Cross Cuttin Theme 1

Plume monitoring and habitat/disturbance characterization

Contributors

GEOMAR, JUB, AWI, SGN, MPI, BGR, NIOZ, RBINS, NIVA, DNVGL, NTNU

Goals and objectives

The proposed project MiningImpact2 will investigate the dispersal of mining plumes in great detail, complemented by in-situ and ex-situ sediment exposure studies. All onsite data will be fed into a near-field plume model which will be used both, for ground truthing of the model and to carry out prognostic plume dispersal simulations under varying hydrodynamic conditions. In this context, CCT1 focuses its efforts on the planning and execution of the monitoring of the sediment plume created by the nodule collector trial, which is a core part of the SONNE cruise. This requires a combination of in-situ real-time measurements with onboard experiments and shore-based numerical sediment plume simulations (WP2) as well as site selection for baseline and impact sampling (WP1 and 3). Thus, CCT1 has the following goals:

• Planning of the SONNE cruise with regards to an EMMP layout: planning of habitat mapping, preparation of the plume monitoring program advised by numerical oceanographic and sediment plume dispersal modelling prior and during the cruise.

• Coordinate and assure instrument calibration of sensors and agreement on joint data processing techniques and best practices

• Undertake pre-impact assessment of the habitat distribution by high resolution mapping (hydroacoustic and optical mapping using AUV and ROV) during the cruise.

• Coordinate the overall in-situ monitoring of the large-scale plume induced by the nodule collector as well as the post-impact assessment

• Coordinate and verify in-situ and ex-situ experiments prior and during the cruise with regards to particle behavior

• Evaluate the usefulness and efficiency of employed monitoring technologies and sensors and provide respective recommendations for best practices