Investigating the coastal benthic boundary layer

Abstract

Recent geopolitical changes have shifted the emphasis of U.S. naval operations from deep ocean to nearshore coastal regions. In response to this shift, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) established a special 5‐year research program to study the impact of the environment on mine countermeasure (MCM) systems.ONR's Coastal Benthic Boundary Layer Special Research Program (CBBLSRP) studies physical characterization and modeling of benthic boundary layer processes (Figure 1) and the impact these processes have on seafloor properties that affect shallow‐water naval operations.