HyVista Corporation has undertaken a number of hyperspectral surveys around the world (see map) of coastal zones and reef systems including a large, 3500 sq km survey of the Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia.
The HyMap sensor has spectral bands across the VISNIR with excellent signal to noise ratio allowing water penetration sufficient to derive water depth (bathymetry) and undertake benthic mapping of corals, sand, sea grass and algae.
The lower, left hand panel shows a true colour HyMap image of the Seringapatan Reef, 320 km off the north-west coast of Western Australia.
The right hand lower panel shows a bathymetric map derived from the HyMap imagery. HyVista has supplied hyperspectral imagery from a number of locations to the Naval Research Labs and the Australian Defence Science and Technology Group to support their littoral zone mapping research and development.