MapGES 2019 aimed to continue testing the improved version of the low-cost, custom-made drift-cam video system designed and developed at IMAR and Okeanos University of the Azores. The video system, named the Azor drift-cam, was equipped with one 4K resolution action camera that records high-quality images of the benthic ecosystem of the Azores deep-sea. It also has low-cost sensors that provide depth and temperature records every second. The new egg-shaped design facilitates the disentanglement from lost fishing gears once the drift-cam system gets caught, although their presence still limits the possibility of safely exploring seamounts that are heavily fished. From a scientific perspective, the cruise aimed to characterize the megabenthic communities dwelling between 200 and 750 m depth in areas of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) and small seamounts close to the islands of Faial and Pico.
Southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge and Faial (Azores EEZ)
| Leg | Period | Days at sea | Vessel | Departure | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ●1 | 23/07/2019 - 02/08/2019 | 11 | RV Arquipélago | Horta | Horta |
| ●2 | 13/08/2019 - 24/08/2019 | 12 | RV Arquipélago | Horta | Horta |
| ●3 | 26/08/2019 - 03/09/2019 | 9 | RV Arquipélago | Horta | Horta |
| ●4 | 15/11/2019 - 16/11/2019 | 2 | RV Arquipélago | Horta | Horta |
Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas
Rua Prof. Doutor Frederico Machado, 4
9901-862 Horta, Portugal