Morfologia e sedimentologia da plataforma continental brasileira adjacente a São Bento do Norte e Caiçara do Norte-RN/NE-Brasil

This dissertation the results of a research developed in the area of São Bento do Norte and Caiçara do Norte, northern coast of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, during the period of June of 2000 to August of 2001, in the ambit of the projects MAMBMARÉ (CNPq/CTPETRO) and PROBRAL (CAPES/DAAD). The objective principal of this research was the characterization of the sedimentary dynamics of this coast, with base in data of coastal process (winds, currents, waves and tides), with topographical risings (beach profiles and dunes), satellite images and sedimentary analyses. The more specific objectives were accomplished the coastal monitoring of this coast, to verify the maintenance of an erosive tendency or progradacional after the groynes construction for contention of the erosion in the beach of Caiçara do Norte, as well as to verify the influence of the features of bottom of the platform interns adjacent on the pole petroliferous of Guamaré. The executed monitoramento allowed to identify that the movement of the sediments, along the year, in that area, is cyclical, reaching the largest oscillations during the months of winter (deposition) and they will summer (erosion). The sedimentologic studies indicated a general tendency for sands quartzosas, with gravel presence, moderately to good selected, with asymmetry predominantly negative. In agreement with the parameter of Dean (1957), used in the identification of the state morfodinâmico of the beaches, monitored beaches, are basically reflectivas with tendency to middlemen, what frames that space of the coast norte-riograndense, as a space strongly vulnerable to erosive processes. The studies developed in the platform, it interns of this area, allowed to visualize for the first time, in large scale, the distribution of the features of the submarine bottom to the batométrico coat of 25 meters. Being pointed out the presence of a high one topographical submerged, with about 5 meters of height, 1 km of width and more than 24 meters of extension, located in the platform it interns in front of São Bento do Norte; coincident with the trend of the system of flaws of Carnaubais. This feature relay an important paper on the control of the sedimentary processes and oceanographic, as well as in the coastal evolution of this area of the RN state, and they affect the area of the pole petroliferous of Guamaré directly. These results contribute to a better knowledge of the processes in the area, and consequently as subsidies implantation of measures of coastal and environmental protection for the cities of São Bento do Norte and Caiçara do Norte, as well as to understand how the geological-sedimentary processes and oceanographic, in this area, are influencing the characteristics geoambientais of the pole petroliferous of Guamaré

Aquisição, processamento e análise de dados de sísmica de alta resolução na plataforma continental norte do Rio Grande do Norte: Vale inciso do rio açu

On the modern Continental Shelf to the north of Rio Grande do Norte state (NE Brazil) is located a paleo-valley, submerged during the last glacial sea-level lowstand, that marks continuation of the most important river of this area (Açu River). Despite the high level of exploration activity of oil industry, there is few information about shallow stratigraphy. Aiming to fill this gap, situated on the Neogene, was worked a marine seismic investigation, the development of a processing flow for high resolution data seismic, and the recognition of the main feature morphology of the study area: the incised valley of the River Açu. The acquisition of shallow seismic data was undertaken in conjunction with the laboratory of Marine Geology/Geophysics and Environmental Monitoring - GGEMMA of Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte UFRN, in SISPLAT project, where the geomorphological structure of the Rio paleovale Açu was the target of the investigation survey. The acquisition of geophysical data has been over the longitudinal and transverse sections, which were subsequently submitted to the processing, hitherto little-used and / or few addressed in the literature, which provided a much higher quality result with the raw data. Once proposed for the flow data was developed and applied to the data of X-Star (acoustic sensor), using available resources of the program ReflexW 4.5 A surface fluvial architecture has been constructed from the bathymetric data and remote sensing image fused and draped over Digital Elevation Models to create three-dimensional (3D) perspective views that are used to analyze the 3D geometry geological features and provide the mapping morphologically defined. The results are expressed in the analysis of seismic sections that extend over the region of the continental shelf and upper slope from mouth of the Açu River to the shelf edge, providing the identification / quantification of geometrical features such as depth, thickness, horizons and units seismic stratigraphyc area, with emphasis has been placed on the palaeoenvironmental interpretation of discordance limit and fill sediment of the incised valley, control by structural elements, and marked by the influence of changes in the sea level. The interpretation of the evolution of this river is worth can bring information to enable more precise descriptions and interpretations, which describes the palaeoenvironmental controls influencing incised valley evolution and preservation to provide a better comprehensive understanding of this reservoir analog system

