Collected reports of commercial deep-water surveys carried out north and west of Shetland during RRS Charles Darwin cruise 123C3-4
Collected reports of commercial deep-water surveys carried out north and west of Shetland during RRS Charles Darwin cruise 123C3-4
RRS Charles Darwin cruise 123C3-4 formed part of the Atlantic Margin Environmental Survey
(AMES) and also carried out commercially funded deep-water seabed surveys. This contribution details
those activities and comprises four sections:
Part A. Report of seagoing operations and seabed observations undertaken in Tranche 4 (West of
Shetland) on behalf of Enterprise. This report addresses a survey of the deep (1030-1275m) Faroe-
Shetland Channel (61°36´N 001°55´W) encompassing a range of habitats (open slope; lineated slope,
contourite band; basin floor). These habitats are readily distinguished in terms of their megabenthic
communities; example photographs of the seafloor and its associated fauna are provided.
Part B. Report of seagoing operations and seabed observations undertaken in Tranches 65-67 (North
of Shetland) on behalf of Statoil and BP. This report addresses a survey of the deep (900-1000m) slope
North of Shetland (62°20´N 000°10´E) in a region of silty sand contourite deposit. The megabenthic
communities are dominated by cerianthid anemones and stalked sponges and also notable for the
occurrence of ‘giant’ seapens (Umbellula sp.). An intriguing observation is made of two occurrences (at
separate sites some 7km apart) of fabric bags on the seafloor that appear to have attracted (scavenging)
gastropods and prompted the deposition of numerous egg masses. Example photographs of the seafloor
and its associated fauna are provided.
Part C. Report of seabed observations made in the vicinity of Texaco site TX1: observation of a
“tubeworm” patch. This report addresses a survey of the deep (1550m) Faroe-Shetland Channel floor
(61°55´N 003°00´W). The survey is notable for recording what appeared to be small (c. 20m across)
discrete patch of what appeared to be tubeworms (Siboglinidae). Example photographs of the seafloor
and its associated fauna are provided.
Part D. Assessment of Texaco site TX1 environmental data. This report addresses a survey of the deep
(1550m) Faroe-Shetland Channel floor (61°55´N 003°00´W) and provides an analysis of physicochemical
(hydrocarbons, heavy metals, sediments) and biological parameters (macrobenthos) at the
survey site compared with 35 other sites in the deep Faroe-Shetland Channel obtained during the
Atlantic Frontier Environmental Network surveys of 1996 and 1998.
Should you wish to consult or cite this report or any of its constituent parts please contact the author directly
(Brian Bett, bjb@noc.soton.ac.uk, +44 (0)23 80596355).
AMES, Atlantic Margin Environmental Survey, benthos, box cores, BP, Charles Darwin, continental
slope, contourites, cruise 123C3-4 2000, Enterprise, Faroe-Shetland Channel, gastropods, gravity core, habitats, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, macrobenthos, megabenthos, megacorer, NE Atlantic, North of Shetland, particle size, photography, seabed sediments, Siboglinidae, Statoil, Texaco, tubeworms, Umbellula, videotape recordings, WASP, West of Shetland
National Oceanography Centre
Bett, B.J.
61342990-13be-45ae-9f5c-9540114335d9
2007
Bett, B.J.
61342990-13be-45ae-9f5c-9540114335d9
Bett, B.J.
(2007)
Collected reports of commercial deep-water surveys carried out north and west of Shetland during RRS Charles Darwin cruise 123C3-4
(National Oceanography Centre Southampton Research and Consultancy Report, 26)
Southampton, UK.
National Oceanography Centre
124pp.
Record type:
Monograph
(Project Report)
Abstract
RRS Charles Darwin cruise 123C3-4 formed part of the Atlantic Margin Environmental Survey
(AMES) and also carried out commercially funded deep-water seabed surveys. This contribution details
those activities and comprises four sections:
Part A. Report of seagoing operations and seabed observations undertaken in Tranche 4 (West of
Shetland) on behalf of Enterprise. This report addresses a survey of the deep (1030-1275m) Faroe-
Shetland Channel (61°36´N 001°55´W) encompassing a range of habitats (open slope; lineated slope,
contourite band; basin floor). These habitats are readily distinguished in terms of their megabenthic
communities; example photographs of the seafloor and its associated fauna are provided.
Part B. Report of seagoing operations and seabed observations undertaken in Tranches 65-67 (North
of Shetland) on behalf of Statoil and BP. This report addresses a survey of the deep (900-1000m) slope
North of Shetland (62°20´N 000°10´E) in a region of silty sand contourite deposit. The megabenthic
communities are dominated by cerianthid anemones and stalked sponges and also notable for the
occurrence of ‘giant’ seapens (Umbellula sp.). An intriguing observation is made of two occurrences (at
separate sites some 7km apart) of fabric bags on the seafloor that appear to have attracted (scavenging)
gastropods and prompted the deposition of numerous egg masses. Example photographs of the seafloor
and its associated fauna are provided.
Part C. Report of seabed observations made in the vicinity of Texaco site TX1: observation of a
“tubeworm” patch. This report addresses a survey of the deep (1550m) Faroe-Shetland Channel floor
(61°55´N 003°00´W). The survey is notable for recording what appeared to be small (c. 20m across)
discrete patch of what appeared to be tubeworms (Siboglinidae). Example photographs of the seafloor
and its associated fauna are provided.
Part D. Assessment of Texaco site TX1 environmental data. This report addresses a survey of the deep
(1550m) Faroe-Shetland Channel floor (61°55´N 003°00´W) and provides an analysis of physicochemical
(hydrocarbons, heavy metals, sediments) and biological parameters (macrobenthos) at the
survey site compared with 35 other sites in the deep Faroe-Shetland Channel obtained during the
Atlantic Frontier Environmental Network surveys of 1996 and 1998.
Should you wish to consult or cite this report or any of its constituent parts please contact the author directly
(Brian Bett, bjb@noc.soton.ac.uk, +44 (0)23 80596355).
This record has no associated files available for download.
More information
Published date: 2007
Additional Information:
Abstract deposited at the request of B.J.Bett. Any request to view the whole document should be directed to him - contact details included in abstract.
Keywords:
AMES, Atlantic Margin Environmental Survey, benthos, box cores, BP, Charles Darwin, continental
slope, contourites, cruise 123C3-4 2000, Enterprise, Faroe-Shetland Channel, gastropods, gravity core, habitats, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, macrobenthos, megabenthos, megacorer, NE Atlantic, North of Shetland, particle size, photography, seabed sediments, Siboglinidae, Statoil, Texaco, tubeworms, Umbellula, videotape recordings, WASP, West of Shetland
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 48399
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/48399
PURE UUID: 16179e88-5064-4a23-94a1-205f86c12e73
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Date deposited: 20 Sep 2007
Last modified: 09 Apr 2024 16:34
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Author:
B.J. Bett
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