[GRASSLIST:6170] Underwater GIS?

[Bernino Lind]

Dear Sirs,

A wish to you for a good day.

I am a UNIX programmer and professional diver with a background of
master in physics.

I am doing a mapping project of the port of Copenhagen for recreational
divers to use, fishermen, sailors and environmental interested persons.

The mapping tools currently used are traditional, that is lines to
measure distances, compasses to stay on track, depth gauge for an analog
elevation model - which must all be done with full SCUBA gear on in the
water (which is currently 4 degree celsius).

As part of my physics studies I have played with grass and various
satellite images with radiation theory applied is the issue.

(1) Therefor I know that it is possible to make a map from a picture and
I am thinking it must be possible to do this underwater as well?

I have searched for sources of knowledge and found that esri.com has
done some work in this field, but not so much with respect to SCUBA and
GIS (ie. the measurements are done by persons in the water - which makes
it more fun...).

I have found that indeed work on this subject does exist (taking into
account app. 2/3 of the earth surface is aquatic realm) a book about the
issues called "Undersea with GIS" http://dusk.geo.orst.edu/undersea/
(which I just bought at amazon) and a usergroup called marine mapping
user group, http://mmug.calfish.org/ .

It seems like all ressources I have found have in focus a macro
perspective and that not much if any work has been done in micro
perspective - we now the major currents of the oceans etc. etc. but not
much about which car wrecks are located where in the port of
Copenhagen...

(2) Does anyone know of micro perspective underwater GIS mapping
projects expanded with DEM (and best of all, something in the university
which I then can claim documentation from) - any marine archeologists
out there...?

(3) What I need is a simple, cheap, not so sofisticated set of
underwater GIS tools (cameras? VCR? other?) which ordinary specially
interested sailors and divers could reach economically. Anyone who could
give me some hints?

(4) I am very much willing to put in a lot of research time and some $
(limited by my little income), but I will certainly need experts to
guide and help me. Anyone interested in participating (we will start
from scratch writing a specification, project descpription etc. etc.
with the only requirement that we will have a cheap working set of GIS
tools for underwater useage by SCUBA recreational divers).

I wish you all the best regards,

Bernino Lind