| EMSO |
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Overview
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The facility: EMSO deep sea-floor observatories are deployed on specific sites offshore European coastline to allow continuous monitoring for environment and security. They will be organised in a unique management structure at European level (and part of a global endeavour in sea-floor observatories), for long term monitoring of environmental processes related to ecosystem life and evolution, global changes and geo-hazards. EMSO will be a key component of GMES and GEOSS. |
| Background:
Implementation of EMSO is based on evolution of existing systems by
connecting previously autonomous systems, and providing power and long-term
real-time data capability, integrating in the wider system of mobile and re-locatable
seafloor lander platforms. Development of seafloor observatories with
multi-disciplinary capability (geophysical, including seismological,
oceanographic and environmental) has been pioneered under the EC GEOSTAR
project. Recent major technical advances have been made in the EC projects:
ASSEM and ORION-GEOSTAR-3 (a deep-sea geophysical, oceanographic and
environmental network). Experience in underwater cable connection by
submersibles and ROVs has been gained in the deployment of the ANTARES and
NEMO neutrino arrays. Establishing the network of seafloor observatories
requires a fulfilment of a critical mass at European level overcoming
national fragmentation. The EMSO development is based on synergic collaboration between the academic community and industry for the development of technology, both presently working within the European Seas Observatory Network of Excellence (ESONET). This synergy allows each partner to increase its own know-how, to improve marine technology and set strategies to be competitive with countries such as USA and Japan. |
| What’s new? Impact foreseen? The basic scientific objective is to make real-time long-term monitoring of environmental processes in the geosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere of European seas. Major advances in our understanding of environmental processes require us to identify temporal evolution and cyclic changes and to capture episodic events relative to oceanic circulation, deep-sea processes and ecosystems evolution. Long-term monitoring will allow the capture of episodic events such as earthquakes, submarine slides, tsunamis, benthic storms, bio-diversity changes, pollution and other events that cannot be detected and monitored by conventional oceanographic sea-going campaigns. Cabled sea-floor observatories are needed to collect long time series of simultaneous data relative to: seismology, geodesy, sea level, fluid and gas vents, physical oceanography, biodiversity imaging at different scales. A network of observatories around Europe will lead to unprecedented scientific advances in knowledge of submarine geology, the ecosystem of the seas and the environment around Europe. This research infrastructure will be the sub-sea segment of the GMES initiative and will significantly enhance the accessibility of observational data for the ESONET Community. Very rapid advances in technical knowledge are anticipated. This will place European SMEs in an excellent competitive position for installation of such systems around the world. |
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Timeline and estimated costs: Surveys, Cables, junction boxes and boreholes in 5 different places will be gradually implemented from 2007 to 2011. Preparatory costs: 50 M€, Construction Costs ~100 M€ for 5 sites, Operational costs 20 M€/year. |
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Esonet NoE | |
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Emso | |
