1. European Multidisciplinary Seafloor Observatory
EMSO
European Multidisciplinary Seafloor Observatory
Paolo Favali
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Italy
emso-eu.org/ 1

2. EMSO, a Research Infrastructure of the ESFRI Roadmap, is the European network of fixed seafloor and water column observatories constituting a distributed infrastructure for long-term (mainly) real-time monitoring of environmental processes N GB IR S D F I P E NL GR TU
In the EC-FP7 EMSO Preparatory Phase (12 countries) started in April 2008 for 4 years with the aim to design and create the legal entity in charge of the infrastructure

3. EMSO is Marine Ecosystems Climate Change Geo-Hazards
A European distributed marine Research Infrastructure: permanent, large-scale, deep-sea laboratory to address the key issues
Marine Ecosystems
Climate Change
Geo-Hazards

4. Features and types of Fixed Observatories
Unmanned, multi-sensor platforms to make measurements from above the air-sea interface to below the seafloor, and with different configurations related to the communications:
1) Stand-alone and delayed mode observatories
2) Mooring and seafloor observatories with acoustic
or cabled capabilities

5. satellite communications
Mooring with
satellite communications
Cabled configuration
NRC, 2003
Source “Implementation Strategies for ESONET and EMSO Appendix A”, 2009

6. Observatory Measurements
multiparametric long-term (years) time-series
seabed and water column measurements
common set of sensors for basic measurements and further sensors for specific purposes
Observatory Measurements
• Nutrient analyzers
• pH, Eh and alkalinity
• hydrocarbon fluorescence
• In situ Mass spectrometer
• Particle flux trap
• Image based particle flux
• Pigment fluorescence
• Deep biosphere sensors
• Time-Lapse Cameras
• Holographic imaging
• Video
• Passive acoustics
• Active acoustics
• Zooplankton sampling
• In situ sample processors with molecular/
genetic probes
• In situ respiration
Seismic ground motion
• Gravity
• Magnetism
• Geodesy and seafloor deformation
Fluid related processes monitoring
• Chemical and Aqueous Transport (CAT)
• Pore pressure
• Gas hydrate monitoring
• Dissolved Fe, Mn and sulfide species
• Acoustic tomography
• CTD equipment for hydrothermal vents
• Methane
• Carbon dioxide
• Heat Flow

7. Unravelling the complexity: interactions between atmosphere, ocean, earth processes
Ruhl et al., 2010 (submitted)

8. EMSO Mission is to address the following needs:
Sustained observations are essential at a sufficiently high frequency to explore the time changing properties of the oceanic environment
Investigation of the complex interrelations between processes and properties from the top of the ocean to the seabed beneath:
- Short-time scales (minutes, hours to days)
- Longer-time scales (annual to decadal)

9. Open Access Modality
The EMSO real time or near-real time data will be available through internet to scientists and they will run their experiments remotely
Open Access (data, facilities and personnel) does not mean unrestricted and unlimited access
Access rules will be defined and will depend on:
Country involvement in the RI
Profile of the user (scientist, industry or others)

10. e-Infrastructures for data management, communication and decision making
Real-time and near-real-time data require appropriate storage, data quality assessment and processing/modelling addressable through e-infrastructures
Web-based platform for data and instrumentation remote access

11. History of European Observatory Initiatives
Feasibility studies: ABEL, DECIBEL (FP3, )
GEOSTAR 1 & 2 (FP4, )
NEMO-SN1 (Italian funds & FP6, 2000-ongoing)
ASSEM (FP5, )
ESONET CA (FP5, )
ORION-GEOSTAR-3 (FP5, )
ESONIM (FP6, )
EXOCET/D (FP6, )
NEAREST (FP6, )
ESONET NoE (FP6, )
EUROSITES (FP7, )
HYPOX (FP7, )
EMSO Preparatory Phase (FP7, )

