Thales GeoSolutions, Pacific, Maps Alaska's First Known Geologically Active Undersea Volcano.

Business Editors

ANCHORAGE, Alaska--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 21, 2003

Thales GeoSolutions (Pacific), an ocean engineering, surveying and mapping company, successfully mapped Alaska's first known active undersea volcano. The volcano lies in the northwest portion of Amchitka Pass, southeast of Semisopochnoi Island in the Aleutians. Thales GeoSolutions (Pacific) was contracted by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Auke Bay Laboratory (Juneau, AK) to map seafloor habitat for deep-sea coral research. The volcano was originally discovered in 2002 by NMFS biologists, Bob Stone and Dr. Jon Heifetz, who used the Delta submarine to video coral habitat on the volcano.

Cooperating scientists from NMFS and Moss Landing Marine Laboratory, under the leadership of Dr. Jennifer Reynolds from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), conducted the mapping from the research vessel, R/V Davidson, operated by Thales GeoSolutions (Pacific). A combination of RESON 8111 and 8150 multi-beam echo-sounders were used to produce maps of the volcano and surrounding seafloor, which are significantly more detailed than existing National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) charts.

"Thales GeoSolutions is very excited to be a part of this historic scientific effort," said Edward Saade, Vice President and General Manager of Thales GeoSolutions (Pacific). "Our staff possess the extensive knowledge and skills needed to expertly map the ocean floor. We're pleased that we could assist in this cruise with UAF and NMFS for the North Pacific Research Board (NPRB). NOAA places a lot of emphasis on supporting exploration and discovery and we are very glad to play a direct role."

Scientists have long suspected that undersea volcanoes exist along the Aleutian Island chain. A research grant from NPRB to study deep-sea corals provided the opportunity to examine the seafloor geology and its links to seafloor habitat. This latest mapping expedition was the first civilian use of modern undersea mapping systems and navigation in the vast region of the Aleutians strictly for research purposes.

While the unnamed volcano is geologically active, it is unknown whether it might erupt anytime soon, or whether it will ever rise above the ocean surface to form a new island. But its presence in an area traversed by fishing vessels and ships makes monitoring the volcano important. If the volcano did erupt, it could produce a new island in the Aleutian chain, which arcs from southwestern Alaska to Siberia. An eruption could also affect local fisheries, either from lava or ash breaking the sea surface or from gaseous waters creating conditions that could sink vessels.

According to World Book, there are as many as one million mostly extinct volcanoes on the Pacific Ocean floor, roughly 750 times the number on dry land. Underwater volcanoes, called seamounts, occur throughout the ocean wherever magma, melted rock inside the Earth, rises to the sea floor and erupts. When eruptions occur along cracks in the sea floor, lava flows away from the cracks, building up the sea bottom. About 80% of all active volcanoes in the United States and 8% of all active above-water volcanoes on earth are in Alaska.

About Thales GeoSolutions (Pacific)

Thales GeoSolutions (Pacific) offers a full range of expert services in high-resolution seabed mapping. The company has developed innovative and robust data acquisition and processing systems and methodologies that have redefined the manner and quality in which the seafloor can now be mapped and displayed. For several years, it has held the largest single hydrographic charting contract for NOAA and collected over 5 billion soundings during this period. Most recently, Thales GeoSolutions (Pacific) completed the first United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) mapping project for NOAA and the University of New Hampshire.

About Thales and Thales GeoSolutions

Thales GeoSolutions Group Limited employs more than 2,000 people throughout its global network of operating companies. The company provides a complete range of offshore and onshore survey services including precise positioning, integrated geosciences, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) design, manufacture and operation, vessel and vehicle tracking, together with environmental and data management services as well as saturation and air diving operations.

Thales is a world leader and front-runner in professional electronics in three key markets: Aerospace, Defence and Information Technology & Services (IT & S). The Group employs 65,000 people in nearly 50 countries worldwide, and generated revenues of over EUR11 billion in 2002, 75 per cent of which came from international sales.

For a selection of images in support of this announcement, please contact Anna Ford at 858.427.2017 or [e-mail].

For more information about the company's products and services, visit www.thales-geopacific.com.