Outcome

SEAMOUNT will accomplish a joint, interdisciplinary effort in order to elaborate appropriate tools to enable more efficient SGD studies with comprehensive data acquisition, and to validate those tools in a complex SGD study. The key outcomes of this work will be:

Innovative remote sensing technologies comprising:

  • A set of sensors customized for complex SGD detection and monitoring
  • Specialized underwater vehicles (SEAMOUNT-ROV and SEAMOUNT-AUV), containing SGD- and other sensors, cameras, side scan sonar and an innovative bionic underwater positioning and data transmission system, being in practical intelligent diving laboratories, highly adaptable to the mission characteristics. The AUV will also be one of the modules of the iSMN-A.
  • A unique bionic drive system that allows the propulsion of the AUV on a gentle, energy-wise, non-invasive way that doesn’t introduce turbulences and, hence, interfere on the measurements.
  • A set of autonomous subsea monitoring stations for stationary long-term monitoring of SGD fluxes in selected coastal catchments. These stations can be used individually or collectively as modules of the iSMN-A.
  • An intelligent Subsea Monitoring Network combining several autonomous bottom stations with an integrated AUV (iSMN-A) for complex observations and analysis in remote underwater environments, including short and long-term observations, with operation control from land via Radio or satellite link. It will be formed by a set of interacting modules.

Scientific results:

  • Detection of SGD sites in Eckernforde Bay, Horsens Fjord, Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Bothnia.
  • Understanding of the implications of the seabed morphology and the seabed subsurface geological characteristics on the occurrence of SGD in the research areas.
  • Understanding the origin of SGD located on Eckernforde Bay and Horsens Fjord through characterization of the meteoric waters in the catchment area.
  • Hydrological modeling for estimating SGD in the Horsens Fjord estuary.
  • A Web Based interactive Geoscience Information Platform

The complete schedule of deliverables (SoD) is given in Annex II in the Consortium Agreement.
Download the Consortium Agreement

Results will be disseminated to decision makers and to the scientific community through cross linking with similar ongoing and new projects of paired objectives through seminars and workshops, scientific publications, conferences and sharing measurement data on the EGDI portal.