Resources

RRS Discovery D109

Cruise summary report

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)RRS Discovery (74E3)
Cruise identifierD109
Cruise period1980-03-10 — 1980-04-19
StatusCompleted
Port of departureSan Juan, Puerto Rico
Port of returnBalboa, Panama
PurposeResearch
Objectives1. The main intention was to determine the nature of the deformation that has affected the sediments along the boundary zone between Atlantic and Caribbean sea floors and to seek its origins. Details of the relief, and interpretation of its structural trends, are largely lacking, despite attention by British, French and American workers.
The approach was make the first broad regional survey of the structural trends in plan view with GLORIA long range side-scan sonar and high resolution echo-sounder, looking especially for folds, faults and slumps. In the second part of the cruise crucial profiles were explored in association with a small Durham University geophysics team, using a multi-channel seismic profiling system, to obtain the structure of the underlying sediments.
2. Sonar platform - speed trials
3. Lucas hydraulic pump - noise tests
4. Pollution monitoring.
Chief scientistA H B Stride (Institute of Oceanographic Sciences Wormley Laboratory)
Cruise reportRRS Discovery D109 cruise report d109.pdf (0.41 MB) 
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralNorth West Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W)
Caribbean Sea
SpecificAtlantic/ Caribbean Boundary
Track chartsRRS Discovery D109 cruise track — trk2475.html
Measurements 
Geology and geophysics 
Single-beam echosoundingQuantity: track kilometres = 12964
Long/short range side scan sonarQuantity: track kilometres = 12964
Single channel seismic reflectionQuantity: track kilometres = 4630