SV Kommandor Jack Cruise 01/05, 11 Jul – 08 Aug 2005. Multibeam bathymetry and high resolution sidescan sonar surveys within the SEA7 area of the UK continental shelf

The objectives of the SV Kommandor Jack 01/05 cruise were to collect EM120, and where water depths permit, EM1002 multibeam bathymetry and backscatter data, and also where desired, high resolution sidescan sonar data, over Anton Dohrn Seamount, George Bligh and Rosemary Banks, the eastern margin of Rockall Bank and selected areas of Hatton Bank. The aims were to a) create high quality bathymetric maps of the survey areas b) create acoustic backscatter maps over the same areas c) when possible, define the extent of any potential coral habitats d) create high resolution bathymetric, backscatter and sonar maps of specific features as may be discovered, such as mud diapers, carbonate mounds etc. e) 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. This was a highly successful cruise with virtually all cruise objectives achieved. 6,384 line-km of multibeam bathymetry and backscatter data were obtained in water depths between 150 and 2,400 m. In addition, approximately 240 line-km of high resolution sidescan sonar were collected in depths between 150 and 1,500 m, and 6,323 line-km of high resolution CHIRP profiles were also collected.