12. Overall dimensions (m)
GEOSTAR-class SEAFLOOR OBSERVATORIES
Platform
Overall dimensions (m)
(L x W x H)
Weight (kN)
(in air)
(in water)
Depth rated (m)
GEOSTAR
3.50 x 3.50 x 3.30
25.4
14.2
4000
SN1
2.90 x 2.90 x 2.90
14.0
8.5
SN3
SN4
2.00 x 2.00 x 2.00
6.6
3.4
1000
GMM
1.50 x 1.50 x 1.50
1.5
0.7
MABEL (SN2)
SN3
GEOSTAR
SN1
SN4
GMM
MABEL (SN2)
Favali et al., 2006b; Favali & Beranzoli, 2006; 2009b

13. The ongoing ESONET Demonstration Missions (DMs) and S&T activities progress towards “permanent” installations
Mainly:
Geo-Hazards
Climate change & Ecosystem
LIDO-DM
MARMARA-DM
MODOO-DM
LOOME-DM
AOEM-DM
MOMAR-DM
The EMSO nodes are located in the ESONET key sites

14. Marmara Sea SN4 location
Partners: Turkey, Italy, France
EC-ESONET-MARMARA-DM (exp. Sept’09-ongoing)
eastern part of the sea at the westernmost end of the fault rupture caused by the 1999 Izmit earthquake.
SN4 location
Main goals: Relationship between Seismicity & Gas seepage

15. Partners: Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Morocco
Iberian Margin
Acoustically linked observatory
Partners: Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Morocco
MODUS
GEOSTAR
GEOSTAR
Gulf of Cadiz 85 km off-shore m w.d.
Portugal
N-E Atlantic
EC-NEAREST (exp. Aug.’07-Aug.’08)
EC-ESONET-LIDO-DM (exp. Nov’09-ongoing)
SISM
ACC
ML=4.7 Gulf of Cadiz (Jan.11, 2008)
R/V Sarmiento de Gamboa
Main goals: Geo-Hazards & Bio-acoustics

16. Western Ionian Sea The 1st cabled prototype node (from 2005)
Main goals: Geo-Hazards & Bio-acoustics, Test site for Neutrino Telescope
Real-time data transmission
Recovery for refurbishment
2010 Re-deployment (ESONET-LIDO-DM)
Partners: Italy, Portugal, Spain, Germany, France
Optical sensors
Electronic vessels
East Sicily
(Western Ionian Sea)
Synergy between the 2 ESFRI infrastructures: KM3NeT and EMSO

17. Status of the nodes Running S&T activities Test sites (shallow water)
Permanent infrastructures

18. EMSO-Preparatory Phase Partnership
INGV Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (Italy)
Co-ordinator
ITU Istanbul Teknik Universitesi (Turkey)
IFREMER - Institut Français de Recherche pour l’exploitation de la MER (France)
UiT University of Tromsø (Norway)
NOCS National Oceanography Centre Southampton (United Kingdom)
HCMR - Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (Greece)
KDM Konsortium Deutsche Meeresforschung e.V. (Germany)
IMI Irish Marine Institute (Ireland)
NIOZ Stichting Koninklijk Nederlands Instituut voor Zeeonderzoek (The Netherlands)
UGOT - Goteborgs Universitet (Sweden)
UTM-CSIC - Unidad de Tecnologia Marina - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (Spain)
FFCUL - Fundação da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa (Portugal) 18

19. Governance Structure ERIC Statute in preparation
GOVERNING BODIES
Assembly of Members - AoM
Director General - DG
Finance Committee - FC
Scientific Advisory Committee - SAC
ORGANISATION
Executive Board - EB
Network Control Department - NCD
Regional Departments - RDs

20. Key elements EMSO will have: Central co-ordination Regional
Arctic
Iberian
margin
Marmara
Sea
Ligurian
W. Ionian
Hellenic
Arc
Secretariat
(Italy)
…RDs…
EMSO will have:
Central
co-ordination
Regional
Departments

