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Abstract

Towed camera systems are commonly used to collect photo and video images
of the deep seafloor for a wide variety of purposes, from pure
exploratory research to the development of management plans. Ongoing
technological developments are increasing the quantity and quality of
data collected from the deep seafloor. Despite these improvements, the
area of seafloor, which towed systems can survey, optically remains
limited by the rapid attenuation of visible wavelengths within water. We
present an overview of a new towed camera platform integrating
additional acoustical devices: the ocean floor observation and
bathymetry system (OFOBS). The towed system maintains continuous direct
communication via fiber optic cable with a support vessel, operational
at depths up to 6000 m. In addition to collecting seafloor photo and
video data, OFOBS gathers sidescan data over a 100-m swath width. OFOBS
functionality is further augmented by a forward looking sonar, used to
aid in hazard avoidance and real-time course correction. Data collected
during the first field deployments of OFOBS, at a range of seamounts on
the Langseth Ridge/Gakkel Ridge intersection (86 degrees N, 61 degrees
E) in the high Arctic in September 2016, are presented to demonstrate
the functionality of the system. Collected from a location with near
continuous ice cover, this explanatory data set highlights the
advantages of the system for deep-sea survey work in environments
currently difficult to access for the majority of subsurface research
platforms.