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RV Vector surveying San Juans

Contributed by Joe Gaydos

posted 04/10/04
If you've seen this boat on the water around the Islands and wondered what it was doing, you're not alone. During the past week, the R/V Vector, a 130 foot Canadian Coast Guard vessel out of Patricia Bay, British Columbia, has been turning heads and raising eyebrows as it worked in Eastsound, Wasp Passage, President's Channel and other areas. The crew and research team were conducting geological surveys around the San Juans and in the transboundary U.S.-Canadian waters. The project is a joint US-Canadian effort lead by chief scientist Phil Hill of the Geological Survey of Canada, Vaughn Berry of the Geological Survey of Canada, and Gary Greene of Moss Landing Marine Laboratories. The Vector's Captain is Glen Ormiston and the Bosun, Rob White.

The same vessel has been used by Drs. Greene and Berry for several years running to complete a detailed seafloor map of the San Juan Channel and adjacent waters. This project was partly supported by the SeaDoc Society, a local marine ecosystem health program. The data, which maps the bottom of the sea to within two meters, is being used to help understand marine habitats and guide recovery of important marine species in decline species such as rockfish and salmon. The recent research cruise is helping to confirm accuracy of mapped habitats.

The team also is using sound at very low power to penetrate the sea floor in an effort to better understand the geological history of the region. The sound that is reflected shows where sediment layers have accumulated since the last glacial period. This enables the scientists to determine if faults or cracks in the earth's surface below the sea, are old and quiet, or are active. Interestingly, the team has found some preliminary data suggesting recent activity. The frequency of sound being used is not within the range that causes problems in marine mammals. "In fact," stated Dr. Greene, "while the unit is in tow we have routinely have Dall's porpoise surfing in and around it while its transmitting."

Core samples of the seafloor also are being collected by the research crew. These will be used to evaluate what the region's climate was like 12,000 to 15,000 years ago. Once analyzed, the data should help better understand global climate change.

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