat Evaluations

The Digital High Resolution Acoustic Data for Improved Benthic Habitat/GeohazardsEvaluation study is focused on developing a better understanding of seafloor geology of the Gulfof Mexico continental slope in order to increase our predictability of geohazards andchemosynthetic communities, particularly in areas of hydrocarbon seepage-venting. Those arethe areas that are commonly accompanied by acoustic wipe-out zones in high resolution acousticdata sets. This report is a summary of research sponsored by the U.S. Department of InteriorMinerals Management Service (MMS), Gulf of Mexico Region OCS through the Coastal MarineInstitute at Louisiana State University