Gravity utilizes state-of-the-art equipment and instruments to collect data
We are actively involved in the design and fabrication of specialty equipment, probes, and samplers to improve data quality and accuracy. Gravity teams with laboratories, universities, and has worked in collaboration with many government agencies to produce new sampling and mitigation equipment for in-water projects.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELING
Gravity uses a wide variety of computational models to support the survey data that we collect. Gravity has particular expertise with the Delft 3D package of models for predicting hydrodynamic and morphodynamic impacts. These models can help clients better understand the implications their projects may have on currents and sediment transport as well as helping predict issues such as maintenance dredging and water quality impacts. These models increase the level of understanding of natural systems and the way in which they react to varying conditions, including the spread of toxic substances in various media, the short- and long-term effects of exposure to hazardous substances, and other forms of prediction and risk assessment. They estimate the environmental fate of pollutants, their impacts on human health and the environment, and the costs and benefits of alternative policies.
IMAGING AND ACOUSTICS
Gravity uses advanced imaging and hydroacoustic equipment to provide clients with their underwater imaging and mapping needs. Using the latest navigation, camera, surveying and GIS processing software, Gravity can conduct surveys for UXOs, benthic habitat assessments, bathymetry, and scour studies. The high resolution and substantial underwater coverage of the data can be easily included into a variety of computer-aided design and geographic information system packages. Engineers, contractors, and even less technically experienced personnel may view the data and better understand underwater conditions.
CORING AND SEDIMENT SAMPLING SYSTEMS
Gravity designs and manufactures several sediment coring and surface sampling systems for both public and private clients. Gravity is particularly focused on the research and development of systems for the collection of un-disturbed and representative sediment samples. Currently Gravity has pending patents for a marine geoprobing system, a suction coring unit, a rotary impact corer, and three separate surface samplers. Gravity has built sediment vibracoring units from as small as a portable unit for backpacking into swamps to deep ocean coring rigs that integrate with ROV’s and subsea platforms.
SEDIMENT TRANSPORT AND PARTICLE TRACKING
Gravity has significant technological experience conductingsediment transport studies both domestically and internationally. Gravityteams with a number of manufactures including Sequoia Scientific the manufacturer of the LISST Particle Analyzer system. Gravity owns four 100x units and one DEEP LISST-100x (2500m) unit. These units can be used for sediment transport studies, oil spill response, and stormwater evaluations. In addition, Gravity uses state of the art current profilers and sensors to measure currents and particles in both shallow and deep water using vessel and bottom mounted systems. Gravity has expertise in deploying and analyzing sediment particle and current instruments as well as designing studies and modeling this data using programs such as Delf3D. Modeling tools can be used to predict impacts of engineering designs on hydrodynamic and morphodynamic regimes.
REAL TIME MONITORING SYSTEMS
Gravity provides real time systems for environmental monitoring, ocean current profiling, wave tracking and scour analysis programs. Real time monitoring can decrease project costs, reduce exposure risk of vessel crews, and significantly increase measurements to better understand the physical environment surrounding your project area. Gravity currently maintains series of monitoring buoys and weather stations in the Puget Sound, Kuwait, and in the Caspian sea. Our services include deployment and calibration of monitoring systems for project specific data needs. Gravity has a significant inventory of readily available instruments to quickly deploy at your project site. We can provide current profiling systems, weather stations,integrated water quality monitoring modules, and navigation aids.
HIGH VOLUME ULTRA-TRACE SAMPLING
Gravity has extensive experience in measuring ultra-trace-level environmental contaminants in water resources. With the increasing demand for detecting lower concentrations of organic contaminants in waters, Gravity has developed protocols and field sampling equipment to collect samples for ultra-trace analysis.
From research teaming with analytical laboratories to in-field testing with multiple government agencies, Gravity has developed a custom ultra-Trace Contaminant Sampler (uTCS) which has been utilized extensively on CERCLA and RCRA sites around the USA and abroad.
The concept of ultra-trace contaminant sampling (mTCS) is the rapid acquisition (up to 2L/min) of a large volume of water, the subsequent pre-filter treatment and concentration onto a solid substrate. The concentrated sample can then be delivered to a laboratory as a solid and extracted for organic analysis at ultra-trace levels.
CUSTOM RESEARCH VESSELS & OFFSHORE EQUIPMENT
As a Seattle-based company, Gravity benefits from direct access to many custom marine builders locally available. Custom boat builder Bean Custom Marine and Fabrication (BMF) has built over ten custom research vessels for Gravity projects. Gravity and BMF have also teamed to build research vessels for some local universities, oil and gas clients, and diving companies.
Gravity also works in close collaboration with a local ROV company and machine shop to build custom underwater equipment for oceanographic studies. Through local teaming Gravity has built research boats that will fit in freight containers for shipping to places like Papua New Guinea, and designed robotic systems that can sample sediment at 3000 meters undersea.
