Topographic and bathymetric data, structure from motion imagery, and ground control data collected at Marconi Beach, Wellfleet, MA in March 2022, U.S Geological Survey Field Activity 2022-014-FA

The data in this release map the beach and nearshore environment at Marconi Beach in Wellfleet, MA and provide updated environmental context for the 2021 CoastCam installation that looks out at the coast shared by beachgoers, shorebirds, seals, and sharks. This is related to the field activity 2022-014-FA and a collaboration with the National Park Service at Cape Cod National Seashore to monitor the region that falls within the field of view of CoastCam CACO-02, which are two video cameras aimed at the beach. In March 2022, U.S. Geological Survey and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) scientists conducted field surveys to map the CoastCam field of view. Aerial images of the beach for use in structure from motion were taken with a camera (Sony a6000) and a post-processed kinematic (PPK) system attached to a helium filled balloon-kite (Helikite). High-precision GPS targets (AeroPoints) and numbered black and white tarps were used as ground control points. Bathymetry was collected in the nearshore using a single-beam echosounder mounted on a surf capable self-righting electric autonomous surface vehicle. Agisoft Metashape (v. 1.8.1) was used to create a digital surface model with the collected imagery, which was merged with the bathymetry in MATLAB (v. 2020b) to create a continuous topobathy product.

To cite an indiviudal dataset within the release use the following format example:  Over, J.R., Sherwood, C.R., Traykovski, P.A., and Bartlett, M.K., 2022, Bathymetric data and grid of offshore Marconi Beach, Wellfleet, on March 16, 2022 in Topographic and bathymetric data, structure from motion imagery, and ground control data collected at Marconi Beach, Wellfleet, MA in March 2022, U.S. Geological Survey Field Activity 2022-014-FA: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9L1KCQB.