[PSUBS-MAILIST] FYI: U-166 Mapping Project

[Steven Mills <cirtemoeg@juno.com>]

U-166 Mapping Project 2003

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Between October 5 and October 9, 2003 a project was undertaken to
document
the archaeology and biology of the German U-boat 166 located in the Gulf
of
Mexico.  The wreck site was originally discovered in 2001 but no mapping
took place due to time and equipment restrictions.  The 2003 expedition
was
a collaborative effort between NOAA's Office of Exploration, C & C
Technologies, Inc., Sonsub International, and the PAST Foundation.

The site investigation used a Long Base Line (LBL) positioning array of 5
transponders set on the seafloor in conjunction with C-NAV global
positioning system to position the ROV and document wreck remains at a
depth of nearly 5,000 feet.

During just under 4 days approximately 300 individual artifacts or groups
of artifacts were documented on the site.  Fifty-seven (57) hours of
video
and 1800 still photographs were taken.  Each artifact located was
photographed and a position fix taken on it using the ROV.  The project
utilized a SonSub Innovator ROV for the project and Pharos positioning
software from Sonardyne.

For more information on the U-166 and to read the daily updates that were
sent from the field go to www.pastfoundation.org and click on the U-166
link.  Additional images from the site will be forthcoming and the site
will be updated as analysis of the data continues.

A presentation on the techniques and preliminary findings of the project
are planned for the 2004 SHA/CUA's in St. Louis.

Dan Warren
Principle Investigator
U-166 project