Marine Research at the Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute University of Mississippi

Transcription

1 Marine Research at the Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute University of Mississippi Carol B. Lutken, Associate Director Presented to the MMRI Advisory Board Jackson, Mississippi February 12, 2015

2 Marine Research at the Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute Center for Marine Resources and Environmental Technology (CMRET) Capabilities Survey Systems Shallow-Source/Deep-Receiver (SSDR) seismic profiling system Polarity-Preserving Chirp profiling system Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) Support systems for marine investigation Remotely Operated Vehicles Station Service Device (SSD) Integrated Scientific Platform for Instrument Deployment and Emergency Recovery (I-SPIDER) Sampling systems: Coring devices: gravity, push-core, vibra-core, box-core probes and sensors: PFA, Speed-of-Sound arrays: BBLA, HLA, hurricane monitor, resistivity Landers: ABIL, ROVARD, ECOGIG landers, IPSO Projects Gulf of Mexico Hydrates Research Consortium Seafloor Observatory/Monitoring Station Research Reserve/Woolsey Mound: cold seep, hydrates, benthic communities Resistivity Proposals, Publications, Presentations

3 Survey Systems: Shallow-Source/Deep-Receiver (SSDR) profiling system The SSDR sub-bottom profiling system was developed at MMRI/CMRET to image the hydrate stability zone that, in the GOM, falls between the capabilities of low-resolution industry data and high resolution chirp. High Resolution (10cm in shallow sediments) Far-field Geometry (normal incidence) Polarity Retention Derivation of Reflection and Absorption Coefficients High resolution imaging to greater depths (800m vs 350m) Better alignment between source and receiver Closer spaced survey grid

4 Survey Systems: Polarity-Preserving Chirp profiling system Chirp Sonar data must be correctly navigated and depth-corrected in post processing.

5 Survey Systems: Autonomous Underwater Vehicles or AUVs Eagle Ray AUV: via multibeam, provides seafloor bathymetry and backscatter. Kongsberg EM2000 Frequency: 200 khz; # beams per ping: 111; Coverage sector: 120 ; Survey depth: 2200m Eagle Ray flying 15m from seafloor; Line spacing: ~60 m; Resolution: ~45 cm

6 Survey Systems: Autonomous Underwater Vehicles or AUVs The Mola Mola photo-auv recovers high quality photo-images of seafloor features, and is used to ground-truth geophysical and geological data.

7 Marine Research at the Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute Center for Marine Resources and Environmental Technology Capabilities Survey Systems Shallow-Source/Deep-Receiver (SSDR) seismic profiling system Polarity-Preserving Chirp profiling system Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) Support systems for marine investigation Remotely Operated Vehicles Station Service Device (SSD) Integrated Scientific Platform for Instrument Deployment and Emergency Recovery (I-SPIDER) Sampling systems: Coring devices: gravity, push-core, vibra-core, box-core probes and sensors: PFA, Speed-of-Sound arrays: BBLA, HLA, hurricane monitor, resistivity Landers: ABIL, ROVARD, ECOGIG landers, IPSO Projects Gulf of Mexico Hydrates Research Consortium Seafloor Observatory/Monitoring Station Research Reserve/Woolsey Mound: cold seep, hydrates, benthic communities Resistivity Proposals, Publications, Presentations

8 Support Systems Vehicles The SSD or Station Service Device The SSD is equipped with cameras, lights, an altimeter, a 5-function manipulator arm, sonar, thrusters, USBL positioning and is batterypowered. It is deployed in a cage from a fiberoptic tether that enables researchers to receive data, live, from the seafloor as well as during dive and recovery operations. The SSD is used independently or in concert with the I-SPIDER

9 Support Systems Vehicles The I-SPIDER, Integrated Scientific Platform for Instrument Deployment and Emergency Recovery The I-SPIDER, equipped with multiple cameras and lights, an altimeter and USBL is used primarily as a reconnaissance vehicle and for deployment and recovery of heavy equipment and data-recovery systems. With multiple eyes on the seafloor, the scientist can trigger the mechanical release to deliver the payload to the seafloor with extreme accuracy.