21. Design of a funding plan

22. EMSO Implementation Plan
Obtain Commitment
Establish EMSO ERIC
Obtain Finance
Build initial stand-alone and cabled sites
2011
2010
2012
Operate First Sites
Expand ERIC membership
Build additional sites
Fully Operational EMSO Infrastructure

23. EMSO and the Society

24. Benefits for the Scientific Community
EMSO brings about a breakthrough on:
Geo-hazard warning
Environmental policies
Understanding the climate impacts and the anthropo-
genic forcing
High-level training and education of researchers, engi-
neers and technicians
Knowledge and technology transfer
Interaction with industry

25. Innovation: knowledge spin-out process
Cable technology
Underwater communication technology
Sensor technology
Data management and storage
Biofouling
Logistics Optimisation
Technological challenges to be faced during construction
Abiotic resources discovery
Energy exploration
Climate model, oceanographic model
Materials testing under pressure
Extremophiles: Microorganisms and enzymes useful for industrial processes
Fishing resources
Tsunami early warning
.....
Exploitable Knowledge to be acquired through EMSO RI use 25

26. Interactions with stakeholders
Great potential to have a large number of users outside the Scientific Community
Civil Protection (e.g., tsunami early warning, disaster management)
Governmental environmental monitoring organisations
Operational oceanography
Fisheries management

27. Links with Industry
Involvement of the Industry (large and SMEs) within EMSO is at multiple level
As RI component developer/supplier and service provider
Sensors, acquisition systems, cables, software, etc...
Ship-time
As user
Existing involvement: Oil companies
Potential: biotechnology, materials technology, others…

28. The Level of Services Hosting scientific experiments Test beds for
Technical Assistance
Power supply and data transmission (e.g., junction boxes)
Logistics (e.g., ships, underwater vehicles)
Test beds for
Validation of prototype of underwater sensors
Validation of new devices for underwater applications
Materials in corrosive ambient and lasting high pressure
Service to other sites
Sites different from the initial EMSO sites of interest of
stakeholders (e.g., oil & gas companies)

29. A different approach to education about the role of the oceans
Education and recreational activities (aquaria, etc…): real-time images
from the abyss
(courtesy of J. Delaney, OOI)

30. Benefits for the Society
Natural hazard mitigation
Understanding climate changes
Marine environment preservation and sustainable development
Strong impact on SMEs in marine technologies
Impact on education and job creation opportunities

31. EMSO complementary/synergic interactions with other
ESFRI Infrastructures
SIOS

32. Long-Term, Real-Time Cabled Observatories DONET (Japan) MACHO (Taiwan)●
EMSO
NEPTUNE
(Canada)
DONET (Japan)
MACHO
(Taiwan)
MARS
(USA)
VENUS
OOI
Long-Term, Real-Time
Cabled Observatories
From Monty Priede 32

33. Advisory Board Tim Cowles OCEANLEADERSHIP/OOI Martin Taylor
Ocean Network Canada
Yoshiyuki Kaneda
JAMSTEC (DONET)
Eeva Ikonen ()
ESFRI TWG ENV Chair
Heinz Olbers (as observer)
European Investment Bank
Ingunn Nilssen
Statoil
Emilio Migneco
INFN - KM3net coordinator
Georg Heinrich Hansen
NRC - SIOS Coordinator

34. Vision Integrate and enhance the existing infrastructures
Expand the observations in critical, representative locations in particular environments
The overall vision is to develop a global system of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary sustained observatory networks

35. Porcupine Abyssal Plain
Arctic
Norwegian Margin
Nordic Sea
Porcupine Abyssal Plain
Azores
Islands
Iberian
Margin
Ligurian
Sea
Western
Ionian Sea
Hellenic
Arc
Black Sea
Marmara
emso-eu.org/
Thank you
for your attention
Paolo Favali
EMSO-PP Co-ordinator 35