Hydrodynamic Controls on Acoustical and Optical Water Properties in Tropical Reefs

The general objective of the work underway is to develop a baseline characterization of the spatial and temporal variability in optical/acoustical water properties for tropical island environments in response to variations in physical forcing. OBJECTIVES Specifically, the project aims to address the following questions:-What are the dominant space and time scales for variability in optical and acoustical water properties for tropical island reef environments?-How do these vary for different reef zones, including forereef, reef flat, lagoon and channel areas?-What are the dominant hydrodynamic controls across different reef environments? Tropical coral health can be significantly affected by sedimentation that can limit light availability, impact recruitment and bury coral colonies. The ongoing work will improve understanding of the dynamical processes that affect variability in optical and hydrodynamic properties for these important environments.