Specializing in environmental mapping, AFFILIATED RESEARCHERS offers precise substrate definition and accurate substrate mapping of lacustrine, marine, estuarine, and even riverine environments.

With the integration of advanced seabed classification and GPS technologies, AFFILIATED RESEARCHERS uses proven methodology to produce precise delineation mappings of substrate types in aquatic, marine, and estuarine environments.

AFFILIATED RESEARCHERS provides project engineers, resource managers, and scientists with substrate definition and geo-referenced, survey grade mapping of the aquatic and marine substrate types.

Utilizing advanced hydrographic softwares (Triton SeaClass, HYPACK, and Trimble HydroPro) and our RTK GPS integrated sonar, AFFILIATED RESEARCHERS collects high-definition digital sonar images (either sidescan or multibeam), and compiles the sonar images onto precise, geo-referenced substrate definition maps.

In fishery management and environmental monitoring applications, our geo-referenced substrate definition mapping is invaluable in enabling an accurate assessment and quantification of a specifically defined or critical aquatic habitat, in fishery management and environmental monitoring applications.

AFFILIATED RESEARCHERS' substrate definition and mapping services are also extremely beneficial for coastal zone management, dredging and port construction, and hydrographic routing applications.

The hydrographic software processes the collected sidescan (or multibeam) image data using an extensive series of multivariate statistical algorithms that discriminates the acoustic impedance relating to the different substrate roughness, and develops a mapping of the various types of existing substrate types.

Groundtruthing of the substrate types is performed by our underwater photogrammetry technique, which produces high resolution (10 million pixels/inch) digital, color, scaled, and GPS-located images.

AFFILIATED RESEARCHERS also provides 3-D visualizations with detailed bathymetric contour backgrounds, to allow engineers, resource managers, and scientists greater perspective of the aquatic habitats and environments.