10 Marine Research at the Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute Center for Marine Resources and Environmental Technology Capabilities Survey Systems Shallow-Source/Deep-Receiver (SSDR) seismic profiling system Polarity-Preserving Chirp profiling system Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) Support systems for marine investigation Remotely Operated Vehicles Station Service Device (SSD) Integrated Scientific Platform for Instrument Deployment and Emergency Recovery (I-SPIDER) Sampling systems: coring devices: gravity, push-core, vibra-core, box-core probes and sensors: PFA, Speed-of-Sound arrays: BBLA, HLA, hurricane monitor, resistivity Landers: ABIL, ROVARD, ECOGIG landers, IPSO Projects Gulf of Mexico Hydrates Research Consortium Seafloor Observatory/Monitoring Station Research Reserve/Woolsey Mound: cold seep, hydrates, benthic communities Resistivity Proposals, Publications, Presentations

11 Sampling systems: coring devices: gravity, push-core, vibra-core, box-core 10-meter gravity cores are collected using an MMRI original.

12 Sampling systems: coring devices: gravity, push-core, vibra-core, box-core Box-core samples are collected from targeted seafloor sites. Following recovery to the deck, they are usually subsampled.

13 Sampling systems: coring devices: gravity, push-core, vibra-core, box-core The SDI vibe-corer is used to recover core samples in less than 100m water-depth.

14 Sampling systems: coring devices: gravity, push-core, vibra-core, box-core Piston cores were recovered from MC118 using TDI Brooks 20-meter Jumbo-Piston coring system.

15 Sampling systems: coring devices: gravity, push-core, vibra-core, box-core Extremely fine-grained material hosts hydrates in the northern GOM. Using IR to scan unopened cores can give clues about where hydrate may be in the core; warm colors indicate voids while cool colors can indicate frozen material.

16 Sampling systems: coring devices: gravity, push-core, vibra-core, box-core The SSD collecting targeted a push-core.

17 Sampling Systems Sensors, arrays, probes The PFA or Pore-Fluid Array

18 Sampling Systems Sensors, arrays, probes The BBLA or Benthic Boundary Layer Array The BBLA is a 60m long series of sensors and floats deployed with an anchor to secure it on the seafloor and floats to assure it remains vertical in the water-column. It is used to collect primarily geochemical data from the water-column.

19 Sampling Systems Sensors, arrays, probes - The Thermistor Array/Hurricane detector Temperature data collected by the Thermistor Array in the Gulf of Mexico during the summer of 2006.

20 Support Systems Sensors, arrays, probes The Direct Current Resistivity (DCR) Array

21 Marine Research at the Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute Center for Marine Resources and Environmental Technology Capabilities Survey Systems Shallow-Source/Deep-Receiver (SSDR) seismic profiling system Polarity-Preserving Chirp profiling system Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) Support systems for marine investigation Remotely Operated Vehicles Station Service Device (SSD) Integrated Scientific Platform for Instrument Deployment and Emergency Recovery (I-SPIDER) Sampling systems: Coring devices: gravity, push-core, vibra-core, box-core probes and sensors: PFA, Speed-of-Sound arrays: BBLA, HLA, hurricane monitor, resistivity Landers: ABIL, ROVARD, ECOGIG landers, IPSO Projects Gulf of Mexico Hydrates Research Consortium Seafloor Observatory/Monitoring Station Research Reserve/Woolsey Mound: cold seep, hydrates, benthic communities Resistivity Proposals, Publications, Presentations

22 Support Systems Landers The ROV-assisted recovery device (ROVARD) The ROVARD, left, ready for deployment; top right - prepared to have the chimneys placed on the seafloor, via ROV; bottom right, a chimney, instrumented inside and out, prepared for a multiple-month stay at MC118.

23 Support Systems Landers ABIL - Autonomous Benthic Instrument Lander The ABIL is deployed using the Pelican s crane. Note the compact, central, arrangement of instruments - CTD, acoustic releases, battery, transponder - protected by the glass floats in hard-hats. Scanning sonar red is located above the other lander components for greater access to its surroundings.

24 Support Systems Landers The ECOGIG lander initial design The ECOGIG lander, built by the MMRI/CMRET shop, was located 115m from the location given the navigation. Using the SSD s sonar and multiple camera capabilities, we were able to locate the lander, then survey its position, document the orientations of the instruments and remove the chimneys (grey cylinders in the front of the image on the right) and place them on the seafloor where the seafloor showed signs of gas emissions (bacterial mat, pitted surfaces).

25 Support Systems Landers The IPSO Lander or Integrated Portable Seafloor Observatory MMRI Marine Systems Specialists affix sensors to the Integrated Portable Seafloor Observatory (IPSO lander), built for the resistivity project.