Geologia e geomorfologia dos recifes de Maracajaú-RN e plataforma rasa adjacente

This work focuses the geological and geomorphological characterization of the inner shelf in the West Coast of the Rio Grande do Norte state, particularly the reef coral barrier offshore of Maracajaú (Maxaranguape district). If developed without the necessary concerns, tourism and entertainment activities that have been widely increased during the last five years can lead to irreversible environmental damages to the biotic and abiotic ecosystems of the region. Regarding these aspects, it is crucial the realization of a detailed study to envisage the achievement of a self-sustainable development, especially with respect to the possibilities of a rational usage of the region. This is the aim of this manuscript, which consisted of an initial stage of digital modeling of the terrain with basis on digitalization and vectorization of the Nautical map number 803 (Naval Service of Brazil, 1971). Information obtained in this phase was improved with the digital processing of small format aerial photos acquired from six flights, which were integrated to form a photomosaic of the area. The refined maps produced with the data from Nautical and aerial photo-interpretations aided to locate 9 bathymetric profiles, which provided information about the sea floor relief of the whole area. This later aided in the choosing of areas to bottom sampling that, in its turn, helped to characterize sediments present in floor of the inner shelf. Sixty-four samples collected during this work were studied by granulometrical and chemical analysis; with the later one developed in order to measure carbonate and organic matter contents. Forty-two of these samples showed carbonate content higher than 80% and organic matter in the range of 0.58% to 24.06%. With respect to grain size, these samples are in the interval between fine- to mid-grained sands. Sands with grain sizes higher than this one are also composed by carbonate carapaces such as pale yellow to red rhodolites with ellipsoidal and spheroidal shapes. During determination of the submerse features, the small format aerial photos demonstrated to be a useful methodology to aid the delineation of the sea floor topography through shallow deep waters. The bathymetry, for its turn, revealed several features at the bottom of the platform, in which the most conspicuous are undulations and morphological details of the São Roque Channel. Examination of bottom, aside from sand, yielded the identification of bivalves, ostracods, fragments of bryozoans, spikes of sponges, spines of echinoderms, operculum of gastropods and foraminifers. From the above it is concluded that the multi-methodological approach developed in this study worked efficiently, permitting the geomorphological and environmental characterization of the inner shelf of the North Maracajaú

Caracterização morfológica e sedimentologica da plataforma, continental brasileira adjacente aos municípios de Fortim, Aracati e Icapuí- CE

The study area is located on the Brazilian Continental Shelf adjacent to Ceará State, inserted in the submerged Potiguar Basin. This area was submitted to extensional efforts during Upper Cretaceous, associated to the begining of the rifting that resulted in African and South American Continent separation. The main goal of this research was to better understand the sedimentary and geomorphological characteristics of the continental shelf adjacent to Fortim, Aracati and Icapuí (Ceará State). The used data base included geophysical (sides scan sonar and bathymetry studies) and sedimentological survey, associated to satellite image processing and interpretation. Inferences about suspended material and longshore drift was possible using satellite images, and differente bedforms were characterized such as: different kinds of dunes (longitudinal, cross and oblique), bioclastic banks, paleochannels, flat and rock bottom. The researched area comprehended about 2509,13 km2, where 6 different sedimentary facies, based on sediment composition and texture, could be recognized, such as: Bioclastic Sand, Siliciclastic Sand, Biosiliciclastic Sand, Bioclastic gravel, Biosiliciclastic sand with granule and gravel, and Silicibioclastic sand with granule and gravel. The integration of bathymetric, satellite image, side scan sonar and sedimentological data allow us a better characterization of this continental shelf area, as to advance in the knowledge of the continental shelf of the state of Ceara, a very important area to the oil industry because of its potential exploration and e exploitation, and to environmental survey as well

Caracterização Morfodinâmica e Sedimentologia da Plataforma Continental Rasa na APA Estadual dos Recifes de Corais - RN

