RV Maria S. Merian

Cruise MSM 26

North Atlantic Habitats: Resolving Physical Controls on

Biogeochemical and Ecosystem Dynamics (Trans-Atlantic) Chief scientist: Bernd Christiansen, UHH

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticCruise Dates

Start Cork/Ireland: 20 March 2013

End St. Johns/New Foundland, Canada: 16 April 2013

Loading of equipment Cork: 18/19 March

Embarkation Cork 19 March

Unloading St. Johns 16 April

Disembarkation St. Johns 16 April

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticObjectives

• Map fine scale distribution of marine snow, phytoplankton biomass and production, zooplankton, fish, and community size structure relative to hydrographic properties.

• Determine vital rates of key ecosystem and biogeochemical biota in their habitats and the main drivers of in change in ocean productivity.

• Perform a comparative analysis of ecosystem structure and functioning based on contemporary sampling of the Nordic Seas, Subpolar Gyre, Irminger Sea, Labrador Sea.

• Improve our understanding of physical oceanographic controls on habitat distributions as well as community structure, carbon flux, primary productivity, predator-prey interactions, grazing and vertical flows.

• Advance the state of the art in understanding of the biological pump by producing new observations of particle formation, aggregation, sinking and decomposition relative to community structure and key species.

• What is the structure of the pelagic ecosystem in the Atlantic as compared to the Michael Sars Atlantic expedition in 1910 (initiated by Johan Hjort and reported in Murray and Hjort 1912)?

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticCruise track

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticWorking groups and tasks

Uni Hamburg• Hydrography: water mass distribution, currents• Nutrients• Phytoplankton: growth, primary production• Zooplankton: distribution, vital rates

Uni Nordland• Zooplankton: distribution, size spectra, production

Uni Rhode Island• Microzooplankton: distribution, vital rates

NOAA/MIR• Fish larvae: distribution, size spectra

Uni Maine• POM fluxesUni Brest/UHH• Myctophids: distribution, trophic ecology

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticPreliminary list of participants

No Name Surname Position Institute Trophic level Gear12345678910111213141516171819202122

Bernd Christiansen Chief Scientist Uni Hamburg ZooplanktonSünnje Basedow Scientist Uni Nordland Zooplankton LOPCAnneke Denda PhD Student Uni Hamburg Zooplankton MOCNESS. IKMTTim Dudeck PhD Student Uni Hamburg Zooplankton TriaxusAndré Eckard Technician Uni Hamburg Technics VPR, TriaxusDominik Gloe PhD Student Uni Hamburg Fish TriaxusJon Hare Scientist NOAA Fisheries LISST, LOPC, MOCNESSRachel Harmer Student PML Zooplankton WP2, LABLinda Holste Scientist Uni Hamburg Zooplankton Lab, WP2, MultinetSilke Janssen Technician Uni Hamburg Technics MOCNESSPhilippe Kouddi Scientist Brest Myctophids IKMTNuwan Alexandrio Lawrance De Silva Student Uni Nordland Zooplankton LOPCKlas Möller Scientist Uni Hamburg Zooplankton VPRFrancoise Morrison PhD Student GSO Rhode Isl. Microzooplankton CTD, LabMary Jane Perry Scientist Uni Maine OM Fluxes (?) ?Theresa Reichelt Scientist Uni Hamburg Physics CTDLisa Schneider Student Uni Hamburg Zooplankton VPRBettina Walter Scientist Uni Hamburg Phytoplankton Fasttracka, CTD, PAMTosia Wolf Student AWI Zooplankton Lab, WP2, Multinet

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticInstruments

Gear Target provided by operated by

CTD-Rosette (24 bottles) physics, nutrients, POM, bacteria, phytoplankton, microzooplankton

ship UHH

1m2-Double-MOCNESS zooplankton, micronekton UHH UHH

Multinet zooplankton UHH UHH

IKMT micronekton, myctophids GEOMAR UHH

VPR/DVPR zooplankton UHH UHH

Triaxus (incl. ADCP, LOPC, CTD, Fluorometer)

physics, phytoplankton, zooplankton, fish

UHH UHH

LOPC zooplankton UiN UiN

ADCP (hull mounted) physics, zooplankton ship UHH

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticInstruments

Digital Autonomous VPR• Color camera, 17Hz• 4 different magnifications• CTD• 1000 m depth rating• 3 hours of continuous operation

Triaxus• Towed steerable instrument platform• Sensors: CTD, LOPC, ADCP, Fluorometer• Towing speed 1-10 kn• 1000 m depth rating• Data and power transmission via hybrid cable

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticInstruments

Isaac-Kidd-Midwater Trawl (IKMT)• non-closing midwater trawl

1m2-double MOCNESS• 20 nets, opened and closed sequentially• Mesh size 335 µm• Towing speed 2 kn• 6000 m depth rating• Integrated CTD