26 Support Systems Landers The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution s Optic Modem The WHOI Optic Modem is designed to recover data remotely. The modem is lowered to within 100m of a data-logger where an operator can communicate with it via fiber-optic communication. Researchers can recover data without having to recover the datalogger and while maintaining a safe distance from the instrument or mooring.

27 Support Systems Landers The University of Georgia s MIMS/CTD/Photo Lander The UGa lander is equipped to conduct video and chemical surveying (MIMS and CTD), and to collect water samples (rosette, left), suspended sediment and particulate matter via high throughput filter.

28 Support Systems Photodevices collect images from the seafloor Bacterial mats and clams form part of a complex community on the seafloor at MC118 (left). Reefs provide habitat, recruitment and nursery functions for a range of deep-water organisms including commercial fish species. Deep sea corals may provide windows into past environmental/ecological conditions. This colony of Madrepora oculata, or zig-zag coral, is a rare find in the northern GOM (Images courtesy of Chuck Fisher and the Lophelia II cruise, co-funded by BOEM and NOAA).

29 Combining Systems: Autonomouos underwater vehicles or AUVs Woolsey Mound seafloor bio-geological processes: Seafloor back-scatter map, relevant biological habitat and sediment distribution of the mound.

30 Projects: Gulf of Mexico Hydrates Research Consortium The GOM-HRC was formed in 1999 by researchers in gas hydrates who sought to develop cooperative research projects, avoid redundancies, and select a site where hydrates could be studied, in situ. Membership comprised academics, government, and industry. Numbers of Participants and their activities varied through time but by 2010 totaled about 80 active participants and about 150 more that regularly communicated with MMRI/CMRET, administrators of the organization who hosted semiannually meetings where researchers presented their work and interacted with others. Focus areas included geology and geophysics, geochemistry, microbial biology, data storage and treatment, and later, chemosynthetic and other benthic communities. Many hundreds of publications and presentations have resulted. The GOM-HRC was supported, primarily, through federal funding earmarked for Consortium work related to the establishment and development of a Seafloor Observatory (SFO) in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Although earmarks are a thing of the past, the SFO was established with assistance from our federal sponsors at federal lease block Mississippi Canyon 118 where marine research continues at the GOM s only research reserve.

31 Projects: Seafloor Observatory/Monitoring Station Mississippi Canyon 118, site of the hydrates monitoring station/seafloor observatory, is located ~30 miles off the toe of the modern Bird s foot Delta of the Mississippi River amidst salt structures and on the edge of a massive slump.

32 Projects: Seafloor Observatory/Monitoring Station Multibeam image of MC 118 reveals a variety of structures on the seafloor. Data were acquired by C&C Technologies and reprocessed by researchers at MMRI/CMRET and University of Rome, La Sapienza.

33 Projects: Seafloor Observatory/Monitoring Station This cut-away cartoon portrays the plan for the Gas Hydrates Monitoring Station/Seafloor Observatory at MC118.

34 Projects: Research Reserve/Woolsey Mound: cold seep, hydrates, benthic communities

35 Projects: Temporal Characterization of Hydrates System Dynamics beneath Seafloor Mounds: Integrating Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Methods and In Situ Observations of Multiple Oceanographic Parameters OBJECTIVE The objective of the project is to investigate hydrates system dynamics beneath seafloor mounds, a structurally focused example of hydrate occurrence at the landward extreme of their stability field, by conducting observatory-based, in situ measurements at Woolsey Mound, MC118, a wellknown site near the edge of the exposed hydrate stability zone, to: 1) characterize, geophysically, the sub-bottom distribution of hydrate and its temporal variability and, 2) contemporaneously record relevant environmental parameters (temperature, pressure, salinity, turbidity, bottom currents and seafloor microseismicity) to investigate possible links of the variability to climate.

36 Temporal Characterization of Hydrates System Dynamics TASKS: In order to achieve these overall objectives, the following tasks were identified: a) employ the Direct Current Resistivity (DCR) method as a geophysical indicator of hydrates, b) identify hydrate formation mechanisms in seafloor mounds, c) detect short-term changes within the hydrates system, d) illuminate relationships/impacts of local oceanographic and micro-seismic parameters on the hydrates system and, indirectly, the benthic fauna, e) monitor fluid/hydrate motion and seafloor instability that these changes might produce.

37 Temporal Characterization of Hydrates System Dynamics Mississippi Canyon 118, is the site of the GOM s only Seafloor Observatory. Its peculiar features are hydrate mounds, where structurally focused methane flux at cold seeps can lead to loss of seafloor stability and addition of methane to the atmosphere when the hydrate dissociates into its components: fresh water and gas.