This study had to aimed to characterize the sediments of shallow continental shelf and realize the mapping of features visible for satellite images by using remote sensing techniques, digital image processing and analysis of bathymetry between Maxaranguape and Touros - RN. The study s area is located in the continental shallow shelf of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, and is part of the Environmental Protection Area (APA) of Coral Reefs. A total of 1186 sediment samples were collected using a dredge type van veen and positioning of the vessel was made out with the aid of a Garmin 520s. The samples were treated In the laboratory to analyze particle size of the sediment, concentration of calcium carbonate and biogenic composition. The digital images from the Landsat-5 TM were used to mapping of features. This stage was used the band 1 (0,45-1,52 μm) where the image were georeferenced, and then adjusting the histogram, giving a better view of feature bottom and contacts between different types of bottom. The results obtained from analysis of the sediment showed that the sediments of the continental shelf east of RN have a dominance of carbonate facies and a sand-gravelly bottom because the region is dominated by biogenic sediments, that are made mainly of calcareous algae. The bedform types identified and morphological features found were validated by bathymetric data and sediment samples examined. From the results obtained a division for the shelf under study is suggested, these regions being subdivided, in well characterized: (1) Turbid Zone, (2) Coral Patch Reefs Zone, (3) Mixed Sediments Carbonates Zone, ( 4) Algae Fouling Zone, (5) Alignment Rocky Zone, (6) Sand Waves Field (7) Deposit siliciclastic sands

Caracterização geomorfológica e modelagem de dados espaciais na plataforma continental rasa do RN nos limites da folha Touros

This work focuses the geomorphological characterization and spatial data modeling in the shallow continental shelf within the Folha Touros limits (SB-25-CV-II), based on bathymetric data analysis and remote sensing products interpretation. The Rio Grande do Norte state is located in northeastern Brazil and the work area is located at the transition region between the eastern and northern portions of their coast. The bathymetric surveys were conduced between march and may 2009, using a 10 meters long vessel and 0.70 meters draught, equipped with global positioning system and echo sounder (dual beam, 200KHz , 14°). The fieldwork resulted in 44 bathymetric profiles espaced 1.5 km and 30 km average length. The bathymetric data amount were 111,200 points and were navigated 1395.7 km within na area about 1,850 km2. The bathymetric data were corrected for the tide level, vessel draught and were subsequently entered into a geographic information system for further processing. Analysis of remote sensing products was carried out using Landsat 7/ETM + band 1, from november 1999. The image was used for visualization and mapping submerged features. The results showed the presence of geomorphological features within the study area. Were observed, from the analysis of local bathymetry and satellite image, seven types of geomorphological features. The channels, with two longitudinals channels (e. g. San Roque and Cioba channels) and other perpendicular to the coast (e. g. Touros, Pititinga and Barretas). Coastal reef formations (Maracajaú, Rio do Fogo and Cioba). Longitudinal waves, described in the literature as longitudinal dunes. The occurrence of a transverse dune field. Another feature observed was the oceanic reefs, an rock alignment parallel to the coast. Were identified four riscas , from north to south: risca do Liso, Gameleira, Zumbi, Pititinga (the latter being described for the first time). Finally, an oceanic terrace was observed in the deepest area of study. Image interpretation corroborated with the in situ results, enabling visualization and description for all features in the region. The results were analysed in an integrating method (using the diferent methodologies applied in this work) and it was essential to describe all features in the area. This method allowed us to evaluate which methods generated better results to describe certain features. From these results was possible to prove the existence of submerged features in the eastern shallow continental shelf of Rio Grande do Norte. In this way, the conclusions was (1) this study contributed to the provision of new information about the area in question, particularly with regard to data collection in situ depths, (2) the method of data collection and interpretation proves to be effective because, through this, it was possible to visualize and interpret the features present in the study area and (3) the interpretation and discussion of results in an integrated method, using different methodologies, can provide better results

Caracterização geomorfológica e paleogeográfica da plataforma continental adjacente a foz do Rio Apodi-Mossoró, RN/Brasil

