Ireland to survey coastal erosion with
lasers
Date: 16-Sep-99
Country: IRELAND
"Erosion, as a natural phenomenon, is a constant threat to our
coastline. It is essential that we map its impact so that we can deploy
the best defences against it," Michael Woods, Minister for the Marine
and Natural Resources, said in a statement.
The scan of the coast from Dalkey south of Dublin to the southeastern
Carnsore Point would be undertaken using state-of-the-art technology
which had never been used before in Ireland and had only been available
for three to four years, the marine department said.
Using a scanner mounted to a fixed wing aircraft to measure the time it
takes for the laser beam to reflect to its source from up to 5,000
separate points a second, the technology's main advantage is its speed,
the department added.
The UK-based National Remote Sensing Centre Ltd at Farnborough won the
100,000 Irish pound contract in a tender. The survey will be completed
this year, the department said.