Inferring compositions of marine litter windrows in near-coastal Florida using multispectral indices
Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Undergraduate
Project Type
individual
Campus
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Alyssandra Lanese, Junior
Lead Presenter's Name
Alyssandra Lanese
Lead Presenter's College
DB College of Aviation
Faculty Mentor Name
Daniel Burow
Abstract
Marine litter windrows are accumulations of floating material at the sea surface that form under calm conditions. When these windrows become large enough, their presence can be detected in satellite imagery under clear-sky conditions. Windrows may be comprised of natural material including driftwood, algae, foam, or mucilage, anthropogenic pollution such as plastic, or some combination of these. Identifying and differentiating these types of floating debris is a challenge without in-situ observations. Here, we apply various multispectral indices such as the Adjusted Floating Algae Index (AFAI) to imagery of windrows near Florida that were identified with the Windrows Spectral Index (WSI). The WSI was developed with the goal of identifying floating macroplastics, but evidence suggesting these windrows were comprised of natural material would imply that the WSI may be susceptible to false positives.
Did this research project receive funding support (Spark, SURF, Research Abroad, Student Internal Grants, Collaborative, Climbing, or Ignite Grants) from the Office of Undergraduate Research?
No
Inferring compositions of marine litter windrows in near-coastal Florida using multispectral indices
Marine litter windrows are accumulations of floating material at the sea surface that form under calm conditions. When these windrows become large enough, their presence can be detected in satellite imagery under clear-sky conditions. Windrows may be comprised of natural material including driftwood, algae, foam, or mucilage, anthropogenic pollution such as plastic, or some combination of these. Identifying and differentiating these types of floating debris is a challenge without in-situ observations. Here, we apply various multispectral indices such as the Adjusted Floating Algae Index (AFAI) to imagery of windrows near Florida that were identified with the Windrows Spectral Index (WSI). The WSI was developed with the goal of identifying floating macroplastics, but evidence suggesting these windrows were comprised of natural material would imply that the WSI may be susceptible to false positives.