SCIMPI: A New Seafloor Observatory System

The Simple Cabled Instrument for Measuring Properties In Situ (SCIMPI) is a proposed new long-term seafloor observatory system for sub-seafloor studies. The SCIMPI sensors, initially proposed, include temperature sensors, resistivity sensors, and pore pressure transducers. The design easily accommodates integration of other sensors (e.g., geophones, X-ray fluorescence, spectrophotometry). SCIMPI can be deployed autonomously with a battery and data module for 1-2 year deployments or connected to a seafloor fiber optic cable for real time data streaming. Applications include the study of sub-seafloor hydrological and deep biosphere studies; pore pressure measurements for hazards assessments; long-term temperature measurements; and earthquake monitoring. Potential near-term SCIMPI sites include Monterey Bay, Cascadia Margin and the Gulf of Mexico. In Monterey Bay, SCIMPI is proposed to be part of the Monterey Accelerated Research System (MARS) cabled observatory. On Cascadia Margin, SCIMPIs are proposed to be part of a cabled observatory, and are specifically targeted for a location called Hydrate Ridge. Hydrate Ridge studies are focused on understanding the mechanisms, rates, and extent of methane hydrate formation in this area. SCIMPIs at Hydrate Ridge will measure temperature, pore pressure, electrical resistivity, and micro-seismicity. The proposed plan is to install SCIMPIs by the IODP and then link the SCIMPI observatories into the Regional Cabled Observatory in the ORION program. Potential Gulf of Mexico sites are in the deep water environments where overpressures have been observed in shallowly buried, loose sand deposits