Student Explorations Around Southern California: Acoustics, Paleolandscapes, and Environments at Sea (SEASCAPES)

January 2 - 12, 2023

Project Overview

From January 2-12, a team of researchers will carry out a multipronged expedition to explore and develop best practices for collecting materials from submerged tar seeps and surrounding sediment.

The Student Explorations Around Southern California: Acoustics, Paleolandscapes, and Environments at Sea (SEASCAPES) expedition team will use data collected during geophysical surveys conducted in earlier phases of the expedition to identify remotely operated vehicle dive sites to explore various ocean conditions and tar seep types such as asphalt volcanoes and dispersed inactive tar mats. They will test the preservation and material types associated with different seep types and the effect of various ocean and seafloor conditions on sampling operations. The imaging and analyzed data collected during the expedition will be synthesized into the team’s existing models to further define the regional archaeological and biological landscapes of the Southern California Continental Shelf. Specifically, the team aims to identify areas that may contain preserved cultural heritage sites to inform heritage protection as well as environmental conservation and permitting.

A post-doctoral researcher and former graduate student will serve as the chief scientist for this part of the expedition, gaining ship time and the experience of directing an expedition together with other student leaders. The expedition is part of a larger collaborative project that is supervised by an all-female team of principal investigators. The larger project also involves expanding baseline knowledge about the Southern California Bight’s paleolandscape beyond the Channel Islands, understanding the acoustic landscape of the region, and developing a marine spatial planning tool that will support ship noise reduction efforts as well as the ecosystem-based management strategy of NOAA’s Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.

Using chirp and controlled source electromagnetic data collected during geophysical surveys conducted as part of the expedition in October 2021 and March 2022, the research team has identified sites P2A-D for targeted remotely operated vehicle investigations in January 2023.
Using chirp and controlled source electromagnetic data collected during geophysical surveys conducted as part of the expedition in October 2021 and March 2022, the research team has identified sites P2A-D for targeted remotely operated vehicle investigations in January 2023. Map developed by Roslynn King. Download largest version (jpg, 781 KB).
Amy Gusick and Shannon Klotsko retrieve the sub-bottom towfish, with help from Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Research Vessel Shearwater crew, Zacary Montgomery, Jackie Buhl, and Matt Howard (not pictured).
Amy Gusick and Shannon Klotsko retrieve the sub-bottom towfish, with help from Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Research Vessel Shearwater crew, Zacary Montgomery, Jackie Buhl, and Matt Howard (not pictured). Image courtesy of Matt Howard. Download largest version (jpg, 251 KB).
The upper image shows a fence plot of 2D resistivity from the CSEM survey lines off Point Conception. Warm warm colors indicate high resistivity, inferred to be hydrocarbon. The bottom image shows a section of sonar data along the same survey lines, with interesting “haystack” features. These areas with high resistivity that correspond to identified features in the sonar data will be targeted for possible sampling during the research expedition aboard Research Vessel Sally Ride.
The upper image shows a fence plot of 2D resistivity from the CSEM survey lines off Point Conception. Warm warm colors indicate high resistivity, inferred to be hydrocarbon. The bottom image shows a section of sonar data along the same survey lines, with interesting “haystack” features. These areas with high resistivity that correspond to identified features in the sonar data will be targeted for possible sampling during the research expedition aboard Research Vessel Sally Ride. Image courtesy of SEASCAPES. Download largest version (jpg, 179 KB).
Amy Gusick, Eva Pagaling, Roslynn King, and Jillian Maloney retrieve an electromagnetic receiver, known as a porpoise, offshore the Northern Channel Islands aboard Research Vessel Bob and Betty Beyster.
Amy Gusick, Eva Pagaling, Roslynn King, and Jillian Maloney retrieve an electromagnetic receiver, known as a porpoise, offshore the Northern Channel Islands aboard Research Vessel Bob and Betty Beyster. Image courtesy Brett Pickering. Download largest version (jpg, 8 MB).

Published December 21, 2022