The brazilian marginal basins have a huge potential to generate and accumulate petroleum. Incised valleys which are eroded in response to a fall of relative sea level are related to potential reservoir as well, modern drowned-valley estuaries serve as harbors to petroleum and salt industries, fisheries, waste-disposal sites and recreational areas for a significant fraction of the world s population. The combined influence of these factors has produced a dramatic increase in research on modern and ancient incised-valley systems. This research is one expression of this interest. The integrated use of satellites images and high resolution seismic (bathymetry, sides scan sonar) was used on the Apodi River mouth-RN to characterizes the continental shelf This area is located at the Potiguar Basin in the NE Brazilian Equatorial Atlantic margin. Through bathymetric and side scan sonar data processing, a digital Terrain Model was developed, and a detailed geomorphologic analysis was performed. In this way was possible to recognize the geomorphologic framework and differents sismofacies, which may influence this area. A channel extending from the ApodiMossoró river mouth to the shelf edge dominates the investigated area. This structure can be correlated with the former river valley developed during the late Pleistocene sea level fall. This channel has two main directions (NW-SE and NE-SW) probably controlled by the Potiguar Basin structures. The western margin of the channel is relatively steep and pronounced whereas the eastern margin consists only of a gentle slope. Longitudinal bedforms and massive ridges also occur. The first are formed doe to the shelf sediment rework and the reef-like structures probably are relics of submerged beachrock-lines indicating past shoreline positions during the deglacial sea-level rise. The sub-bottom seismic data allow the identification of different sismic patterns and a marcant discontinuity, interpreted as the Upper

Análise geoambiental da plataforma continental Rasa Equatorial, por meio de sensoriamento remoto e dados sedimentológicos: parrachos de Rio do Fogo-RN, Brasil

In the shallow continental shelf in Northeastern Rio Grande do Norte - Brazil, important underwater geomorphological features can be found 6km from the coastline. They are coral reefs, locally known as “parrachos”. The present study aims to characterize and analyze the geomorphological feature as well as the ones of the benthic surface, and the distribution of biogenic sediments found in parrachos at Rio do Fogo and associated shallow platforms, by using remote sensing products and in situ data collections. This was made possible due to sedimentological, bathymetric and geomorphological maps elaborated from composite bands of images from the satellite sensors ETM+/Landsat-7, OLI/Landsat-8, MS/GeoEye and PAN/WordView-1, and analysis of bottom sediments samples. These maps were analyzed, integrally interpreted and validated in fieldwork, thus permitting the generation of a new geomorphological zoning of the shallow shelf in study and a geoenvironmental map of the Parrachos in Rio do Fogo. The images used were subject to Digital Image Processing techniques. All obtained data and information were stored in a Geographic Information System (GIS) and can become available to the scientific community. This shallow platform has a carbonate bottom composed mostly by algae. Collected and analyzed sediment samples can be classified as biogenic carbonatic sands, as they are composed 75% by calcareous algae, according to the found samples. The most abundant classes are green algae, red algae, nonbiogenic sediments (mineral grains), ancient algae and molluscs. At the parrachos the following was mapped: Barreta Channel, intertidal reefs, submerged reefs, the spur and grooves, the pools, the sandy bank, the bank of algae, sea grass, submerged roads and Rio do Fogo Channel. This work presents new information about geomorphology and evolution in the study area, and will be guiding future decision making in the handling and environmental management of the region

Cloud Stratus: uma plataforma de middleware para desenvolvimento de aplicações em nuvem

Cloud Computing is a paradigm that enables the access, in a simple and pervasive way, through the network, to shared and configurable computing resources. Such resources can be offered on demand to users in a pay-per-use model. With the advance of this paradigm, a single service offered by a cloud platform might not be enough to meet all the requirements of clients. Ergo, it is needed to compose services provided by different cloud platforms. However, current cloud platforms are not implemented using common standards, each one has its own APIs and development tools, which is a barrier for composing different services. In this context, the Cloud Integrator, a service-oriented middleware platform, provides an environment to facilitate the development and execution of multi-cloud applications. The applications are compositions of services, from different cloud platforms and, represented by abstract workflows. However, Cloud Integrator has some limitations, such as: (i) applications are locally executed; (ii) users cannot specify the application in terms of its inputs and outputs, and; (iii) experienced users cannot directly determine the concrete Web services that will perform the workflow. In order to deal with such limitations, this work proposes Cloud Stratus, a middleware platform that extends Cloud Integrator and offers different ways to specify an application: as an abstract workflow or a complete/partial execution flow. The platform enables the application deployment in cloud virtual machines, so that several users can access it through the Internet. It also supports the access and management of virtual machines in different cloud platforms and provides services monitoring mechanisms and assessment of QoS parameters. Cloud Stratus was validated through a case study that consists of an application that uses different services provided by different cloud platforms. Cloud Stratus was also evaluated through computing experiments that analyze the performance of its processes.

