Seafloor Exploration and Characterization: Prerequisite to Ocean Space Utilization

Abstract

In 1983, the President proclaimed the establishment of an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), 200 nautical miles seaward of the United States. This proclamation extended the Nation's sovereign rights for the purposes of exploring, exploiting, conserving, and managing natural resources in the coastal ocean. This new area is approximately 3.4 million square nautical miles (sq. n.mi.) or about 1.3 times the Nation's total land area. Information is needed to characterize the resources within it. It is essential to have the proper data to identify and recover the resources in an environmentally sound manner. The Departments of Interior and Commerce have established major programs to meet the national goal of determining the characteristics and resources of the EEZ. In order to meet this responsibility, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S, Geological Survey (USGS), are undertaking systematic mapping programs of the EEZ. NOAA's effort includes detailed bathymetric mapping of the seabed. The USGS is using a wide-swath side-scan sonar system to map the EEZ seafloor on a reconaissance scale. These programs are a prerequisite and are essential for planning and carrying out resource exploration, exploitation, and management activities. Existing maps do not provide adequate feature definition to meet academic, industrial, and government user needs. The NOAA and USGS programs are essential to resource development and needed by the Nation's scientific community to understand the processes that form the continental margins and the mineral deposits in and on the seafloor. Advances in computer technology, the development of multi-beam sonar systems, and improved methods of obtaining navigational positions make it possible to respond to these needs. In 1984, NOAA and the USGS entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to begin a coordinated National effort to map specific areas of the EEZ. These areas were identified on the basis of scientific interest and resource potential (e.g., hard mineral and oil and gas). Priorities for bathymetric mapping of specific sites by NOAA are being set to compliment the broad reconnaissance scale USGS Geological LOng-Range Inclined Asdic (GLORIA) surveys. Three NOAA ships are currently surveying the west coast, Alaska, and the Hawaiian Islands of the United States. East coast and Gulf of Mexico surveying will begin in the latter part of 1987 or 1988. USGS GLORIA surveys have been completed for the west coast, east coast, Gulf of Mexico, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands; surveys off Alaska and Hawaii were started in 1986.