EdistoBay-GDR

The EdistoBay -GDR dataset is a comprehensive collection of geophysical measurements and sediment core data collected in Edisto Inlet. This inlet, situated along the north coast of Victoria Land, Antarctica (Cape Hallett), is about 15 km long and 4 km wide, bears the characteristic marks of glacial formation and is traditionally difficult to access due to persistent sea ice.
The Edisto Bay Geophysical Data Repository is organized to facilitate retrieval of geophysical data collected in the area during various projects funded by the Italian Antarctic Research Program (PNRA) and is part of a forthcoming publication based on the analysis of subsurface sub-bottom profiles (seismic data), multibeam swath bathymetry, gravity and piston sediment cores, Acoustic Doppler Current Profiles (ADCP), Conductivity Temperature Depth (CTD) measurements, and thermo- salinograph data acquired in the frame of several PNRA-funded projects. The importance of the dataset lies in its invaluable contribution to paleoclimate research in Antarctica and plays a central role in improving our understanding of ongoing environmental changes in this area.
Seismic datasets are stored in both raw and processed formats, sub-bottom profiles were acquired using 1) a 3.5 kHz SBP GeoAcoustics Geopulse 5430-5210A aboard N/R Italica from 2002 to 2005 and 2) a hull-mounted Benthos CAP -6600 Chirp II Data Sonics on the RV OGS Explora in 2017. Geopulse chirp data were acquired in envelope mode, and additional pseudo-seismic processing was carried out prior to standard processing. The benthic chirp data sweep (with frequencies ranging from 2 to 7 kHz) was initially recorded in fullwave format, which allowed in post-cruise processing to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. These seismic datasets provided a variety of penetration depths reaching depths of up to 130 ms below the seafloor, with vertical resolutions from 30 to 10 cm.
Multibeam data were collected onboard OGS-Explora during the GLEVORS PNRA project in 2017 using a Teledyne Reson SeaBat 7150 multibeam echo sounder with a system frequency of 12 kHz and an impressive 880 beams. The dataset underwent rigorous processing, including manual editing to eliminate anomalous readings, and was subsequently gridded at 20 m to produce detailed relief maps. Multibeam data are available in both raw and processed (grid data) formats.
Cores information and positioning: data on sediment gravity and piston cores used in the publication. The cores sampled were sampled as part of PNRA projects: Anta in 2002, Baye in 2005, and GLEVORS in 2017. Comprehensive details on the acquisition and analysis of the sediment cores are carefully provided in accompanying tables. All cores are meticulously stored at the Sorting Center of the Italian National Antarctic Museum Section of Trieste and are accessible online.
In summary, the EdistoBay GDR dataset is a valuable resource for researchers interested in Antarctic paleoclimate, seafloor geology, and sediment dynamics.