19. Future Studies

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Most studies in oceanography raise more questions than they answer. For example, you have identified features on the bay floor based solely on the multibeam data --- how can we test these ideas since I suspect that you are far from certain about several of your interpretations?

Two ways to “groundtruth” your interpretations of the sonar map are the collection of sediment samples and either still photographs or video of the bay floor. Video and photographs will not likely provide much information as light does not penetrate very far in the waters of the bay.

Therefore, sediment samples using a coring device might be helpful in testing some of your ideas.

On your map of the bay floor put the locations of five areas where you would like to collect sediment samples in order to verify your initial observations. For each location write the question that this sample will address.

Bay Floor Image and Flyby Movie of the Central San Francisco Bay Region produced by Pete Dartnell of the Pacific Seafloor Mapping Project
of the U.S. Geological Survey
(be patient for download - 4.2 Mbyte file)(click on play symbol to replay movie)