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2019 USGS-NOAA Multibeam Bathymetry Completed

By Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center August 19, 2020

Multibeam bathymetric surveys conducted offshore of Oregon and northern California in 2019, a USGS-NOAA partnership

These surveys are part of the USGS project, “Cascadia Subduction Zone Marine Geohazards.”

Illustration of the seafloor off the coast with areas highlighted to show detail.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. Visit Media to see details.
USGS-NOAA bathymetry collected in 2018 and 2019

Objectives

Fill in critical baseline bathymetric mapping gaps along the mid- to upper-slope

Participants

USGS scientists Pete Dartnell, Jamie Conrad (Principal Investigators)

Partners

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Coast Survey (OCS), Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems (EXPRESS)

Platform Used

NOAA Ship Fairweather (Figure 1)

Data Collected

EM710 multibeam bathymetry, backscatter, water column data, magnetometer

Highlights

  • ~9,500 km2 of multibeam bathymetry collected since 2018 along the Cascadia margin
  • These data have provided critical baseline data for 10+ offshore research cruises
  • We imaged a number of unique seafloor features offshore OR and northern CA, including: a series of cracks in the seafloor and a possible mud volcano (Figure 2)

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A ship on still waters with a smaller raft alongside.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.
Figure 1: NOAA ship Fairweather.
Images of the seafloor showing dots where data was collected.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.
Figure 2: Bathymetric maps highlighting active seep sites. (Left) An area offshore of Coos Bay, Oregon where USGS scientists have imaged a possible mud volcano, formed by over-pressured fluidized sediment erupting from the seafloor and forming a cone-like feature. ROV dives on the E/V Nautilus in the area did not identify any active eruptions, but USGS visited a number of seafloor seeps on the top of the cone (yellow circles) surrounded by carbonate rock. (Right) An area where bedrock with arcuate bedding is exposed on the seafloor. This arcuate pattern is mimicked by seafloor scarps and seeps (yellow circles) farther upslope. This is an area where the USGS will be looking closer at the relationship between bedrock structure, fluid flow, and the formation of seafloor scarps.

This survey is part of the USGS project, “Cascadia Subduction Zone Marine Geohazards.”

link
A map illustration of the seafloor off of a coastal area, that shows the features like submarine canyons and depth.

Cascadia Subduction Zone Marine Geohazards

Societal Issue: Uncertainty related to rupture extent, slip distribution, and recurrence of past subduction megathrust earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest (northern CA, OR, WA, and southern BC) leads to ambiguity in earthquake and tsunami hazard assessments and hinders our ability to prepare for future events.
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, 3-D CT Core Imaging Laboratory, Core Preparation and Analysis Laboratory and Sample Repositories, Multi-Sensor Core Logger Laboratory, Deep Sea Exploration, Mapping and Characterization, Subduction Zone Science
link

Cascadia Subduction Zone Marine Geohazards

Societal Issue: Uncertainty related to rupture extent, slip distribution, and recurrence of past subduction megathrust earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest (northern CA, OR, WA, and southern BC) leads to ambiguity in earthquake and tsunami hazard assessments and hinders our ability to prepare for future events.
Learn More
link
Image shows methane bubbling up from the seafloor

EXPRESS: Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems

EXPRESS is a multi-year, multi-institution cooperative research campaign in deep sea areas of California, Oregon, and Washington, including the continental shelf and slope. EXPRESS data and information are intended to guide wise use of living marine resources and habitats, inform ocean energy and mineral resource decisions, and improve offshore hazard assessments.
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, 3-D CT Core Imaging Laboratory, Core Preparation and Analysis Laboratory and Sample Repositories, Multi-Sensor Core Logger Laboratory, Organic Geochemistry Laboratory, Deep Sea Exploration, Mapping and Characterization
link

EXPRESS: Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems

EXPRESS is a multi-year, multi-institution cooperative research campaign in deep sea areas of California, Oregon, and Washington, including the continental shelf and slope. EXPRESS data and information are intended to guide wise use of living marine resources and habitats, inform ocean energy and mineral resource decisions, and improve offshore hazard assessments.
Learn More