The Antarctic Seismic Data Library System for Cooperative Research (SDLS): New research projects
The SDLS, established by Antarctic geoscientists in 1991, provides access to Antarctic multichannel seismic (MCS) data at SDLS library branches and via the WWW to facilitate and promote multifaceted research. Of the existing 332,000 km of Antarctic MCS data, 197,000 km are openly available, 31,000 km are being prepared, and 40,000 km are promised to achieve the goal of all due data being submitted to the library during IPY. The SDLS is currently used in several new ways that help manage biodiversity, protect the Antarctic environment and decipher paleoenvironments. Examples include: * Bioregionalisation study for CCAMLR to map geomorphic units of the seafloor and identify areas of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems, such as cold seeps, seamounts, and others;* Minimizing anthropogenic noise in the marine environment by historic study of surveying and avoiding repeated annual surveys, and by modeling of acoustic wave propagation in the Southern Ocean to estimate and minimize the effect of seismic surveys if any on marine mammals; and * Regional compilations of seismic data by Cenozoic Circum-Antarctic Stratigraphy Project (CASP) to create paleobathymetry maps of the Southern Ocean.The SDLS is a valued science-support group whose continued successes rely on proactive support by the science community.