Application of the remotely operated TV vehicle to make geological maps of the Seto Inland Sea

Submarine geological survey using the remotely operated TV vehicle (RV100), was carried out in 4 offshores of the Seto Inland Sea in Kagawa Prefecture. The study areas are west of Kosei Island of Sakaide City, south of Okado-bana of Nankai Town, west of Misaki of Takuma Town and north of Nou-Misaki of Sakaide City. TV vehicle transmite clear pictures of bottom of the sea to the monitor on board. The submarine geology of the study areas are composed of Cretaceous granitic basements and Quaternary sedimentary covers. By using these pictures Recent and Pleistocene deposits could be distinguished and lithology of sediments could also be identified. Lithology of sediments was however difficult to identify using the usual sonic prospecting method. Furthermore, pictures suggesting that ripples are just forming have been obtained. The TV vehicle is convenient in submarine survry, because it can travel much longeer and deeper than human diver. A new method of mapping submarine geology using TV vehicle was developed.