As part of the Department of Trade and Industry's (now Department of Energy and Climate Change) Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA4) a geophysical survey of the UKCS north of Shetland (Northern Triangle) was carried out.
The objectives were to collect EM120 multibeam and backscatter data over the northernmost area of the UKCS, known as the northern triangle (an area defined approximately by the points 60 30 N, 03 30 W, 61 0 N, 01 40 E and 63 50 N, 0.5 W). The aims were to: create a regional bathymetric map of the northern triangle in the water depths between 600 and 2400m; obtain regional EM120 backscatter data over the same area; define the extent of the mud diapir province discovered during previous reconnaissance TOBI and seismic cruises; create high resolution bathymetric and backscatter maps of specific features, such as the mud diapirs; carry out a reconnaissance survey of the shallow water part of the northern triangle (200 and 500m water depth) collecting both bathymetry and backscatter data using an EM1002 multibeam system; complete, during the cruise, a preliminary interpretation of the above data, to be used as a guide for the sampling and seabed photography cruise which followed immediately.
Multibeam and chirp seismic data and sidescan sonar data were collected. Data are available.
21 processed multibeam files are available. Raw data, backscatter mosaics and bathymetric contours also available.
Seismic data are also available.
Cruise Report is also available.
