ABOARD THE RESEARCH VESSEL STORM-- Marine archaeologists are diving deep into Lake Huron's past, creating 3-D images of the many shipwrecks resting far below the surface.
They're coming up with a far more detailed look at these hidden, historical treasures than traditional photos or video provide.
The researchers have begun mapping shipwrecks in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary with imaging technology that's getting its first full-fledged, deep-water workout by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They are rapidly creating accurate 3-D images of sunken vessels by feeding photos into a software program in a process known as "photogrammetry."
Researchers say the new images they are developing will be useful for archaeological assessment and monitoring. They'll also provide the public a broader understanding of wrecks otherwise inaccessible to everyone but experienced deep divers.
