Introduction to Applied Methods and Procedures for Underwater Surveying

Tentative Program & Schedule

The course is organized in 4 MODULES listed below. Each module includes theoretical lessons and diving and safety practice.

Module 1: General Diving Skills: how to fill scuba cylinders, including appropriate safety procedures; requirements on safe handling, storage and transportation of scuba cylinders; requirements for recurring cylinder testing; testing breathing gas quality; different types of scuba equipment configurations used in scientific diving operations and recognize the key features of each; basics of equipment maintenance. Risk-assessment: identifying site and task specific hazards; undertaking site and task-specific risk assessment; select appropriate measures to mitigate and/or control the risk

Module 2: Diving Safety: recognition of and response to emergency situations; effective emergency surface actions; casualty recovery from the water; communication with emergency services; documentation of the incident. First aid: training in first-aid and basic life support (BLSD) (e.g. cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillation (AED)).  Emergency oxygen administration: theoretical instruction of the medical principles involved and practical tuition on the use of an emergency oxygen unit.

Module 3: General Scientific Diving Techniques: ethics of science; sustainable practices in scientific diving in accordance with e.g. Nagoya-protocol, EN ISO 21416 & 21417; underwater tasks conducted by scientific divers; core roles involved in the administration of an organizations scientific Diving Safety Program. Methods: marking and measuring; line intercept transects; underwater photo and video camera use; airlifts and lift bags; mapping, sketching, drafting a map; visual and video census; quadrat/planning frame; offset measurements; sampling methods and devices; establishing a grid; measuring and characterization of abiotic variables; site marking and assessment; experimental design; collection, processing and evaluation and archiving data; creating a site report; aquatic life identification and biomonitoring, different cartography methods. Review of basic navigation skills: line work (knots, reels and spools), line survey, establishing transects and baselines, monitoring.

Module 4: Underwater Survey Techniques: Survey methods for accurate model scaling, photography and videography fundamentals, image editing and color correction for underwater images, photogrammetric survey planning, underwater photogrammetry techniques, photogrammetry pipeline, post-processing techniques for 3D models, 3D models analysis and measurements, 3D documentation and mapping, fundamentals of acoustic surveys, optoacoustic reconstructions, and data-merging.