Citation:
Charrière, André, et al., (2026), Interpreted coralligenous rings classification and location, and interpreted fault network of the Northern Corsican Cape Platform (Gombessa 6 CAP CORSE expedition, 2021-2023). Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS). doi:10.60521/332725
Abstract:
This data set contains two interpreted shapefiles for the Northern Corsican Cape platform from the Gombessa 6 expedition that took place between 2021 and 2023. One shapefile is the classification and location of "coralligenous rings". The second shapefile presents the interpreted fault network. The goal of the Gombessa 6 expedition was to understand and explain the origin of the coralligenous rings. These submarine circles were discovered in 2006 by Pluquet and have been described as "coralligenous atolls" by Bonacorsi et al. (2012). These shapefiles are the results of manual interpretation of a 3-m resolution DTM (Digital Terrain Model, data collected in 2021 and 2023) and 40-cm resolution side-scan sonar data (data collected in 2013 during the CORALCORSE campaign (Clabaut, 2013) and re-processed in 2022). Ground-truth dives done during the 3-year Gombessa 6 campaign completed the description and helped to check for some uncertainties toward the classification of the rings. Concerning the fault network, it was digitized according to the reliefs observed on the DTM - see accompanying raster data set "Processed bathymetry data (GeoTIFF image) of the Northern Corsican Cape Platform (Gombessa 6 expedition, 2021-2023)". The shapefiles are in RGF93 / Lambert-93 projection. They were created using ArcGIS Desktop 10.6. The Gombessa 6 Cap Corse project was led by Andromède Océanologie and supported by Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Suisse Blancpain and Blancpain Ocean Commitment, the Prince Albert II de Monaco Foundation, the Société des explorations de Monaco, Office Français de la Biodiversité, Agence de l’eau Rhône-Méditerranée-Corse (French Water Agency), National Geographic Society, Iris Foundation and Lemarchand Foundation. The project was also supported by La Marine Nationale (France Navy) and by Préfecture Maritime de la Méditerranée. The authors also want to thank ARTE, INPP (Institut National de Plongée Professionnelle), Les Gens Bien Production, CNC, Parc Naturel Marin du Cap Corse et de l’Agriate (France Relance program), Ushuaïa TV, AP diving, Aqualung, Nikon, Molecular, Seacam, Yamaha, Paralenz, Bigblue, Neotek, Seaowl, Marlink, Subspace, Suex, Dive System and Francqueville without whom this expedition would not have been possible. Gombessa 6 Cap Corse is an action recognized by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development.