News 2002

• GSI advertises for proposals for value-added products - 20 December
• Annual National Seabed Seminar review - 7 November
• Agreement signed for the Irish fishing industry - 7 November
• GSI reiterates its call for public private partnership possibilities - October
• Petrov Cetacean Report from the Coastal Resources Centre - October
• Final Report for Zone 3 handed over in G.S.I. offices - 2 October
• Donegal Bay Survey - Zone 2 Data Acquisition Commences - 19 August
• Initial Ground Truthing Programme completed - 3 July
• LADS Survey takes place - 19-25 June
• Deep Seismic Programme completed - 17 June
• New contract vessel, the Logachev takes to the waters - l4 June
• New contract vessel, the Petrov takes to the waters - 27 April
• Dr. Ray Keary - Foremost Marine Scientist is honoured - 25 April
• 2002 Surveying Season underway - 28 March
• LADS Survey Rescheduled - Announcement 9 March
• Exhibiting at Oceanology International 2002, London 5-8 March

G.S.I. advertises for proposals for value-added products - 20 December

The following advert appears in the National Press on December 20th. It represents yet another example of G.S.I.'s commitment to the provision of a platform for organisations and individuals to propose innovative usage of the various datasets being delivered by the National Seabed Survey.

Department of Communications, Marine & Natural Resources

National Seabed Survey

The Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) invites proposals to create added-value products based on the datasets produced during the National Seabed Survey (NSS).

The data acquired to date under the NSS include Multibeam Bathymetry with Backscatter, Marine Magnetics and Gravity, Sub-bottom Profiling, SVP and CTD data and a variety of Ground Truthing.

Proposals may involve the interpretation and customisation of existing datasets, the acquisition of additional datasets, and the development of existing or new markets. While proposals may refer to any aspects of the NSS the following have been identified as the key areas:-

1. The development of existing and new markets for the NSS data
2. The interpretation and customisation of gravity data
3. The interpretation and customisation of magnetic data
4. Evaluation of the Geotechnical properties of the datasets including planning Cable and Pipeline routes
5. Evaluation of gas hydrates potential as either resource or hazard
6. Alternative energy projects
7. Natural hazards
8. Habitat mapping
9. Oceanographic analysis
10. Images for third level teachers

Note that if the proposal under (1) is accepted then the marketing dimension of the other proposals may be limited and subordinate to (1)

The most economically advantageous tender will be selected in any specific category having regard to the following criteria:-

1. The strategic value of proposals
2. The scientific and technical competence and proven track record of the proposers
3. The financial value to G.S.I. of the proposals
4. Price, including clarity and credibility of cost allocation

It is necessary that all proposals in relation to the NSS, including any which may have been submitted (but unapproved) in the past, be submitted before the deadline.

Proposals must be submitted before noon on Monday 20th January 2003. It is the responsibility of proposers to ensure that proposals, in hard copy, are received at the address below before the deadline. Proposals by FAX will not be accepted.

National Seabed Survey Proposals
Geological Survey of Ireland
Department of Communications, Marine & Natural Resources
Beggars Bush
Haddington Road
Dublin 4

GSI reiterates its call for public private partnership possibilities - October

GSI repeats its invitation - often extended in the past at various public fora - to all parties who may be interested in holding discussions about entering into public private partnerships with regards to uses of the data from the National Seabed Survey. Our stated position is that the National Seabed Survey is not an end in itself, but rather is a baseline study which should provide a backdrop and kickstart other initiatives through innovative usage of the vast quantitiies of high quality data emanating from it.

Ground truthing Programme Concluded - 3 July

Between May and July 2002 the G.S.I. oversaw the implementation of a seabed sampling programme (concentrating on sediments rather than rock cores). It is deemed necessary to carry out groundtruthing as part of the National Seabed Survey since it is felt that the various features being imaged using the multibeam technique cannot be fully understood and interpreted without groundtruth data. Geological ground truthing for seabed classification based on backscatter data is the primary objective of this sampling programme. The programme which included seabed sampling, video runs and still photography involved three separate contractors with results being achieved from approximately 100 sites throughout the Zone 3 deepwater area.

By way of example, more than 30 Box Core and 9 video stations were occupied in areas 3A and 3B towards the overall aim of studying geological processes particularly in the Rockall Trough area. The video tows concentrated primarily on newly discovered mound features. Some excellent sites in depths of 1000-3000 metres were sampled. It is likely that the mound features will prove to be seamounts as opposed to carbonate mounds but analysis will confirm whatever they might be. We are also interested in seeing if they may be populated by coral. The samples were analysed for geology, geochemistry and biology on board and were stored for shipment ashore where they are now undergoing further analysis. Further samples were taken from the West Porcupine and Porcupine Seabite areas This The material collected is being analysed for geotechnical, geochemical and biological properties.

