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SurveyingVesselsThe INFOMAR programme utilises a range of vessels from which to undertake geophysical surveys. This is primarily governed by the water depth in which the work is to be undertaken. Deeper bays and areas have been predominantly surveyed using the Marine Institute vessels RV Celtic Explorer and RV Celtic Voyager. For shallower areas under 20 metres, the Geological Survey of Ireland vessel the RV Keary (named after one of Ireland’s pioneering marine geologists, Raymond Keary) will do the majority of the surveying. Read more about the RV Keary here. Also, in 2012 the M.V. Cosantóir Bradán, an Inland Fisheries Ireland vessel was re-launched as a marine survey vessel. The Cosantóir Bradán will now be employed as part of the INFOMAR mapping program. These vessels facilitate Multibeam and Shallow seismic surveys as well as ground truthing, side scan sonar and ROV operations and are supported by RV Geo which is particularly useful for work around the inner reaches of the bays. In 2015 the GSI acquired the RV Tonn, named after the Irish for wave, as it both operates on the waves and uses sound waves to investigate the depth and nature of the seabed. It is a new state of the art vessel, only 8 metres in length, but purpose built to carry out very shallow survey work. Main vessels used for INFOMAR surveys.
Vessels | Acquisition | Tides | Referencing | Sound Velocity | Ground Truthing | Survey Progress |
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Geological Survey, Ireland Beggars Bush, Haddington Road Dublin 4 |
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Marine Institute Headquarters,
Rinville, Oranmore Co. Galway |