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticStation planning

Gear Time Deployments total time CommentDVPR 5 2 10 1000 m - 1 day/1 nightLOPC 4 2 8 1000 m - 1 day/1 nightD-MOC 3 2 6 1200 m - 1 day/1 nightMSN 2 1 2CTD 2 1 2 2000 mIKMT 1 1 1 500 m - nightTriaxus during transits

29

DVPR 4 1 4

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MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticCruise track

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticCruise track

Total distance 2580 nmTotal travel time (12/10 kn) 246 hMax total station time 402 hNo of stations 12+6Max time per station 31/4 h

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticCruise track

Total distance 2580 nmTotal travel time (12/10 kn) 246 hMax total station time 402 hNo of stations 12+6Max time per station 31/4 h

1

32

45

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticCruise track

Total distance 2580 nmTotal travel time (12/10 kn) 246 hMax total station time 402 hNo of stations 12+6Max time per station 31/4 h

2771 nm274 h374 h11+3

33/4 h

1

32

45

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticCruise track

Total distance 2580 nmTotal travel time (12/10 kn) 246 hMax total station time 402 hNo of stations 12+6Max time per station 31/4 h

2771 nm274 h374 h11+3

33/4 h

1

32

45

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

1

32

45

6

78

9

10

11

12

13

14

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticCruise track

Total distance 2580 nmTotal travel time (12/10 kn) 246 hMax total station time 402 hNo of stations 12+6Max time per station 31/4 h

2771 nm274 h374 h11+3

33/4 h

1

32

45

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

1

32

45

6

78

9

10

11

12

13

14

2581 nm246 h402 h11+3

35/4 h

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticCruise track

Total distance 2580 nmTotal travel time (12/10 kn) 246 hMax total station time 402 hNo of stations 12+6Max time per station 31/4 h

2771 nm274 h374 h11+3

33/4 h

1

32

45

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

1

32

45

6

78

9

10

11

12

13

14

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2581 nm246 h402 h11+3

35/4 h

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticShip's particulars

Built: 2003/2005

Overall length: 94.76 m

Overall width: 19.20 m

Propulsion (diesel-electric): 2 pods +

1 bow jet

Speed (max/cruising): 15 (12.5) kn

Dynamic positioning yes

Crew: 23

Scientists: 23 (22)

Accomodation: 5 single

9 double

Labs various

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticCables and wires

Cable Working length

SWL

18 mm fibre optic hybrid cable 6860 m 4.1 - 5.6 to

18 mm “Drakoflex” 6920 m 4.2 - 5.5 to

11 mm coaxial cable 6025 m 1.7 - 2.2 to

11 mm coaxial cable 5735 m 1.7 - 2.2 to

6 mm steel wire 3020 m 0.5 - 0.6 to

8 mm “Technora” cable (non-metal) 2750 m 1 to

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticHydro acoustic systems

• Atlas PARASOUND DS P-70 (parametric sediment echo sounder, 'sub-bottom profiler’)

• Kongsberg (Simrad) EM120 (12 kHz deep-sea multibeam echo sounder, 50-11000 m water depth)

• Kongsberg (Simrad) EM1002 (95 kHz shallow-water multibeam echosounder, 2-1000 m water depth)

• Kongsberg (Simrad) EA600 (vertical echosounder / multiple-frequency echosounder: 12/38/200 kHz)

• Kongsberg (Simrad) pinger echosounder (in combination with EA600/12 kHz)

• Kongsberg (Simrad) EN250 (50 kHz navigation echosounder, up to approx. 800 m water depth)

• Applied Microsystems SVplus (sound-velocity profiler, up to 2000 m water depth)

• Applied Microsystems SV&T (sound velocity probe with temperature sensor)

• IXSEA Posidonia (USBL underwater positioning system)

• RD Instruments current profiler echosounder / ADCP 75 kHz

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticRV Maria S. Merian information

Detailed information on the ship is provided in the User Handbook

http://www.briese.de/fileadmin/downloads/Forschung/Handbuch-Maria-S-Merian_englisch.pdf

Practical information on the cruise organization will be sent to participants in due time before the

cruise

MSM 26: Basin Trans-AtlanticWork with radioisotopes

- Work with radioactive material is possible in a special container

- All radioactive material has to be taken from board after the cruise

- Work has to be done under supervision of an approved radiation protection officer

- Requirements for radiation protection officers:

• A confirmation of at least 3 months experience in handling with open radioisotopes.

• A certificate which confirms that, within the last 5 years, the person took a training course and passed an examination in radiation protection according to §30 of the German Radiation Protection Ordinance. Foreign certificates will be approved if the issuer confirms that the training is compatible to the German/European regulations