The principal objective of the programme was to obtain a broad distribution of box core sediment samples for use in seabed classification of multibeam data, and to form a baseline geological, geochemical, geotechnical, and biological database of the Irish seabed. Seabed samples were gathered from 100 locations, photographed, described, and then sub-sampled for post-survey biological, chemical, geotechnical, and sediment distribution laboratory analysis. Video profiles were also taken and an example of one taken of a slump feature on the East Rockall bank slope identified a diverse range of marine flora, fauna and seabed features. On right is an image of deep-water Atlantic coral (lophelia) taken from the Logachev.

Deep Seismic Programme Completed - 17 June

The deep seismic programme (HADES - HAtton Deep Exploration Seismic), providing vital information related to deep crustal geological structures was completed north of the Rockall Trough in the Hatton Basin area. Three survey lines were acquired with a total of 1,018 km of seismic data shot. The survey utilised Ocean Bottom Seismographs deployed on the seabed in depths exceeding 3,000 metres, and low frequency airgun (cylinders of compressed air) arrays providing anticipated penetration in the region of 35 km within the continental crust. The results of this work will provide fundamental data of great importance to the exploration for hydrocarbons in this remote frontier area.

Logachev is contracted for work on the National Seabed Survey - 14 June

GSI has contracted the Russian R/V Professor Logachev, owned and operated by the Polar Marine Geosurvey Expedition (PMGE), to assist the Petrov in the seabed sampling programme this year. The work is to be carried out as part of the 12th Cruise of the UNESCO/IOC Training Through Research Programme (TTR12) of the Logachev. Initial contact had been made with Professor Mikael Ivanov of the UNESCO-MSU Centre for Marine Geosciences Geology Faculty, Moscow State University and we were delighted when we learned that his office was willing to undertake this work.

The Petrov is contracted for work on the National Seabed Survey - 27 April

GeoPro GMBH, Hamburg have been contracted by G.S.I. to carry out a Refraction Seismic Survey as part of the National Seabed Survey. They are employing their vessel, the R/V Akademic Boris Petrov, for the survey. This survey will take place in the Hatton Basin and Hatton Continental Margin region and its results will provide a better understanding of the deeper geology of the seabed. As an add-on to the deep seismic survey she will also be contracted to carry out a sediment sampling programme. The sampling programme will provide excellent data for specialist ground-truthing analysis.

Bligh sets sail again - 28 March

The third season of data acquisition in the Irish National Seabed Survey formally got underway on the 28th March 2002 when the SV Bligh set sail again from Waterford Harbour. During her four months of inactivity in terms of sailing she had been anything but inactive alongside, where she underwent several treatments for her various ailments picked up during the long and gruelling 2001 surveying season! Also, members of the on-board surveying team spent much of the time putting the final touches to the entire dataset collected during the long season, before delivery of the finished product to the G.S.I.

On March 21st she started the mobilisation process for surveying again and this concluded on March 26th. On the 27th the calibration of the EM1002 was completed followed by the calibration of the EM120 and late that evening she was on her way to Line 3759 in Area 3E to begin surveying on the 28th. There was only a small amount of surveying to be done in 3E to fill a minor gap in the north west part of this area from last year's surveying. On April 6th following completion of the gap in 3E she proceeded to 3D to survey a further tie line with an earlier study completed at the outer bounds of our territorial area in 1996 by the Petroleum Affairs Division of the Department of Marine & Natural Resouces. Coverage of tie lines along this survey area will ensure the seamlessness in the data when both datasets are combined. Subsequent to this she heads for her main area of interest - 3G.

LADS (Laser Airborne Depth Sounding) Survey Rescheduled - 9 March

The LADS survey off the South East Coast originally postponed from September 2001 has now been rescheduled for June 2002. G.S.I. and Tenix LADS Corporation signed a new contract agreement at the OI 2002 Conference in London. LADS is an internationally accepted survey tool which is accurate to IHO standards. With speeds of up to 65 sqkm/hour it is the fastest, most cost-effective tool for accurate survey of the entire seabed area at depths of 70m in clear waters. It can be efficiently integrated with operations of various survey ships. It has the added benefit of being environmentally friendly. It produces nautical charts for safe, efficient shipping, provides EEZ delimitation and mapping. Results are also useful for coastal zone and coral reef mapping and management, marine exploration, engineering and marine resource management.