Um estudo e análise do teste de emissões otoacústicas realizadas através de uma plataforma móvel

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES

Avaliação da variação sedimentológica em uma área da plataforma continental sob a atuação da indústria petrolífera

Petroleum exploration activity occurs on the offshore Potiguar Basin, from very shallow (2-3 m) until about 50 m water depth, extending from Alto de Touros (RN) to Alto de Fortaleza (CE). Take in account the biological importance and the heterogeneity of sediments on this area, it is necessary the understanding of the sedimentological dynamics, and mainly the changes generated by petroleum exploration to prevent possible damages to environment. Despite the intense activity of oil exploration in this area, research projects like these are still rare. In view to minimize this gap, this study was developed to evaluate sedimentological, mineralogical and geochemical changes in the vicinity of a exploration well, here designated as well A, located on the Middle continental shelf, near the transition to Outer shelf. The well selected for this study was the first one drilled with Riserless Mud Recovery technology (RMR) in Brazil. The main difference from this to the conventional method is the possibility of drilling phase I of the well with return of drilling material to the rig tank, minimizing fluid and gravel discharging around the vicinity, during this phase. Monitoring consisted of three surveys, first of them done before start drilling, the second one done 19 days after the end of drilling and the third one done one year after then. Comparison of the studied variables (calcium carbonate and organic matter content, sediment size, mineralogy and geochemistry) was done with their average, median and coefficient of variation values to understand the changes after drilling activity. Because operating company technical reasons, the well location was changed after the first survey (C1), resulting in a shift of the sampled area on the two last surveys (C2 e C3). Nevertheless, the acquired data presented a good correlation, with no loss to the mean goal of the study. The sedimentological, mineralogical and geochemical analyzes were done at Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). The results indicated a predominantly sandy environment along the three surveys. It was noticed that the first survey (C1), presented different values for all the studied variables than to the second (C2) and third (C3) surveys, which had similar values. Siliciclastic sediments are prevalent at all surveys, and quartz is the main component (more than 80%). Heavy minerals (garnet, turmaline, zircon and lmenite), rock fragments and mud aggregates also was described. Bioclastic sediments are dominated by coralline algae (more than 45%) and mollusks (more than 30%), followed by benthic foraminifera, bryozoans and worm tubes. More rarely was observed ostracoda and spike of calcareous sponge. Because the low changes of the sediments at the studied area and by the using of RMR method in the drilling, it was possible to conclude that drilling activity did not promote significant alteration on the local sediment cover. Changes in the studied variables before and after drilling activity could be influenced by the changing in the sampling area after survey 1 (C1).

Caracterização morfológica-sedimentar do vale inciso Apodi-Mossoró e plataforma continental adjacente - Bacia Potiguar Offshore

Systems of incised valleys have been studied in different continental shelves, including the Brazilian continental margin. The interest to characterize this feature is given by the information that it can provide variations on sea level, as well as the ability to host economically significant quantities of hydrocarbons in reservoirs located in deposits filling of the incised valleys. This thesis has the overall objective to characterize the morphology and sedimentary cover of the incised valley Apodi-Mossoró, located in the Northern Continental shelf of Rio Grande do Norte state, adjacent to Areia Branca city. The methodology included the integration of satellite imagery, bathymetric data, sedimentological data, shallow seismic, and the identification of foraminifera. The results indicate that the ApodiMossró incised valley is currently formed by two channels, shallow channel and deep channel, which have distinct morphological and sedimentological characteristics. The deep channel has connection with one of the heads of the Apodi Canyon, located in the slope area. The acquisition, processing and interpretation of shallow seismic data allowed the recognition of the depositional surface, erosional surface, discordance, and sismofaceis. The erosional surface mapped from shallow seismic sections is possibly a indicative of an ancient surface of valley incision, where it would probably be associated with the limit Pleistocene/Holocene. Different sismofaceis were identified and reflect the rise in sea level with standards sometimes agradacional, sometimes progradational. The thickness of sediments on this surface was estimated at a maximum of 22m thick in the central portion of the incised valley. Statistically, there are differences between the adjacent continental shelf and channels, and between these channels, for the content of calcium carbonate, organic matter, sand and mud perceptual, except for the gravel grain size. The analysis of living and dead foraminifera showed the presence of fifty species distributed in regards to morphology, depth and type of sediment. Four type of seismic echocharacteres were identified and mapped, as well as their bedforms, indicating different sedimentary processes along the incised valley. The integration of results suggests an activation of the Apodi-Mossoró incised valley in the Late Pleistocene.

