Dokuz Eylul University-Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology (DEU-IMST), in collaboration with Memorial University of Newfoundland Canada, has been conducting research surveys on sedimentology and geophysics in Turkey’s maritime jurisdiction areas in the Eastern Mediterranean since 1991. This year’s research survey has been designed to examine and to reveal the tectonic
and sedimentary evolutions of the Anaximander, Anaximenes sea mountains and Florence rise from Miocene to the contemporary periods. The surveys have been supported by the TUBITAK (Turkey) and NSERC (Canada).

 The current scientific survey is being carried out by DEU-IMST’s research vessel R/V K. Piri Reis from July 13 through August 20, 2010.     The research team which is composed of 15 Turkish and Canadian scientists are conducting research works with special emphasis on geophysical measurements.  The research cruise that is now undertaken by R/V K. Piri Reis is  the continuation of the 2007’s research survey which could not be completed   due to harsh weather and sea conditions.   The main goal of the survey is to improve and upgrade present level of scientific knowledge by collecting up-to-date data on the seismic   activities in Eastern Mediterranean, possible mass drifts caused by thrust faults along the Western Taurus Mountains,   and Anaximander and Anaximenes Sea Mountains as well as on the tsunami risk.       The region which has been considered as a natural laboratory because of its sedimantological, oceanographic and geophysical properties, several research surveys, in accordance with permissions issued by the Turkish authorities have also been carried out for years by Greek, German, Italian, Israeli, and Russian research vessels, beside our institute’s efforts.

 The surveys carried out by Russian (including Soviet era) vessels, R/V Akademik Nikolaj Strakhov, R/V Gelendzhik, R/V Akademik Boris Petrov and R/V Profesor Logochev in the years of 1987, 1991, 1996, 1997 and 1999, the surveys carried out by Greek vessel, R/V Aegaeo in the years of 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004, the surveys carried out by French vessels, R/V L''''Atalante, R/V Le Suroît and R/V Le Nadir,  in the years of 1995, 1998 and 2000 and by French submarine, Nautile, in the year of 1998, the surveys carried out by German vessel, Meteor, in the years 1987, 1995, 1999, 2001 and 2006, were the most eminent examples in this regard.

Beside their scientific significance, the data to be collected during the survey will have striking importance for the human life considering that Mediterranean is not only a basin attracting millions with popular holiday resorts but also threatening them with the capability of creating earthquakes over 7 Richter scale.  For these reasons, the survey is open to all national and   international institutions which are interested to contribute to or  participate in, and they are invited to contact with DEU-IMST.