IN2017_V01: Seabed Imagery from Sabrina Coast Survey, East Antarctica

Six camera tow transects captured oblique still images and HD video of the Sabrina Coast seafloor between 480 and 1680 meters depth in early 2017. The dataset includes metadata with sensor readings for CTD, altitude, and pressure, though some positional and timing offsets are noted. Geoscience Australia published this data from the RV Investigator voyage IN2017-V01, led by Chief Scientists L.K. Armand and P. O’Brien.

Use Cases

• Classify benthic fauna and substrate types based on the color-corrected seabed imagery.
• Analyze seafloor topography and habitat structure using the synchronized altimeter and pressure sensor data.
• Study oceanographic conditions (temperature, salinity) in relation to biological communities using the CTD measurements referenced in the metadata.
• Train object detection models for marine species using the high-definition video footage that includes descent and ascent sequences.

Strengths

• Includes six distinct transects with imagery from depths spanning 480 to 1680 meters.
• Metadata contains multiple sensor streams: CTD, altimeter, pressure, and positional data.
• Still images were professionally color corrected to remove blue bias.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Known data issues include a USBL failure for one tow and timing offsets between images and sensor data.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, Marine National Facility, Geoscience Australia.

Collection Method

Collected via towed Deep Tow Camera system with Canon cameras and sensor suite from RV Investigator.

Time Range

January to March 2017.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-04 06:32:26.151236; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Sabrina Coast seafloor, East Antarctica.