GOLDEN EYE is a deep-sea platform for electromagnetic sensor systems that was specially developed for the exploration of massive sulphide deposits at the seabed. It is named after the bright yellow device carrier made of glass fiber-reinforced plastic with a diameter of three and a half meters. A controlled source electromagnetic (CSEM) coil system with horizontally arranged transmitting and receiving coils allows measurements of the electrical conductivity distribution and magnetic properties down to a penetration depth of 20 meters into the seafloor. Measurements of the self-potential and the induced polarization in three spatial directions are carried out with a CSEM signal generator and electric transmitting and receiving dipoles. As on all deep-sea platforms used in the INDEX project, the magnetic field is recorded with a broadband magnetometer, and a CTD sensor (conductivity, temperature, depth) provides boundary conditions for the evaluation of the electromagnetic sensor
To collect sensitive data, GOLDEN EYE has to be towed at about 2 m distance close to the seafloor. Therefore GOLDEN EYE is equipped with several video cameras, light, altimeter, sonar and acoustic positioning to obtain images for biological and geological mapping as well as for safe navigation over the complex topology on the seabed. All information is transmitted in real time via the deep-sea cable on board the research vessel. GOLDEN EYE has been successfully used to explore massive sulphide deposits in the INDEX project since 2015.