Thursday 23 May 2013

Lambay Island Survey

From late April to May 2013, the M.V. Cosantóir Bradán and R.V. Geo carried out survey operations around Lambay Island and along the coast between Howth and Skerries, Co. Dublin. This seabed mapping was carried out on behalf of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS - http://www.npws.ie/), who requested the survey so they could delineate habitats in the area. Survey coverage was also extended beyond the NPWS requirements in order to expand INFOMAR national mapping coverage in the area.
 
The M.V. Cosantóir Bradán is the latest addition to the INFOMAR survey fleet and is operated by the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI). A fisheries patrol vessel in a previous life, she is now outfitted with a multibeam sonar mapping system - http://www.fisheriesireland.ie/Press-releases/minister-commissions-an-cosantoir-bradan-in-her-new-role-as-a-seabed-survey-vessel-at-infomars-2012-annual-conference.html.
The transducers (these are the part of the system that send and receive the sonar pulses) are deployed by means of a bow-mounted hydraulic frame.
 
The R.V. Geo is also operated by the GSI and is a 7.5m RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat). She is equipped with an interferometric sonar mapping system, which is manually deployed by means of a bow-mounted frame.

Note: data shown in images below is not yet finalised and may contain some errors.

Overall survey coverage by M.V. Cosantóir Bradán and R.V. Geo


Close-up of survey coverage around Lambay Island


M.V. Cosantóir Bradán (Crosshaven, 2012)
 
 
R.V. Geo (Killary Harbour, 2012)
 
 
 

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