38 Temporal Characterization of Hydrates System Dynamics Woolsey Mound at Mississippi Canyon 118 some advantages include: The site is comparatively well-studied, contains a seafloor observatory in a research reserve, on the continental slope, near the extreme of hydrate stability, making it a likely location to reflect the effects of climate change, facilitating the leveraging of resources, including data.

39 Temporal Characterization of Hydrates System Dynamics 2009 DCR survey (black lines) run to test the system s capability to determine the presence of gas hydrates established anomalies A-E. Blue circles indicate Jumbo Piston Core locations. JPC1 and JPC6 contained solid hydrate and gas, respectively.

40 Temporal Characterization of Hydrates System Dynamics - support systems THE I-SPIDER and IPSO The Integrated Scientific Platform for Instrument Deployment and Emergency Recovery (left), atop the Integrated Portable Seafloor Observatory. At right, the topside control station for the Remotely Operated Vehicles.

41 Temporal Characterization of Hydrates System Dynamics The resistivity array is attached to the IPSO lander to integrate the capabilities of the two systems

42 Temporal Characterization of Hydrates System Dynamics During an April, 2014 DCR cruise, four survey/reconnaissance profiles were collected along the traces shown in black. The IPSO lander and attached DCR array were deployed at the location shown in red. This deployment line coincides with a fault along which three anomalies had been identified), bubble plumes observed at the seafloor, and hydrates recovered (via gravity cores) from the shallow subsurface.

43 Temporal Characterization of Hydrates System Dynamics

44 Temporal Characterization of Hydrates System Dynamics Inverted DCR time-lapse profiles. (a) Initial DCR profile collected along monitored line. High resistivity anomalies associated with shallow hydrate are concentrated where the profile passes just north of the most active gas vent at the site. (b) Second profile collected one week later, (c) Percentage change in resistivity from one week to the next. Positive change indicates increasing resistivity over time, and is associated with hydrate formation; negative change indicates hydrate dissociation.

45 Proposals Submitted To: 1. U. S. Department of Energy, NETL, FY 2014 Methane Hydrates Funding Opportunity Number: DE-FOA ; Field Programs for Marine Hydrate Characterization Title: 3D Characterization of Methane Hydrate Distribution beneath Seafloor Mounds Integrating Geophysical, Geological and Geochemical Methods P.I. Carol Lutken, Co-PI: Marco D Emidio; Co-I: Leonardo Macelloni (University of Rome); Co-I: John Dunbar (Baylor University); Co-Is: Rachel Wilson and Jeff Chanton (Florida State University); Co-I: Vernon Asper (University of Southern Mississippi); Co-I: Bob Hardage (University of Texas-Austin). 2. RESTORE, project #2173 Title: Integrated geophysical - geological characterization of Mississippi Sound and tributary estuarine seabed P.I. Carol Lutken, Co-I: Marco D Emidio; Co-I: John Dunbar (Baylor University); Co-I: Paul Higley (Specialty Devices, Inc., Wiley, Texas). In Progress: 1. BOEM (unsolicited) Title: 3D Characterization of Methane Hydrate Distribution beneath Seafloor Mounds Integrating Geophysical, Geological and Geochemical Methods

