The Coastal Imaging Research Network (CIRN)

The Coastal Imaging Research Network (CIRN) is an international group of researchers who exploit signatures of phenomena in imagery of coastal, estuarine, and riverine environments. CIRN participants develop and implement new coastal imaging methodologies. The research objective of the group is to use imagery to gain a better fundamental understanding of the processes shaping those environments. Coastal imaging data may also be used to derive inputs for model boundary and initial conditions through assimilation, to validate models, and to make management decisions. CIRN was officially formed in 2016 to provide an integrative, multi-institutional group to collaborate on remotely sensed data techniques. As of 2021, the network is a collaboration between researchers from approximately 16 countries and includes investigators from universities, government laboratories and agencies, non-profits, and private companies. CIRN has a strong emphasis on education, exemplified by hosting annual “boot camps” to teach photogrammetry fundamentals and toolboxes from the CIRN code repository, as well as hosting an annual meeting for its members to present coastal imaging research. In this review article, we provide context for the development of CIRN as well as describe the goals and accomplishments of the CIRN community. We highlight components of CIRN’s resources for researchers worldwide including an open-source GitHub repository and coding boot camps. Finally, we provide CIRN’s perspective on the future of coastal imaging.