Open AccessSeabed mapping in Norwegian waters: programmes, technologies and future advances
Author(s) -
Terje Thorsnes,
Ole Arve Misund,
Morten Smelror
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
special publication - geological society of london/geological society, london, special publications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.673
H-Index - 132
eISSN - 2041-4927
pISSN - 0305-8719
DOI - 10.1144/sp499-2019-69
Subject(s) - norwegian , seabed , oceanography , environmental science , geology , environmental planning , philosophy , linguistics
A holistic understanding of the oceans as part of the Earth system isimperative for the future management and sustainable utilization of theocean's natural resources. Increasing pressures on global resources havebeen accompanied by important advances in acoustic remote sensingtechnologies, allowing us to map the seabed in unprecedented detail. TheMAREANO (Marine areal database for Norwegian waters) programme in Norway,one of the world's largest seabed mapping programmes, is designed to closethe knowledge gaps with the use of the new technologies. To date, since the start in 2005, c. 1170 million NOK (Norwegiankroner), equivalent to c. US$115m have been allocated to this programme(2005–20). This paper outlines the development of MAREANO and other largemarine mapping and science programme proposals in Norway, and considerswhich factors influenced whether they were realized or not. In conclusion,funding of MAREANO came as a result of the convergence of political needs,technical capacity and multi-institutional co-operation. We further give an overview of the new and improved seabed mappingtechnologies, and finally we discuss the Norwegian programmes in connectionwith similar major international ongoing programmes and new initiatives andtake a look at possible advances in future seabed mapping.