46 Recent Publications by MMRI Marine Scientists * denotes peer-reviewed publications 2011 Falcini, Federico; Chunyan Li; Marco D Emidio; Carol Lutken; Leonardo Macelloni; Alessandro Salusti; Douglas J. Jerolmack (2011) Hydrographic and suspended sediment measurements of the Mississippi River plume during the historic 2011 flood: a coupled satellite analysis and boat survey approach to determine an efficiency factor for sediment trapping in the nearshore zone, Abs EP44A-07, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Fran. CA, Dec. Farr, Norman, Kenneth Sleeper, Richard Camilli, Clifford Pontbriand, Jonathan Ware (2011) New developments in optic modems and chemical sensors in deep marine environments, Abstract OS13D-1558, Ingrassia, Michela, M.S. theses in Ocean Science, 2011, High Resolution benthic habitat mapping of WoolseyMound (Mississippi Canyon Block 118, Northern Gulf of Mexico). University of Rome, La Sapienza. Lutken, Carol B., Leonardo Macelloni, Ken Sleeper, Marco D Emidio, Tom McGee, Antonello Simonetti, James H. Knapp, Camelia C. Knapp, Simona Caruso, Jeff Chanton, Laura Lapham, Mariangela Lodi, Michela Ingrassia, Paul Higley, Charlotte Brunner, Rich Camilli, Brad Battista, Tim Short, Ryan Bell, Peer Fietzek,2011, New discoveries at Woolsey Mound, MC118, northern Gulf of Mexico, Proceedings of the 7 th International Conference on Gas Hydrates (ICGH 2011), Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom, July 17-21,2011. Lutken, Carol B., Antonello Simonetti, Michela Ingrassia, Leonardo Macelloni, James H. Knapp, Charles Fisher, Simona Caruso, Marco D Emidio, 2011, Biogeophysical Classification of Seafloor Seeps at a Carbonate-Hydrate Mound, Northern Gulf of Mexico, AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Milan,Italy, October 23-27, Lutken, Carol; Marco D Emidio; Federico Falcini; Benjamin P. Horton; Douglas J. Jerolmack; Nicole S. Khan;Chunyan Li; Leonardo Macelloni; Karen L. McKee (2011) Connecting the historic 2011 Mississippi River flood to marsh sedimentation on the Delta, Abs B24D-08, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Fran. CA, Dec *Macelloni, Leonardo, Bradley M Battista, Camelia C Knapp, Optimal Filtering High-Resolution Seismic Reflection Data Using a Weighted-Mode Empirical Mode Decomposition Operator.Journal of Applied Geophysics, 75 (2011) Martens, Christopher, Howard Mendlovitz, Brian White, Daniel Hoer, Kenneth Sleeper, Jeffrey Chanton, Rachel Wilson, Laura Lapham (2011) Continuous In Situ Measurements of Near Bottom Chemistry and Sediment-Water Fluxes with the Chimney Sampler Array, Abstract OS31B-08, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Fran. CA, Dec. *McGee, Thomas, 2011: Probabilistic concepts in signal analysis. LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing GmbH & Co., Saarbrücken, Germany.

47 Recent Publications by MMRI Marine Scientists Pierdomenico, Martina, M.S. theses in Ocean Science, 2011, Mesoscale Benthic habitat mapping of Hudson Canyon Head. University of Rome, La Sapienza. Simonetti, Antonello, James H. Knapp, Camelia C. Knapp, Leonardo Macelloni, Carol B. Lutken, 2011, Defining the hydrocarbon leakage zone and the possible accumulation model for marine gas hydrates in a salt tectonic driven cold seep: examples from Woolsey Mound, MC118, northern Gulf of Mexico, Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Gas Hydrates (ICGH 2011), Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom, July 17-21, Sleeper, Kenneth, Rachel Wilson, Jeffery Chanton, Laura Lapham, Norman Farr, Richard Camilli, Christopher Martens, Clifford Pontbriand (2011), Geochemical Arrays at Woolsey Mound Seafloor Observatory, Abstract OS13C-1545, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Fran. CA, Dec D Emidio, M., M. Ingrassia, C.B. Lutken, L. Macelloni, A. Simonetti, L.L. Lapham, R.M. Wilson, P. Hsing, and C. Fisher, 2012, Biogeophysical Classification of Seafloor Seeps at a Carbonate-Hydrate Mound, Northern Gulf of Mexico, Ocean Sciences Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, February D Emidio, Marco, Michela Ingrassia, Lutken Carol B., Leonardo Macelloni, Antonello Simonetti, Marco Pizzi, Laura Lapham, Rachel Wilson, Pen-Yuan Hsing, Charles Fisher, 2012, Biogeophysical Classification of Seafloor Seeps at a Carbonate-Hydrate Mound, Northern Gulf of Mexico, GRC Natural Gas Hydrates System, Ventura, CA, March 18-23, Easson, Greg, Carol Lutken, Ken Sleeper, Leonardo Macelloni, and Marco D Emidio, 2012, Gas Hydrates Observatory at Mississippi Canyon 118, Ocean Sciences Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City,February Lutken, Carol, Ken Sleeper, Greg Easson, Leonardo Macelloni, Gene Smith, 2012, The GOM GAS HYDRATES SEAFLOOR OBSERVATORY: Producing Science for National and Global Management Decisions, AGU Science Policy Conference 2012, Washington, DC, April 29-May 2. *Macelloni L., Simonetti, A., Knapp, J.H., Knapp, C.C., and Lutken, C.B., Multiple-Resolution Seismic Imaging of a Shallow Hydrocarbon Plumbing System, Woolsey Mound, Northern Gulf of Mexico. Marine and Petroleum Geology 38: Macelloni, L., M. D Emidio, A. Simonetti, J. Dunbar, C.B. Lutken, 2012, Geophysical evidence of shallow hydrates formation and accumulation at Woolsey Mound (Mississippi Canyon Block 118), Ocean Sciences Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, February Pizzi, Marco, Leonardo Macelloni, Lutken Carol B., Marco D Emidio, 2012, Temporal Evolution of MC118 Woolsey Mound seep activity: constraints from analysis of small-scale salt-induced sediment deformation, GRC Natural Gas Hydrates System, Ventura, CA, March 18-23, 2012.

