JMEE Home · Issue Contents · Forthcoming Papers

Estimation of Polymetallic Nodule Abundance Based on Seafloor Photography
Fang Dong, Lei Li, Shaoyuan Peng, Jiacheng Liu, Yonggang Jia, Yongzheng Quan, Jian Zhou and Zhihan Fan

In this study, we aim to enhance the precision of estimating polymetallic nodule resources in the
Western Pacific Ocean by employing a traditional deep-sea camera method supported by sampling. A series
of image pre-processing techniques are applied, and an equation is developed to determine the weight and
surface area of the nodules. Our findings indicate that effective image processing is achieved through the use
of denoising algorithms and morphological reconstruction. It is noted that developing empirical formulas in
conjunction with nodule coverage is not advisable due to the high level of uncertainty. Instead, more stable
parameters such as cross-sectional area and quantity are introduced to describe the characteristics of
polymetallic nodules and calculate their abundance. The shape of the nodules is a crucial factor that must be
considered and has been found to be statistically significant. A moderately strong correlation is observed
between nodule weight and cross-sectional area based on the distinct morphological features of spheroidal
and ellipsoidal nodules. This correlation enhances the reliability and accuracy of estimating the abundance
of polymetallic nodules.

Keywords: Polymetallic nodules, abundance, coverage, seafloor photography, morphological distribution