Major disasters at sea such as the explosion and subsequent oil spill on the Deep Water Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, and more recently, the partial sinking of the Costa Concordia cruise liner of the Italian coast have hit the headlines. The loss of life and damage to the environment are of significant concern to international governments, industry and the general public. When the news interest subsides, what happens next? How do we improve our understanding of these events and ensure that the locations are restored to their previous natural state. One of the first steps is to carry out sonar surveys of the site to better understand the condition of the wrecks and wreckage on the seabed. This presentation described how new 3D visualisation techniques developed in the Universities of Dundee and St Andrews is revolutionising this process, delivering unprecedented imagery to assist in disaster management and salvage.

This talk by Dr Chris Rowland – University of Dundee, was part of the Dundee Science Festival.