SOLAVENTS Geoscientific Data 2002

This dataset contains geoscientific data logged during SOLAVENTS cruise (FR03/02) on RV Franklin 26.3-21.4.2002 in Solomon islands. These data include logged station coordinates and information for dredges, sediment grabs and cores, CTD/hydrocasts, echosounder and camera/video operations, and geological samples. SOLAVENTS-2002 was the second of two back-to-back legs during which CSIRO Exploration and Mining this year continued its study of hydrothermal mineral formation in volcanic arcs and back arcs in the South West Pacific Ocean. Commencing in Rabaul and ending in Sydney, the expedition focussed in the eastern Solomon Islands between San Cristobal and Santa Cruz. Forty-three sites were surveyed, of which 4 were completed in significant detail. We conducted 254 operations and collected 486 rock and sediment samples, totalling around 2.7 tonnes of material, 323 water samples, and made 222 on-board methane gas and 218 pH, conductivity and free-iron analyses. Forty-four biological samples were recovered serendipitously during dredging operations. The aims of SOLAVENTS cruise were as follows: - To collect new marine geoscientific and geotectonic information on a hitherto little-explored but significant island-arc region, in the eastern Solomon Islands. Among the island arc-backarc systems of the southwestern Pacific, considerable petrologic and geochemical effort has been expended in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. However, there is an apparent gap of fundamental knowledge, between the eastern end of the Solomon arc and the northwestern end of the Vanuatu arc in terms of known volcanism, with the exception of one known subaerial volcano (Tinakula). - To document changes over a two year period of the active submarine Kavachi volcano. - To document the state of seabed sediments and water quality in Empress Augusta Bay, 13 years after the cessation of mining on Bougainville.