At-sea detection of marine debris: overview of technologies, processes, issues, and options

At-sea detection of marine debris presents a difficult problem, as the debris items are often relatively small and partially submerged. However, they may accumulate in water parcel boundaries or eddy lines. The application of models, satellite radar and multispectral data, and airborne remote sensing (particularly radar) to focus the search on eddies and convergence zones in the open ocean appear to be a productive avenue of investigation. A multistage modeling and remote sensing approach is proposed for the identification of areas of the open ocean where debris items are more likely to congregate. A path forward may best be achieved through the refinement of the Ghost Net procedures with the addition of a final search stage using airborne radar from an UAS simulator aircraft to detect zones of potential accumulation for direct search. Sampling strategies, direct versus indirect measurements, remote sensing resolution, sensor/platform considerations, and future state are addressed.