Measurement of seafloor roughness with close range digital photogrammetry

SACLANT Undersea Research Centre has recently developed a close range photogrammetry system which uses stereo images of the seafloor and photogrammetric processing techniques to produce surface elevation models in a digital format. In this paper is given a description of the fully digital system and examples of high-resolution seafloor height data extracted from stereo photographs taken on a sandy seafloor near Elba Island, Italy. Preliminary results indicate that the system described will be able to give fast and accurate estimates of small scale bottom topography that will ultimately enhance studies of the seafloor and acoustic scattering due to seafloor roughness.