Protected Species Mitigation and Monitoring Report: Marine Geophysical (Seismic) and Oceanographic Survey in the Dumont d’Urville Sea off the coast of East Antarctica

In support of the United States Antarctic Science Program (USAP), the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Polar Programs research vessel/icebreaker (RVIB) Nathaniel B. Palmer, operated by the Antarctic Support Contract (ASC), conducted a marine geophysical (seismic) and oceanographic survey in the Dumont d’Urville Sea off the coast of East Antarctica. The primary area for study was the Totten Glacier (TG) system including the Moscow University Ice Shelf (MUIS) along the Sabrina Coast and the Mertz Glacier (MG) and Cook Ice Shelf (CIS) along the Oates Coast. The purpose of the survey was to evaluate the recent behavior of the glacial systems, based on seafloor morphology, sub-bottom profiling, high-resolution seismic-imaging and marine sediment core evaluation; elucidate the longer term role of the TG as it responded to late Quaternary changes in climate and sea level, and assess the present day physical oceanographic and particulate dynamic processes associated with the deep basins that surround the TG tongue. The Palmer departed Hobart, Tasmania on 29 January 2014. The survey commenced on the 3 February 2014 and was completed on the 7 March 2014. The Palmer arrived back in Hobart on the 16 March 2014.