Download Cruise name/number: Greater Antilles/Lesser Antilles Transition

 DRAFT STANDARD FORM C
PRELIMINARY CRUISE REPORT
Cruise name/number:
Greater Antilles/Lesser Antilles Transition Zone/
F2014-042
Authorizations:
Coastal State
Anguilla & BVI (UK)
Authorization
Document Number
9154936250
National Participant(s)
Argel Horton
Scientist in charge of reporting:
Name:
Nicole Raineault
Country/Nationality:
USA/American
Affiliation:
Ocean Exploration Trust
Address:
250 South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI 02882
Telephone:
401-874-6406
Email:
[email protected]
Website (for CV and
www.oceanexplorationtrust.org
photo):
Brief description of scientific objective:
Within the Caribbean region, numerous unexplored seamounts punctuate the seafloor holding records of geologic, biologic and oceanographic processes over different time-­‐scales. Seamounts are topographically and oceanographically complex with environmental characteristics (e.g., substrate types, carbon flux, and current patterns) that vary greatly within and among seamounts. Differences in environmental characteristics may influence community structure among seamounts, yet to our knowledge no studies to date have examined these factors across multiple spatial scales of a seamount chain. Seamounts have often been suggested to be oases, biodiversity hotspots, islands, and centers for endemism in the deep sea; however, many of these hypotheses are only beginning to be explored in detail. Exploration of seamount environments in the Greater Antilles/Lesser Antilles (GA/LA) transition zone including enhanced mapping efforts, ROV surveys, discrete collections, and ecological studies will provide insight into their geological origin, the spatial distribution, ecology, and biodiversity of associated fauna, and placement of this region in a global biogeographic context. The 2014 mission will commence in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We will conduct 24 hour operations including ROV dives using a two body system (ROV Hercules/Argus) and multibeam mapping/sub-­‐bottom profiling (MB/SBP). CTD casts will be periodically performed during MB mapping surveys. Education and outreach activities will be incorporated into the cruise, using NOAA, Ocean Exploration Trust, USGS and other institutional websites. This cruise is a collaborative effort between NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER), the US Geological Survey (USGS), our academic partners, and OET. Update on anticipated dates for delivery of final results:
Metadata:
June 2015
Raw Data:
Processed Data:
Data Analysis:
WODC Data
Registration (if
applicable):
Delivered to state via Argel Horton
Delivered to state via Argel Horton
June 2015
NA
Append image or URL illustrating the route of the platform, locations
where measurements were taken, and actual
cruise track:
Figure 1: Cruise track for the Greater Antilles/Lesser Antilles transition zone cruise