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Project details
| Title: | RAN Hydrographic and Maritime Heritage Surveys |
| Id: | 2479 |
| Investigator(s): | Emily Jateff
Australian National Maritime Museum [details] |
| Description: | Scientific objectives: 1) Conduct a modern survey in the primary shipping route through Bass Strait for the Australian Hydrographic Office (AHO). This survey will facilitate safe navigation for international and coastal shipping and improve confidence for subsurface navigation in Bass Strait. 2) Undertake mapping of historic shipwreck sites, in partnership with Heritage Victoria and the Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM). The primary activity of the GSM investigation of historic shipwreck sites is to conduct surveys of the purported site of SS Federal, to provide positive identification of the site and ensure its protection in future. This will be supplemented by opportunistic deployments of the drop camera (supported by SIT) in the event that the shipwreck is located. The location of shipwreck SS Federal was reported to Heritage Victoria by sport divers in 2012. Unfortunately, the provided coordinates were insufficient to narrow down the location. Subsequent attempts to communicate with the finders have been unsuccessful. Accurate location of SS Federal is a priority for Heritage Victoria in order to ensure adequate preservation and protection of this historic site into the future, in accordance with relevant heritage shipwreck protective legislation. Activities may also include opportunistic survey of three ‘unidentified targets’ located between the AHO mapping area and the search area for SS Federal. Aims are to positively identify these sites as cultural heritage targets (shipwrecks) via GSM and drop camera investigation, if time allows. 3) Training of Marine National Facility Operations and Support Team personnel in several routine and new underway and deployed systems, including: - Multibeam patch test calibrations and backscatter calibration lines. - Commissioning and trialling of new Brenke sled, Seaspy magnetometer (ahead of IN2019_V04) and RapidCAST SVP. - Triaxus, CTD casts, multicorer, Smith Mac grab. 4) Seabird and marine mammal observations (Dr Eric Woehler, University of Tasmania): This project will collect data to quantify the variability in the distribution and abundance of seabirds in the marine environment around Australia. The project will examine the relationships between physical oceanographic features and their use as seabird feeding areas. The study also seeks to identify species assemblages, or associations, in the species of seabirds observed that are persistent over time. The project will collect new data for seabirds around Australia, for which there are very few (and in many cases, nil) data. The project will use standard survey methods to ensure compatibility with existing data sets for the same species in other areas. Observations of marine mammals will also be shared with researchers to facilitate greater understanding of the role of oceanographic processes in the spatial and temporal distribution of marine mammals at sea around Australia. The project will also provide a context to current research efforts tracking seabirds and marine mammals, which are often constrained to a relatively low number of instrumented individuals relative to the population as a whole. |
| Years: | 2019 |
| Hierachy: | Australian National Maritime Museum |
List of surveys that this project was on.
Use [details] link to view survey details (map, reports, metadata etc) including links to download data.
| Survey | Investigator | Description |
|---|---|---|
| IN2019_V07 [details] |
Emily Jateff (Australian National Maritime Museum) | RV Investigator research voyage IN2019_V07, titled “RAN Hydrographic and Maritime Heritage Surveys." Voyage objectives: 1) Australian Hydrographic Office Survey of Bass Strait - Completion of mapping of Sub Area A within Bass Strait (outstanding from IN2018_C01): ~24 hours using EM710. 2) Historic Shipwreck Surveys - Conduct surveys of the purported site of SS Federal and opportunistic survey of three unidentified targets. - Multibeam survey of SS Queensland, which doubles as a multibeam calibration target. 3) Training and Equipment Trialling - CTD casts including hydrochemistry analysis. Test altimeter operation during very shallow (~80m) CTD cast (conduct in area with existing bathymetry data). - Triaxus tows. - Operation of ADCPs. - Drop camera deployment (potentially at located shipwreck sites). - Multibeam patch test calibrations: one in shallow water and one in deep water; approximately 6 hours required for each. - Multibeam backscatter calibration lines: conduct during transit into and out of Storm Bay. - Deployment of RapidCAST SVP and development of associated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for its use: can occur while underway (at a slightly reduced speed). - Trialling of new Seaspy magnetometer prior to IN2019_V04: each deployment will occur by hand during daylight hours, take approximately 30-45 mins and can occur while underway (at a slightly reduced speed). - Trialling of the new Brenke sled system. - Training of new personnel in the deployment of other equipment, including the multicorer and possibly, the Smith Mac grab. - CTD casts including hydrochemistry analysis. At least 3-5 shallow CTDs and 3-5 CTDs conducted at depths of >3000 m, with a maximum of 2 CTDs per 24 hours. - Training of new personnel in the Voyage Manager role and general vessel operations. 4) Seabird and Marine Mammal Observations Seabird at sea data will be collected according to the method described by the BIOMASS Working Party on Bird Ecology. This method has been used by Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) personnel since 1980/81 and reflects the standard protocol for obtaining seabird at sea data. Observations will be made continuously while the vessel is underway during daylight hours from the specifically designed Observation Deck on board Investigator. Observations of marine mammals are also included (in the absence of dedicated marine mammal observers) using standard protocols. Observation of marine debris are also recorded. |