3-DIMENSIONAL MODELING OF THE TERRA-NOVA BAY SEA-FLOOR (ROSS SEA, ANTARCTICA)

The importance of gathering data on the Antarctic coastline and its ad jacent waters has been widely recognised by the Antarctic Treaty Consu ltative Meeting (ATCM), the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP) and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research ( SCAR). In particular, both for navigational safety and environmental m onitoring, it is very desirable to increase hydrographic activity in t hose areas which have the most significant importance from a scientifi c or navigational point of view - such as in the continental shelf and continental slope areas of the western part of the Ross Sea. Quite ap art from the safety of navigation requirements, knowledge of the seabe d topography is necessary to study and understand the various phenomen a laking place in the marine environment. For example, the movement of water masses and their mixing processes depend on the shape of the se abed and adjacent coastline. The sea area surrounding Antarctica is on e of the least explored parts of the world's oceans and the available bathymetric data is only sufficient to allow a very general analysis t o be made. With the probable growth of tourism and fishing around Anta rctica and with the increasing need to understand the effects on the w orld's climate of Antarctic water patterns, it is necessary to conside r powerful new techniques - such as three-dimensional modelling of the sea floors - in order to build up more quickly an effective and relia ble bathymetric data base of Antarctic waters.