Ocean Bottom Seismometer (OBS) experiment in the Andaman-Nicobar Sea
CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), a constituent laboratory of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), is headquartered in Dona Paula, Goa. The institute primarily focuses on observing and understanding the unique oceanographic characteristics of the Indian Ocean. CSIR-NIO planned a passive Ocean Bottom Seismic (OBS) Experiment to investigate the genesis of earthquake swarms in the Andaman Sea by deploying 12 Ocean Bottom Seismometers (OBSs) in the region for 100 days.
The Team
K.U.M. Umwelt- und Meerestechnik Kiel GmbH supports leading academic and research organisations around the world since more than two decades by developing bespoke subsea technology. They are pioneers in manufacturing of OBS along with other products and services to the industries and research institutions involved in deep sea research, offshore oil & gas, subsea exploration and engineering. K.U.M. India was incorporated to deliver products and provide similar services to customers in India and in the region.
NIO and K.U.M. / K.U.M. India with Samhitha Marine engineers recently completed a successful sub-sea seismological experiment over a period of 100 days in the Andaman Sea with 12 OBS, deployed in October 2023 using NIOs research vessel Sindhu Sankalp. This region includes an active submarine volcanic arc which produced vast amounts of earthquakes in the last decade. All OBS were retrieved from the ocean floor in January 2024, packed with data of excellent quality. NIO endeavours to study the genesis and tectonic interactions of submarine volcanoes in this remote region. Big thanks to all partners and individuals who contributed to this story of success.