GEOSTAR. Development and test of an innovative benthic station for long-term investigations at abyssal depths

GEOSTAR is an European project with Italian coordination, funded by the European Union in the framework of the Marine Science and Technology Programme (MAST-III). The aim of the project is the development of the first prototype of an innovative deep sea benthic observatory capable of carrying out long-term geophysical and oceanographic observations at abyssal depths (4000 m). Conceived as a node of existing and future environmental monitoring networks (like the Italian seismic network), the observatory is based on an innovative benthic station, capable of supporting the operation of a multi-disciplinary scientific payload dedicated to geophysical, geochemical and oceanographic observation. A detailed description of the benthic station and its components is given