IONNIS P. GOULANDRIS
This find is a great example of how our new technology is much more
effective for providing data for the entire seafloor, rather than from
point or line sampling. This area was previously surveyed with single
beam technology. The wreck was missed because it laid between survey
lines. Luckily, it is not a danger to navigation. Similar single beam
or lead line technology surveys exist in shoaler waters which may
contain similar undetected features.
Click on thumbnail to view full image
April 7, 2004 During a recent transit north from her home port
in Norfolk, VA, NOAA ship RUDE discovered an
uncharted wreck on the edge of a major ship
traffic lane approaching New York. The wreck was
found in 186 ft of water and is believed to be the
remains of a demolished cargo vessel known as
the IONNIS P. GOULANDRIS which sank in 1942.
The discovery of this uncharted wreck highlights the
advanced capabilities of NOAA's hydrographic
survey fleet. Modern acoustic surveying techniques
are capable of ensonifying large swaths of the seafloor
at one time. Older techniques only allowed
for acquiring soundings at discrete points or in
widely-spaced linear arrays.
Side-scan sonar systems ensonify the
seafloor obliquely and detect the return
of acoustic energy. Areas that are
blocked from ensonification (e.g. behind
a ship wreck) are known as acoustic
shadows. This detailed image of the
wreck was acquired with RUDE's Klein
5500 side-scan sonar system.
This sun-illuminated Digital Terrain
Model (DTM) was created from multibeam
sonar data acquired with RUDE's
Reson 8125 multibeam sonar system.
The RUDE obtained a least depth of
152 ft on the wreck.
Return to RUDE's Home Page
Return to Marine Operations Home Page
Inquires and Comments
URL: http://www..pmc.noaa.gov/IONNISPGOULANDRIS.
Updated: APRIL 2004 |