Geomorphological characterization of the Red Sea mesophotic reef environments using high-resolution multibeam data (Internship) King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)

Overview

The student will preprocess the multibeam bathymetry datasets collected across coral-dominated reef environments, generate digital elevation models (DEMs), and extract terrain attributes such as slope, curvature, Bathymetric Position Index (BPI) and rugosity. Building on these metrics, the project will identify and classify geomorphic features (e.g., terraces, slopes, ridges, depressions) and assess their distribution across depth zones. 

The Geomorphological characterization of the Red Sea mesophotic reef environments using high-resolution multibeam data (Internship) project from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) will contribute to understanding how geomorphological variability reflects seafloor organization in coral reef-associated settings, providing a baseline for future ROV explorations, long-term monitoring, and the identification of priority areas to be considered within marine spatial planning and protection strategies.

Recommended Student Background

• Familiarity with GIS software (QGIS/ArcGIS)

• Basic knowledge of marine geology, geomorphology, or spatial data analysis

• Experience with R or Python for data analysis is advantageous but not essential