Mission of the Hydrographic Brigade in the Archipelago of the Azores: western of São Miguel island

In the scope of hydrographic surveys carried out by the Hydrographic Brigade in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, which took place on June 25, 2017, the use of modern multi-beam sounders allowed images of the seabed to be acquired with rare beauty and associated with the very particular nature of the islands. In the specific case of the survey on the western tip of the island of São Miguel, in an area located between Ponta da Ferraria and the Mosteiros, it was possible to prolong the great morphological rugosity observed on the slopes of Ponta dos Mosteiros to the adjacent insular platform, as well Observe the rocky ridges that surround the Islet of the Monasteries. Further south, between the Point of Escalvado and Ponta da Ferraria, the insular platform is more extensive, presenting isolated rocky outcrops of circular geometry, typically associated with semi-dismantled volcanic apparatuses.

This mission also served to strengthen collaboration with the Department of Biology of the University of the Azores, which boarded a team of 6 researchers / students of different nationalities who could collect data on marine biodiversity, namely in the Lourenço bank and In the "Sabrina" bank. In addition to the acoustic data from the bottom and the water column, where hydrothermal manifestations can be identified in the Mosteiros, samples of the sedimentary cover were collected for remote classification of the bottom type.

The work is taking place onboard the "Gaivota" sounding vessel, designed from the NRP Dom Carlos I and it is expected, with expectation, the appearance of other singular submarine forms.