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5th Trans-Atlantic Seabed Mapping Survey

On July 22, 2016, the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance is launching the 5th Trans-Atlantic seabed mapping survey. These surveys support the Galway Statement on Atlantic Ocean Cooperation, the goals of which are to join resources of its three signatories to better understand the North Atlantic Ocean, to promote sustainable management of its resources, and to promote citizens’ understanding of the Atlantic through ocean literacy.

The expedition, which will take place from July 22 to August 2 on board the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St-Laurent, will map the seafloor between Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and Tromso, Norway. The Science Team will be led by Paola Travaglini of Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Hydrographic Service. The team will use state-of-the-art deep-water multibeam sonar technology to survey the seabed, and study the physical characteristics of the seafloor as well as other oceanographic data such as temperature, and salinity to better characterize little known areas of the North Atlantic Ocean and build on the work done in July 2015.

Participation will include Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Hydrographic Service, the University of New Hampshire’s Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping Joint Hydrographic Center and the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland. Students and early career scientists representing Canada and the United States sailing on board on board CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent are writing daily web logs to chronical the mission. Follow along here to read about updates and reflections on their experiences, the science, technology, and other elements of the expedition as we continue to celebrate our shared Atlantic resource.

A blog detailing the previous Seabed mapping expedition, TRASNA 2016, can be read here.

Multibeam Mapping Education Resources:

The following links are provided for educators interested in learning more about seafloor mapping and bringing lessons about this exciting technology into their classrooms. 

Wet Maps
Mapping the Deep Ocean Floor
Watching in 3-D
NE US Canyons Expedition 2013: Mytilus Seamount
NE US Canyons Expedition 2013: Cold Seeps
Video on First Collaborative Transatlantic Seabed Mapping Survey -
NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer: One Million Square Kilometers of Seafloor Mapped Video and Fact Sheet -
Vice Admiral (ret) Shin Tani, co-organiser of the Forum for Future Ocean Floor Mapping, in Monaco, from 15 to 17 June 2021 on the Importance of Mapping the Ocean Floor

Blog 7 - Arrival in Tromsø
Wednesday, 3 August, 2016 - 17:28
At 01:00 local time, August 3rd the CCGS Louis S. ST-Laurent tied up to Pier 25 in Tromsø, Norway and the 2016 Galway Transit came to an end.
Blog 6 - Probe Deployment
Tuesday, 2 August, 2016 - 17:04
Throughout the transit from Halifax to Norway the Galway team would take expendable sound velocity probes periodically. This was completed on the aft deck of the CCGS Louis S. ST-Laurent where a computer was set up inside in order to record the profile.
Blog 5 - Rough Seas
Monday, 1 August, 2016 - 16:35
Over the last few days, the weather has not been very good and has slowed down the ship considerably.
Blog 4 - The Underwater Volcano Survey
Thursday, 28 July, 2016 - 16:08
The CCGS Louis S. ST-Laurent took a small break from transiting across the Atlantic Ocean yesterday. On July 27th at approximately 21:00 UTC we had arrived at the location of several underwater volcanoes discovered during the Galway 2015 transit.
Current Position of the Louis St Laurent
Thursday, 28 July, 2016 - 15:40
The Louis St Laurent is now more than half way through its 11 day journey. Since the vessel left the dock at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography (BIO) in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia it has travelled over 1600 nautical miles.
Blog 3 - Helicopter Ride
Wednesday, 27 July, 2016 - 16:26
Today, members of the Galway team had the opportunity to leave the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent for 15 minutes, but we weren’t going ashore. Instead we took to the sky in one of the two helicopters onboard.
Louis S. St. Laurent
Tuesday, 26 July, 2016 - 16:09
Named after the twelfth Prime Minister of Canada the Louis S. St. Laurent was launched in December 1966 and commissioned in October 1969.
Blog 2 - Life on Board the Louis S. ST-Laurent (LSSL)
Sunday, 24 July, 2016 - 15:58
As a rookie aka “Greenhorn”of the Galway 2016 Expedition team, one of the first things that I wondered about before our departure was what life on board the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent would be like.
Blog 1 - The First 24 Hours
Saturday, 23 July, 2016 - 09:34
Yesterday at 14:00 local time, the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Louis S. ST-Laurent (LSSL) pulled away from the dock at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography (BIO) in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
5th Atlantic Seabed Mapping Survey Underway
Friday, 22 July, 2016 - 22:50
The Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St-Laurent departed Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada at approximately 2pm local time this afternoon.

Other Coverage of the 5th Trans-Atlantic Seabed Mapping Survey

Marine Technology News
Global News
Afloat.ie