MATERIALS AND METHODS

The research cruise was carried out by the 75 meterR/V Strakhov  (Fig.5), owned and operated by GIN-RAS of Moscow.

R/V Strakhov is used for geological and geophysical work in the World Ocean, and it is equipped with DGPS positioning system, single-beam and multi-beam bathymetry and integrated geophysical and oceanographical data acquisition systems, including CHIRP SBP and other sonar equipment.

The survey was planned to carry out the following tasks

• MBES with a high-resolution multibeam, capable of investigating the sea bottom down to depths of 8000m, alongwith Speed of sound measurements either by CTD or SV probes,
• Magnetometric and gravity investigations,
• SBP investigations,
• Multichannel and single channel reflection Seismic item Dredging and sediment sampling (core and grab)

In addition to these main operational activities, routine on-the-way measurements (meteo, surface C/T, etc) were acquired.

figure

Figure 5: R/V Strakhov .