Gas Seep Systems

Seafloor seeps are locations where gas (mostly methane) is discharged from marine sediments into the ocean. They are widely recognized as an important component of the global carbon cycle because they directly link methane reserves in subseafloor sediments— the largest carbon reservoir on Earth — to the marine environment. Gas released at seeps drives a wide range of interconnected biogeochemical processes in the shallow subsurface, at the seafloor, and in the overlying water column. These processes contribute to ocean acidification and deoxygenation but also result in extraordinary hotspots of deep-sea benthic biodiversity with unique rock outcrops that harbor complex chemosynthetic ecosystems. Additionally, gas seeps indicate the potential for significant marine geohazards and are a demonstrated energy production resource. Our group conducts research focused on seep discovery, quantification of gas flux, and delineation of subsurface gas transport pathways. Our team has discovered thousands of gas seeps on the northern US Atlantic margin and has led field expeditions employing remotely operated, autonomous, and human-occupied vehicles to characterize biogeochemical processes in these seafloor environments.

Coastal Sediment Systems

SSC Map.jpg

The coastal waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico are a critically important marine environment, hosting one of the largest fisheries in the United States and a thriving blue economy that supports industries like shipbuilding, commercial fishing, coastal tourism, and advanced maritime technology. However, this coastal environment is imperiled by numerous threats, including shoreline erosion, wetland loss, sea level rise, and degraded water quality. Our group applies marine geology and geophysics approaches to understanding key processes in coastal environments, including erosion, sediment transport, pollutant transport, and seafloor fluid exchange. Specific projects include research on optimizing marsh restoration techniques to minimize wetland erosion, tracking nutrient as well as microplastic transport pathways in coastal estuaries, and understanding the relationship between shallow coastal stratigraphy, particularly buried Pleistocene paleochannel networks, and the spatial distribution of submarine groundwater discharge. Collectively, these efforts support broader goals for coastal resilience and restoration in the region.

Marine Geophysical Data Processing and Analytical Techniques

Our group’s research involves the collection of marine geophysical data from a wide range of ocean observing platforms. A key component of our work with these data is focused on developing data processing and analysis techniques to support our research goals. Specific projects in this realm include the development of machine learning algorithms for the detection and characterization of targets (e.g. gas and sediment plumes) in multibeam echosounder water column data. Additionally, we are developing spatial analysis techniques to support the prediction of subsurface geologic features and conditions from multibeam echosounder bathymetry and backscatter data. Finally, we are applying biometric data analysis approaches to side scan sonar data for quantitative geometric characterization of seafloor morphological features (e.g. bedforms).