Dear Marmam members
On behalf of my co-authors I am pleased to share our recent publication
in Remote Sensing: "X-Band Radar for Cetacean Detection (Focus on
Tursiops truncatus) and Preliminary Analysis of Their
Behavior"
We tested the capability of an
X-band radar (ground based) to track and detect cetaceans in the area in front
of Corniglia (SP - Italy - Cinque Terre MPA).
The full reference and abstract
are found below:
Mingozzi, M.,
Salvioli, F., Serafino, F. "X-Band Radar for Cetacean Detection (Focus on Tursiops
truncatus) and Preliminary Analysis of Their Behavior" . Remote
Sensing, 12, 3, (2020).
Abstract:
Cetaceans are protected species
all over the world, most of them are vulnerable, endangered, or data deficient
(according to International Union for Conservation of Nature - IUCN red list).
X-band radars detect the echo of the electromagnetic signal reflected by an
obstacle or a ship (target). The application of X-band radar to the detection of
cetaceans is a new and innovative field of research that could improve the
automation of marine mammal data collection, and this is the first time in the
Mediterranean Sea. The aim of this work was to test the capability of X-band
radar installed along the coast (ground-based) to detect and track cetaceans in
a range of approximately 2.5 nautical miles from the radar antenna. Data
collection included a part of field work, implemented through the acquisition of
photographic images and target’s radar detection (by the panoramic terrace Santa
Maria in Corniglia), and a part, performed in the laboratory, of data analysis.
The work was undertaken between May and November 2018. During this period, 30
days of monitoring were carried out (about 300 h) and about 10,000 radar images
were recorded. The first results showed that we were able to recognize the
target “cetacean” from the other common targets (boats, buoys, etc.) detected by
the radar. In particular 70 dolphins were sighted by visual census; 12 of them
were recognized on radar images. Radar images allowed extraction of dolphin dive
time (between 2 and 15 s). The next step will be to allow the radar to identify
the presence of marine mammals itself since it also works at night and with low
visibility. This technique could complement the protection measures of
cetaceans, highlighting their presence at sea even if it is impossible with
waves higher than 0.8 m and over distances greater than 2.5 km.
If you do not have access to remote
sensing, please do not hesitate to contact me for a copy at : mingomatte94@virgilio.it
Bests,
Matteo
M.