Remote sensing using pulsed lasers (lidar) has mainly been applied to atmospheric
observation, but it can also be applied to marine observation. In this chapter, lidar applications to
marine observation, including bathymetry, detection of oil spills on sea surfaces, water quality
inspection, monitoring of marine organisms, are presented. The present state and future prospects on
these applications are presented.
Keywords: Marine lidar, bathymetry, oceanography, shipborne lidar, helicopter-borne lidar, oil spill, water
quality, fluorescence, chlorophyll, marine life.