48 Recent Publications by MMRI Marine Scientists Simonetti, Antonello, James H. Knapp, Camelia C. Knapp, Carol B. Lutken, 2012, 4d seismic imaging of athermogenic gas hydrate system in the northern Gulf of Mexico (Woolsey Mound, MC118), The Gordon Research Conference on Natural Gas Hydrate Systems, Ventura, California, March 18th-23 rd Wilson, R.M., L.L. Lapham, C. Martens, J.P. Chanton, H. Mendlovitz, K. Sleeper, M. Reidel, 2012, Time-series methane monitoring in gassy sediments and the benthic boundary layer, Ocean Sciences Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, February Lowe, P. M., M. Woolsey, R. Jarnagin, C. B. Lutken, B. Noakes, L. Overstreet, S. Tidwell, Development of ISPIDER: a towed platform for video survey and instrument placement, Proc. OCEANS Conf *Lutken, Carol B., Marco D Emidio, Leonardo Macelloni, Michela Ingrassia, Martina Pierdomenico, Vernon Asper, Arne Diercks, Max U. Woolsey, Roy Jarnagin, 2013, Challenges in imaging the deep seabed: examples from Gulf of Mexico cold seeps, Transactions of the GCAGS, New Orleans, *Macelloni, Leonardo, Charlotte Brunner, Simona Caruso, Carol Lutken, Marco D'Emidio, Laura Lapham,2013, Spatial distribution of seafloor biogeological and geochemical processes as proxies of fluid flux regime and evolution of a carbonate/hydrates mound, northern Gulf of Mexico, Deep Sea Research, Part 1, Manuscript Number: DSR1-D R1. *Simonetti, Antonello, James H. Knapp, Kenneth Sleeper, Carol B. Lutken, Leonardo Macelloni, Camelia C.Knapp, 2013, Spatial Distribution of Gas Hydrates from High-Resolution Seismic and Core Data, Woolsey Mound, Northern Gulf of Mexico, Marine and Petroleum Geology 44 (2013) Woolsey, M., R. Jarnagin, K. Sleeper, L. Macelloni, M. D'Emidio, A.-R. Diercks, V. L. Asper, 2013, Integration of a Polarity-Preserving Chirp Subbottom Profiler into the NIUST AUV Eagle Ray, Proc. OCEANS Conf *Wilson, R.M., L. Macelloni, A. Simonetti, C. Lutken, K. Sleeper, M. D Emidio, M. Pizzi, L. Lapham, J Knapp, J. Chanton Subsurface methane sources and migration pathways within a gas hydrate mound system, Gulf of Mexico. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 15, doi: /2013GC004888, ISSN: *L. Macelloni, C.B. Lutken, S. Garg, A. Simonetti, M. D'Emidio, R.M. Wilson,K. Sleeper, L.L. Lapham, T. Lewis, M. Pizzi, J.H. Knapp, C.C. Knapp, J. Brooks, T.M. McGee, 2015, Heat-flow regimes and the hydrate stability zone of a transient,thermogenic, faultcontrolled hydrate system (Woolsey Mound, northern Gulf of Mexico), Marine and Petroleum Geology, 59:

49 CONCLUSIONS The MMR has a variety of tools is available for marine investigations. We possess a unique combination of abilities to collect, analyze and process marine data from shallow to great water-depth (2200m). ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This presentation highlights capabilities that have been developed over a period of over a decade and with input from many quarters. Funds for various aspects of the projects have been provided by the Department of the Interior s Minerals Management Service (MMS), now the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the Department of Commerce s National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology (NIUST), and the Department of Energy s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). For many years and in multiple capacities C&C Technologies, Louisiana Marine Consortium, the Naval Research Laboratory and TDI Brooks, International have provided logistical and technical support. Support from all sponsors is gratefully acknowledged.

50 Thank you Questions? Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute and Center for Marine Resources and Environmental Technology 111 Brevard Hall University, Mississippi Ph: