News & Updates
Press Release
Minister O’Dowd announces 20 new high-end Marine Research jobs at BT Young Scientist Exhibition....Read more here
Published: 12/01/2012
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Media Coverage of INFOMAR
The sinking of the stout....Read more here
Published: 12/12/2011
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This public procurement relates to the provision of a shallow-water multibeam echosounder and related systems (MB).
A shallow-water multibeam (MB) echosounder and related systems – for deployment on a small vessel during near-shore mapping exercises. It should be suitable for inshore craft and 20m + vessels.
NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the eTenders Web Site at http://www.etenders.gov.ie/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=NOV288415
Click here to go to the e-tenders site.
Published: 18/11/2011
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This RFT relates to the provision of an Inertial Navigation System (INS). A position and orientation system for marine vessels which integrates inertial motion and GPS sensors to provide highly accurate Attitude, Heading, Heave, Position and Velocity using Real Time Kinematics (RTK) & Post-Processed Kinematics (PPK) technology. It should be suitable for inshore craft and 20m + vessels.
NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the eTenders Web Site at http://www.etenders.gov.ie/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=NOV288435
Click here to go to the e-tenders site.
Published: 18/11/2011
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INFOMAR Call for Research Proposals 2011
The INFOMAR Programme office is pleased to announce that the 2011 call for applied research proposals is now open.
Included in the objectives of the INFOMAR Programme, under strand 3, Value Added Exploitation is the objective to deliver “A programme of national and international value added research to leverage the skills, expertise and data from the INSS and INFOMAR”.
To this end the programme is engaging in a call for research proposals with the following structure:
Work will be completed and reported before end calendar year 2012.
Projects will have a budget of c. €30,000 or less
The programme is designed largely to fund applied desk studies with an optional field work component.
While indicative research topics are given below, any area of activity of the INFOMAR Programme is open for proposals.
INFOMAR Call for Research Proposals
INFOMAR Funding Terms and Conditions
INFOMAR Project Application Form
The closing date for receipt of application is Wednesday 9th November at 1600 hours.
If you have any queries in relation to the call please contact linda.grealish@marine.ie.
Published: 20/10/2011
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Media Coverage of INFOMAR
Sunken Guinness Ship Revealed....Read more here
Published: 12/10/2011
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It is now possible to download Shipwreck Information Sheets in .pdf format for 7 additional shipwrecks.Three are located off the Dublin Coast (including the SS W.M Barkley in the image below) and four off the south coast. Additional wrecks will be added on an ongoing basis...View

Published: 11/10/2011
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Media Coverage of INFOMAR
INFOMAR recently featured on national tv highlighting the work of the programme. Read more here
Published: 30/09/2011
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INFOMAR 2011 Annual Seminar.
The Geological Survey of Ireland and the Marine Institute are delighted to invite all interested parties to the 2011 Annual INFOMAR Seminar. The 2 day event takes place on the 16th and 17th November 2011 at the Marine Institute, Renville, Oranmore.
This year's seminar will include a mix of project updates, survey plans, data exchange as well as associated projects and research talks.
Agenda to follow.
The seminar is free and open to all however numbers are limited so please confirm attendance by mailing linda.grealish@marine.ie
Published: 20/09/2011
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INFOMAR provide dive platform to underwater archaeologists exploring a wreck off the Donegal coast.
INFOMAR supplied one of its research vessels, the RV Keary, as the main dive vessel to the the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht’s underwater archaeology unit exploring a possible Spanish Armada ship off Donegal. Read more about the dive in the national media.
Links to all articles can be found on our Press Releases page..Click here
Published: 23/08/2011
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INFOMAR marine geologist describes unique discoveries after returning from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
The VENTuRE Cruise: Researching and Recovering information from the deep. Marine geologist Maria Judge based at the Geological Survey of Ireland describes her trip aboard the national research vessel RV Celtic Explorer which discovered hydrothermal vents along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Read more... INFOMAR Blog
Links to all articles can be found on our Press Releases page..Click here
Published: 04/08/2011
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The Tall Ships Races 2011: Waterford - Photos
The R.V Keary, our marine research and survey vessel took part in the Waterford Tall Ships Festival. We provided guided tours of the vessel and took part in the Parade of Sails. View INFOMAR's photo's on our Flickr page
Published: 11/07/2011
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The Tall Ships Races 2011: Waterford - RV Keary Articles
Read articles about the R.V Keary, our marine research and survey vessel which were published for the Tall Ships Festival.
INFOMAR sets new record in 2011 "inshoreireland"
A day in the life of RV Keary "inshoreireland"
INFOMAR Waterford survey "inshoreireland"
Waterford: Where Tallships and Science Meet "Irishfreepress"
Waterford: Where Tallships and Science Meet "afloat"
View the Keary in the Parade of Sails on the Port of Waterford Website
Published: 11/07/2011
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The Tall Ships Races 2011: Waterford
Come and visit us aboard the R.V Keary, our marine research and survey vessel. The R.V Keary along with our 7.5m RIB, the RV Geo mapped the navigational channel in Waterford Harbour in advance of the Tall Ships Festival. View the instruments and the 3D data onboard.
Read more about the R.V Keary
Read more about the survey leg of 2011 which took place in Waterford Harbour
Read more about the Waterford Tall Ships Festival 2011
Published: 28/06/2011
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You can download Bathymetry ascii vector data by survey leg & lidar for the 2009, 2010 & Lidar datasets eg KY_09_02_Dublin_Bay. You can also download the data in ESRI ArcGIS GRID format by survey leg at 5m resolution. The datasets available include East Coast - Dublin\Wicklow, Kinsale and the Lidar datasets include Mulroy Bay, Mannin Bay, Lough Swilly, Kilkerrin Bay, Broadhaven & Blacksod Bays, Bertraghboy Bay, Belmullet, Ballyconneely Bay & Achill Sound......Open IWDDS Website
Published: 20/05/2011
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The seabed classification grids for Bantry & Dunmanus Bays, Cork Coast, Donegal & Sligo Bays, East Coast, Galway Bay, Waterford Coast & Wexford Coast have been modified and can be downloaded in ArcGIS GRID format....View
Published: 09/05/2011
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The seabed classification grids for Bantry & Dunmanus Bays, Cork Coast, Donegal & Sligo Bays, East Coast, Galway Bay, Waterford Coast & Wexford Coast have been modified and can be viewed in ArcGIS GRID format....View
Published: 09/05/2011
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The seabed classification charts for Bantry & Dunmanus Bays, Cork Coast, Donegal & Sligo Bays, East Coast, Galway Bay, Waterford Coast & Wexford Coast have been modified and can be downloaded in .pdf format....View
Published: 09/05/2011
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The boundaries of the Priority Bays and Areas have been reshaped into more logical shapes. The initial shapes were merely indicative and drawn on a large scale map of Ireland, and often did not cover all of intended Bay or in the case of offshore areas, included extensive onshore. Priority areas have been redrawn to more accurately reflect the actual areas to be surveyed. They can be viewed and downloaded from the webmapping viewer...Open Viewer
Published: 15/04/2011
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The seabed classification chart for the Wexford Coast has been added to the website and can be downloaded in .pdf format. ...View
Published: 15/04/2011
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The charts for the Wexford Coast have been added to the website and can be downloaded in .pdf format. Charts include Bathymetry, Backscatter and Shaded Relief ...View
Published: 24/03/2011
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The Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI), a division of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and situated at Beggar’s Bush, Haddington Road, Dublin 4, issues this Request for Proposals to supply consultancy services to assist them with the delivery of the INFOMAR marine mapping programme and associated marine projects.
This tender requests, via seven lots, is for consultancy based services for the GSI....Download .pdf
Click here to go to the e-tenders site.
Published: 23/12/2010
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New Seabed Atlas launched today
The Minister for Natural Resources, Conor Lenihan launched a new and innovative marine publication, the Atlas of the Deep Water Seabed of Ireland, at Dublin Castle today. This Atlas, by prestigious Scientific publisher Springer, is a detailed compilation of stunning three-dimensional imagery featuring the submarine canyons, underwater mountains and abyssal plains that make up Ireland’s seabed territory, an area ten times that of our land mass. The Atlas was produced by researchers at University College Cork, working on marine datasets with the collaboration of GSI, supported by INFOMAR and drawing on a wide range of sources for photography that bring this hidden world to life. In launching the book, the Minister noted that
“This is the first such Atlas of its kind world-wide, reflecting our leading role in this field...
It will be a valuable resource as we seek to utilise our vast ocean resources in the years ahead. As we develop ocean energy, offshore wind and further oil and gas prospecting, an accurate map of the deep seabed will be vital.”
Click here to view the RTE news item
Click here to read the Irish Times Article
Read more about the Atlas and where you can purchase one...click here
Published: 04/10/2010
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A two-day conference on the Geoscience Sector will take place in Dublin Castle on the 3 and 4 November 2010. It will provide an in-depth overview of how the sector is flourishing even in these recessionary times. It will also undoubtedly be greatly welcomed by all those individuals and organisations that provided much important input into a process of evaluation of the sector that has been undertaken during the last two years. While there is no charge for attending, those interested should confirm their interest by
e-mailing michael.o'mahony@gsi.ie
Click here to view the conference agenda
Published: 13/09/2010
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You can download Bathymetry ascii vector data by survey leg for the 2007 datasets eg CV_07_01_Galway_Bay. You can also download the 2007 data in ESRI ArcGIS GRID format by survey leg at 5m resolution and also it is possible to download offshore geotiffs (high resolution bathymetry & backscatter geotiffs). Reports are also available for each survey leg. The 2007 datasets are available which include West Kerry, Galway Bay, Bantry & Dunmanus Bays, Cork Harbour, Loop Head & Waterford Coast. There is also merged CV_07_01 & IMAR 07 Galway Bay data available. Further datasets will be available shortly ....Open IWDDS Website
Published: 13/09/2010
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Three new Merged survey data in .kmz format are now available for download. Areas include: North Donegal, Inshore Southwest & Offshore West Kerry. Entire area datasets at 100m, 250m & 500m are also available..Download Google .kmz
Published: 25/08/2010
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You can download Bathymetry ascii vector data by survey leg for the 2008 datasets eg CV_08_03_Dublin_Bay. You can also download the 2008 data in ESRI ArcGIS GRID format by survey leg at 5m resolution and also it is possible to download offshore geotiffs (high resolution bathymetry & backscatter geotiffs). Reports are also available for each survey leg. The 2008 datasets are available which include Blacksod Bay, Donegal & Sligo Bays, Cork Coast & Dublin Bay. Further datasets will be available shortly ....Open IWDDS Website
Published: 23/08/2010
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A New Data Download Option has been added to our download system. You can download Magnetic ArcGIS GRIDS for Zone 3 and some parts of Zone 2. ....Open IWDDS Website
Published: 19/08/2010
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A New Data Download Option has been added to our download system. You can download Gravity ArcGIS GRIDS for Zone 3 and some parts of Zone 2. ....Open IWDDS Website
Published: 17/08/2010
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New Data Download Options have been added to our download system. You can download Bathymetry ascii vector data by survey leg for the 2009 datasets eg CV_09_03 Wexford. You can also download the 2009 data in ESRI ArcGIS GRID format by survey leg at 5m resolution and also it is possible to download offshore geotiffs (high resolution bathymetry & backscatter geotiffs). Reports are also available for each survey leg. The 2009 datasets are available which include Shannon Estuary, Dingle & Tralee Bays, Wexford & East Coast (Dublin - Louth). Further datasets will be available shortly ....Open IWDDS Website
Published: 11/08/2010
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It is now possible to download Ship Wreck Information Sheets in .pdf format for 4 additional wrecks. 2 are off the Dublin Coast, 1 in Dingle Bay and 1 in the Shannon Estuary. Additional wrecks will be added on an ongoing basis...View
Published: 13/07/2010
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The charts for Cork have been added to the website and can be downloaded in .pdf format. Charts include Bathymetry, Backscatter and Shaded Relief ...View
Published: 09/07/2010
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Th metadata for the Zipped ESRI ArcGIS GRIDS has been updated. It can be viewed in ArcCatalog, once you have downloeded a grid...Open IWDDS Website
Published: 08/07/2010
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The charts for the areas above has been updated and can be downloaded in .pdf format...View
Published: 08/07/2010
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The charts for the areas above has been updated and can be downloaded in .pdf format...View
Published: 26/05/2010
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You can now download LIDAR grids at 6m resolution in ESRI ArcGIS GRID format. Metadata can be viewed in ArcCatalog...Open IWDDS Website
Published: 21/05/2010
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You can now download bathymetry grids at various resolutions in ESRI ArcGIS GRID format. There is a 100m & 500m bathymetry grid of the entire area surveyed to date. There are several high resolution grids available for the inshore areas eg Cork coast, North Donegal, Donegal & Sligo Bays, Galway Bay, East Coast, Inshore South West, West Kerry, Waterford and Wexford. Resolutions vary between 5m and 15m. Metadata can be viewed in ArcCatalog...Open IWDDS Website
Published: 19/05/2010
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Merged survey data in .kmz format is now available for download. Areas include: Bantry & Dunmanus Bays, Donegal & Sligo Bays, East Coast around Dublin Bay and also Galway Bay...Download Google .kmz
Published: 20/04/2010
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The survey data for 2008 & 2009 is now available for download ...Download Google .kmz
Published: 19/04/2010
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The seabed classification chart for the East Coast has been updated and can be downloaded in .pdf format...View
Published: 04/03/2010
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The survey coverage area, linework and tide data for 2009 are now available to view and download on the INFOMAR webmapping viewer...Open Viewer
Published: 12/02/2010
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The INFOMAR website has been updated. You can now find out details about the Ireland’s latest marine research vessel, the RV Keary....Open Page
Published: 25/01/2010
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The most up to date sample location points and Sound Velocity Profiles point locations are now available to view and download on the INFOMAR webmapping viewer...Open Viewer
Published: 27/11/2009
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The charts for Bantry, Dunmanus, Galway, Shannon and Waterford have been updated and can be downloaded in .pdf format. Charts include Bathymetry, Backscatter and Shaded Relief ...View
Published: 27/11/2009
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The most up to date survey coverage completed in 2009 is now available to view on the INFOMAR webmapping viewer and also on the IWDDS home page...Open Viewer.......... Open IWDDS
Published: 13/11/2009
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It is now possible to download all LIDAR charts for Bantry, Dunmanus, Blacksod, Clew, Donegal, Foyle, Galway, Killala, Mulroy, Sligo and Tralee Bays in .pdf format. Charts include Bathymetry and Shaded Relief ...View
Published: 05/11/2009
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Call for Research Proposals 2009
The INFOMAR Programme office is pleased to announce that the 2009 call for applied research proposals is now open.
Full details of the funding call can be downloaded here Download
Download application form here Download
The closing date for receipt of application is Wednesday 18th November at 1200 hours.
Published: 04/11/2009
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Request for Tender (RFT) for the provision of hydrographic services in connection with the seabed mapping of Ireland’s offshore. The GSI (or its partners and agents as the GSI may specify) invites tenders to supply the GSI with a Hydrographic Service to collect bathymetric data. The objective of the survey is to produce bathymetric data for Mannin Bay, Co Galway and Achill, Co. Mayo and Blacksod Bay, Co. Mayo and Lough Swilly, Co. Donegal, and Broadhaven Bay, Co Mayo, and Lower Lough Foyle, Co. Donegal and Shannon Estuary, Co. Limerick, and Inner Dingle Bay, Co. Kerry....Download .pdf
Published: 27/10/2009
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The seabed classification chart for Galway has been updated....View
Published: 23/10/2009
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It is now possible to download a seabed classification chart for Cork in .pdf format....View
Published: 23/10/2009
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It is now possible to download all charts for the Shannon Estuary in .pdf format. Charts include Bathymetry, Backscatter and Shaded Relief ...View
Published: 22/10/2009
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A chart showing the latest INFOMAR & other related multibeam coverage can be downloaded here....Download Chart in .pdf
Published: 09/10/2009
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INFOMAR Options Appraisal Report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is available for download...Download Report in .pdf
Published: 05/10/2009
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You can now download bathymetry & backscatter grids at various resolutions. There is a 50m bathymetry grid of zone 3 & lidar for some bays at 5m. Select Gridded Datasets, Offshore, DTM.You can also download the vector data such as survey coverage areas, linework, shipwreck locations in shapefile format.Select Vector datasets, Offshore, Shapefiles...Open IWDDS Website
Published: 28/09/2009
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The INFOMAR image webmapping viewer has been designed to display the large raster datasets. This includes bathymetry (water depth) and seabed classification grids, backscatter and shaded relief charts.Vector datasets are also available including survey areas, tracklines and grab sample data. A WMS (Web Map Service) link is also provided. You may use this link to view the same data displayed in this viewer in a variety of Open Source Viewers. There are also links to Google Earth .kmz files which allow you to view the data in Goggle Earth....Open Viewer
Published: 25/09/2009
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Ireland’s seabed mapping programme is now 10 years old and SEABED 10 is a two-day conference that will celebrate its achievements. The partners in the initiative - the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) and the Marine Institute – are delighted to invite all interested parties to attend the conference.....More Details
Published: 31/08/2009
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Find out about The Shannon Estuary. View photos, images, a 3D Movie Flythrough and text relating to this survey.... Open Page
Published: 31/08/2009
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View photos and text relating to this survey....Open Page
Published: 26/08/2009
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It is now possible to download all charts for Bantry and Dunmanus Bays in .pdf format. Charts include Bathymetry, Backscatter, Shaded Relief and Seabed Classification...View
Published: 06/08/2009
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The survey linework for Leg 1 completed in 2009 is now avail
able on the INFOMAR webmapping viewer. The polygon coverage for all surveys completed between 2003 and 2009 has also been added...Open Viewer
Published: 14/07/2009
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The Lidar data for 2008 is now available for download ...Download Google .kmz
Published: 09/07/2009
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The shipwreck database is now available on the INFOMAR webmapping viewer. There are only 3 reports available at present but more will be added as they become available. You can download the database in .shp or .xls formats. Ship Wreck Information Sheets in .pdf format for 3 wrecks off the Dublin Coast are also available to download...Open Viewer
Published: 08/07/2009
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It is now possible to download Ship Wreck Information Sheets in .pdf format for 3 wrecks off the Dublin Coast. Additional wrecks will be added on an ongoing basis...View
Published: 02/07/2009
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The Lidar coverage area for 2008 and the survey lines completed in 2008 are now available on the INFOMAR webmapping viewer. You can download the files in .shp format...Open Viewer INFOMAR Datasets (WGS84 Projection) in .shp format are also available for download on the GSI's Spatial Download Page... View
Published: 19/06/2009
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A WMS button has been added to the viewer which provides a link to the INFOMAR WMS. The WMS can be added to your desktop GIS, allowing you to view our data alongside your data. A link is provided outlining how you can do this in ArcGIS. You can also view the WMS in a variety of open source viewers e.g. Dapple...Open Viewer
WMS Link http://spatial.dcenr.gov.ie/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/INFOMAR?
Published: 19/06/2009
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View photos and text relating to this survey....Open Page
Published: 17/05/2009
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The INFOMAR website had been updated. Links are provided which allow you to download our most requested maps. There is also a link to the new INFOMAR Blog...Open Page
Published: 11/05/2009
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The idea of the Blog is to provide a short overview of a survey leg soon after it has been completed. It will consist of photos and some general text. The ground truthing CV09_23 in Bantry and Dunmanus is described here....Open Page
Published: 08/05/2009
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The INFOMAR website had been updated. You can now find out details about the progress of INFOMAR surveys. Get information on a bay basis. An overview of the bay and the data collected to date. Images, videos, google .kmz's are available. Information is available about the vessels we use, the data acquisition systems, tides etc....Open Page
Published: 07/05/2009
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The INFOMAR website had been updated. You can now find out details about the Data Processing & Interpretation. Links are provided which allow you to download and view our data in a variety of options and formats....Open Page
Published: 07/05/2009
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INFOMAR Supported
Research on RTE's 'The Investigators' The Investigators
is a new series shown on RTE1 that examines Ireland's
scientific contribution to the world. It covers a range of current topics
from some of the top minds in the country and examines the potential
impacts of Irish science on our lives. One of the episodes takes a look at
what scientists in
Ireland are doing to understand climate
change and features cutting edge research being undertaken by three
glacial geologists from the Marine Institute, the
University of
Ulster
and Durham
University (UK).
Glaciers are dynamic systems that are sensitive to
changes in the global climate system. The deposits left behind by glaciers
from the past ice ages can be used to tell us about the nature and timing
of major climatic events. Dr Sara Benetti from the Marine Institute, Dr
Paul Dunlop ( Ulster ) and Prof Colm Ó Cofaigh (Durham) have been analysing the high resolution
bathymetric data collected offshore northwest Ireland by
the Irish Government as part of the Irish National Seabed Survey (INSS).
From these data, they have identified the same glacial features that we
see on land, like drumlins and moraines, scattered on the continental
shelf. In August 2008 on the R.V. Celtic Explorer, they lead the
first scientific cruise off the northwest coast of Ireland to
core through these landforms and retrieved cores from waters as deep as
2.5 km. The cruise was funded by the SSTI ship time programme 2008 with
the INFOMAR Programme (co-managed by the Marine Institute and the
Geological Survey of Ireland) providing technical support and equipment.
Sediments recovered from the seabed are now being analysed by the team to
provide new detailed information about the nature and timing of glacial
cycles across the North Atlantic. The
work will provide a critical new record on climate change for the region
and new proxy data on how the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets may respond to
global warming.
Click here to view the episode.
For more details
see http://www.theinvestigators.ie/ Call for Research Proposals
2008
The INFOMAR Call for research proposals or collaborative value added work has now closed. The deadline for the receipt of proposals was 31st October 2008. Successful applicants will be notified shortly.
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