During the recent 2012 Ocean Sciences meeting held in Salt Lake City, Utah, 12 undergraduate students presented eight studies during a poster session on emerging research on the global ocean and society, including science education, outreach and public policy.

In addition to student contributions, faculty members from the College of Charleston presented a poster titled “Bathymetric analysis of Bulls Scarp, a complex shelf-edge promontory extending into the Gulf Stream off Charleston, SC”.

Bulls Scarp is a cape-like promontory located at the continental shelf edge, 100 km off the coast of Charleston, SC. Multibeam data collected in July 2011 aboard the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster reveal a variety of complex bathymetric features. Data were analyzed using CARIS HIPS and SIPS and reveal seafloor features including sand waves, current scours, depressions, a small canyon, multiple ledges and a possible iceberg plough mark — the southern-most feature of its kind identified in the western North Atlantic. Such bathymetric information is contributing to the designation of possible essential fish habitat and marine protected areas.

The poster can also be found on our website under The Projects section of our Academic Partnering web pages.