Uma plataforma adaptável para localização em ambientes internos

Location systems have become increasingly part of people's lives. For outdoor environments, GPS appears as standard technology, widely disseminated and used. However, people usually spend most of their daily time in indoor environments, such as: hospitals, universities, factories, buildings, etc. In these environments, GPS does not work properly causing an inaccurate positioning. Currently, to perform the location of people or objects in indoor environments no single technology could reproduce for indoors the same result achieved by GPS for outdoors environments. Due to this, it is necessary to consider use of information from multiple sources using diferent technologies. Thus, this work aims to build an Adaptable Platform for Indoor location. Based on this goal, the IndoLoR platform is proposed. This platform aims to allow information reception from diferent sources, data processing, data fusion, data storage and data retrieval for the indoor location context.

Uma plataforma adaptável para localização em ambientes internos

Location systems have become increasingly part of people's lives. For outdoor environments, GPS appears as standard technology, widely disseminated and used. However, people usually spend most of their daily time in indoor environments, such as: hospitals, universities, factories, buildings, etc. In these environments, GPS does not work properly causing an inaccurate positioning. Currently, to perform the location of people or objects in indoor environments no single technology could reproduce for indoors the same result achieved by GPS for outdoors environments. Due to this, it is necessary to consider use of information from multiple sources using diferent technologies. Thus, this work aims to build an Adaptable Platform for Indoor location. Based on this goal, the IndoLoR platform is proposed. This platform aims to allow information reception from diferent sources, data processing, data fusion, data storage and data retrieval for the indoor location context.

Foraminíferos, ostracodes e microfauna associada da plataforma continental equatorial norte-rio-grandense, NE Brasil: área Porto do Mangue a Galinhos

This study was conducted in the adjacent Brazilian equatorial inner shelf to Rio Grande do Norte, between the region of Porto do Mangue and Galinhos. The main objective is the characterization of biogenic sediments, especially foraminifera and ostracod collected on the surface of the seafloor. The methodology involved standard procedures including literature, surveys, processing of samples in the laboratory and identification of foraminifera and ostracods by genera or species under stereo microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Multivariate statistical analyzes and study of ecological indexes were also applied to the study of foraminifera. Three transects, from inner shelf to slope were sampled: profile 01 (east, near Galos), profile 02 (center, near the city of Macau) and profile 03 (west, near Ponta do Mel). Results indicated the predominance of benthic foraminifera and little plankton occurrence. Benthic foraminifera genera observed in abundance were Quinqueloculina, Textularia, Globigerina and Pyrgo, Quinqueloculina, Textularia, Pyrgo, Ammonia, Elphidium, Pseudononion, Peneroplis, Bolivina and Poroeponides, occurred more frequently. Less frequently been described Amphistegina, Archaias, Bigenerina, Cibicides, Cassidulina, Amphicorina, Cornuspira, Paterina, Hopkunsina, Oolina, Uvigerina, Fusenkoina, Nonionella, Amphisorus, Wiesrella, Reussella, Reophax, Nodosaria, Marginulina and Cyclogyra. Six genera of ostracods were also identified: Puriana variabilis / P. convoluted?, Loxoconcha sp, Bairdiidae, Xestoleberis sp, Hemicytheridae and Ruggiericythere sp. Groups of organisms found in the studied shelf presented chemical composition of Ca, C, O, Na, Cl, Al, Mg, and Si. The proportions of chemical elements may vary according to the type of biogenic sediment, with the highest values identified as Ca, C, Cl, Na and O. The absolute dating by carbon 14 method indicated sediments of different colors (light and dark), correspond to a single age from 3000 to 6000 years BP, related to the Quaternary. These data intend to complement information about biogenic sediments in the Brazilian continental shelf, especially in the Northeast, where there is a lack of such studies.