Southern Surveyor
Southern Surveyor's role
The RV Southern Surveyor
is a national facility available to marine scientists
to explore and study Australia's oceans. It is owned and managed
by CSIRO, and its operations are funded by the Australian Government
to enable oceanographic, geo-science, fisheries and ecosystem
research.
Southern Surveyor voyages in the past year or so have
investigated:
- PULSE: Role of rapid and seasonal mixed-layer dynamics in
Southern Ocean plankton production and air-sea exchange of
carbon dioxide and particulate carbon fluxes to the ocean interior
- Characterising the monsoonal atmosphere and ocean near Darwin – a
contribution to the Tropical Warm Pool International Cloud
Experiment (TWP-ICE)
- Arafura Sea Marine Survey: Identifying
potential natural hydrocarbon seeps and petroleum resources,
including sea floor mapping and classification of Australia’s
central northern EEZ.
 submarine volcanic and hydrothermal activity in the New
Hebrides- blue grenadier spawning areas and giant green crab habitat
off western Tasmania;
- the geology and tectonic evolution of the Mellish Rise off
north-eastern Australia.
Voyages off Western Australia have studied:
- Mesoscale Eddies as coastal pumps: quantifying eddy-mediated
cross-shelf transport of nutrients,_production and fish larvae
off the WA coast.
- Characterising benthic habitats and sedimentary processes of
southwest Australian margin, including developing an understanding
of the petroleum potential of the East Mentelle Basin.
- seasonal changes in productivity and marine communities;
and
- ocean eddies and their effect on the recruitment of young
fish to fisheries.
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Vessel capabilities
Southern Surveyor can support research in:
- oceanography and climatology;
- fisheries, marine ecosystem and marine environmental research;
- a wide range of marine geoscience; and
- multi-disciplinary marine research.
Southern Surveyor can operate throughout Australian waters.
Details of Southern Surveyor voyages and research are available
through Voyage Schedules and Research
Voyages.
Charter Opportunities
When not in use as the Marine National Facility, Southern Surveyor
may be available for commercial charter. The vessel already has
an impressive track record as a charter platform for defence
science, fisheries and environmental work and geosciences.
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 For more information contact Ron Plaschke
Updated
6/08/09
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