Donated AUV bathymetry data collected during Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) cruise in March 2019 offshore of south-central California

This dataset consists of autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) bathymetry data collected in March 2019 aboard the R/V Rachel Carson, which is owned and operated by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). During the cruise, bathymetry data were collected across eight AUV dives, all eight of which collected coincident bathymetry and Chirp seismic-reflection data. The collection of these data was funded entirely by MBARI, and the data have been donated to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The data were collected in collaboration with the USGS and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), and they are located in the same study area as the collaborative California Deepwater Investigations and Groundtruthing I (Cal DIG I) project. The purpose of the overall Cal DIG I study is to assess shallow geohazards, benthic habitats, and thereby the potential for alternative energy infrastructure (namely floating wind turbines) offshore south-central California due to the study area's proximity to power grid infrastructure associated with the Morro Bay power plant. The AUV data in this part of the data release provide ultra-high-resolution seafloor imaging of eight different patches of seafloor offshore of the south-central California coast. The AUV mapping navigation has not been accurately positioned and is considered as only partially processed.