Cameron works for the Marine and Petroleum Division, Geoscience
Australia.
Cameron joined the Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR) in 1991
as seismic observer on the RV Rig Seismic. BMR was renamed the
Australian Geological Survey Organisation in 1994 and in 2003 it
merged with National Mapping to form Geoscience Australia.
In the early 90s Cameron started compiling multibeam data from
international science vessels operating in Australian waters. He's
been involved with many surveys, including French surveys of the
Diamantina fracture zone off WA, the deepest waters of Australia.
Cameron is based in Canberra and when he's not at sea he is involved
with making computer models of the bathymetry (depth measurement)
around Australia. He also manages data collected by approximately
20 multibeam vessels.
Since the Marine National Facility was fitted with the EM300
Multibeam System (Swath Mapper), Cameron has been to sea a great
deal. Together with a team from GA, he supports the Swath Mapper
and helps process the data collected. This reflects Geoscience
Australia's commitment to the Marine National Facility.
To illustrate where we've come from with multibeam mapping,
Cameron highlights the book 'The Silent Landscape' by Richard Corfield.
In the 1872 expedition
of the HMS Challenger, 'The Scientifics' as the scientists were
known, undertook the first seabed mapping exercise. They plumbed
the depths using 4000 meters of piano wire weighted with lead.
Those aboard also took samples with towed dredges similar to those
used on the RV Southern Surveyor today.
