"The main reason is to record reef environments on an unprecedented scale and reveal them to the world, " explained Richard Vevers, the project's director.
BBC: Google adds coral reef panoramas to Street View maps
2.
"It's analysing the health of the reef in terms of species distribution, and mapping that against the structure of the reefs to discover what reefs are important, " said Mr Vevers.
BBC: Google adds coral reef panoramas to Street View maps