Cruise inventory
RRS James Clark Ross JR19960916 (AMT3, JR15)
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Cruise period | 1996-09-16 — 1996-10-25 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Grimsby, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Stanley, Falkland Islands (Malvinas) |
| Objectives | The Atlantic Meridional Transects (AMTs) were conceived as a means of acquiring a time series of oceanographic, biological, chemical and optical data over large latitudinal ranges (50° N to 50° S) and through a number of contrasting oceanographic provinces. The core scientific objectives are to refine out understanding of the role of the ocean biota in the biogeochemical processes, carbon fluxes and ultimately global climate and to develop remotely-sensed measurements of global primary production.
The AMTs take advantage of the twice yearly passage of the NERC vessel, RRS James Clark Ross, operated by the British Antarctic Survey, during its passage to and from Antarctica each year. Since the only ship costs involved are to cover the additional time required for course deviations and station work, the AMT is a highly cost-effective project for fundamental marine science. AMT-3 is the third Atlantic transect in the current series. Aims: 1. To improve our undestanding of the relationship between physical processes and biological production. 2. Identify, define and quantify latitudinal changes in biogeochemical provinces. 3. Determine phytoplankton characteristics and photosynthetic parameters. 4. Identify nutrient regimes and their role in biogeochemical cycles. 5. Characterise plankton community structure, including the accurate determination of carbon values 6. Relate the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) in surface waters with the biological production 7. Acquire data for the calibration of remotely sensed obersvations (primary validation). |
| Chief scientist | Tony Bale (Plymouth Marine Laboratory) |
| Project | AMT |
| Cruise report |  (3.46 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North Atlantic Ocean South Atlantic Ocean |
| Track charts | (0.02 MB) |
| Measurements | |
| Physical oceanography | |
| Bathythermograph | Quantity: number of deployments = 1 Description: XBT's were deployed and temperatute profiles were obtained upto depths of 1830m. No. of deployments not noted. |
| Water bottle stations | Quantity: number of stations = 30 Description: A number of stations were sampled. CTD/rosette deployments were made. Water bottle samples were taken. Vericle hauls were taken for zooplankton samples. Sea and sky photographs were taken. |
| CTD stations | Quantity: number of stations = 30 Description: A number of stations were sampled. CTD/rosette deployments were made. Water bottle samples were taken. Vericle hauls were taken for zooplankton samples. Sea and sky photographs were taken. |
| Subsurface temperature and salinity measurements | Quantity: number of measurements = 1 Description: Underway measurements were made. Salinity, temperature and fluroescence were recorded. Meteorological data was also logged. No. of measurements not noted. |
| Subsurface temperature and salinity measurements | Quantity: number of samples = 1 Description: Salinity and temperature calibrations recorded. No. of samples not noted. |
| Optics (eg underwater light levels) | Quantity: number of samples = 1 Description: Ocean colour optical data was gathered. No. of samples not noted. |
| Contamination | |
| Suspended matter | Quantity: number of samples = 1 Description: Particulates and zooplankton samples were taken. No. of samples not taken. |
| Biology and fisheries | |
| Phytoplankton pigs (eg chlorophyll, fluorescence) | Quantity: number of samples = 1 Description: Chlorophyll samples were also taken. No. of samples not noted |
| Zooplankton | Quantity: number of stations = 30 Description: A number of stations were sampled. CTD/rosette deployments were made. Water bottle samples were taken. Vericle hauls were taken for zooplankton samples. Sea and sky photographs were taken. |
| Zooplankton | Quantity: number of samples = 1 Description: Particulates and zooplankton samples were taken. No. of samples not taken. |
| Data held at BODC | |
| Discrete samples | |
| 50 CTD frame plus rosette sampler | Particulate total and organic nitrogen concentrations in the water column Primary production in the water column Metadata parameters Plankton biomass expressed as carbon per unit volume of the water column Phytoplankton taxonomic abundance in water bodies Phosphate concentration parameters in the water column Density of the water column Phytoplankton taxonomic biomass in water bodies Particulate total and organic carbon concentrations in the water column Bacteria non taxonomy-related biomass expressed as carbon per unit volume of the water column Total metal concentrations in water bodies Phaeopigment concentrations in the water column Plankton abundance per unit volume of the water column Silicate concentration parameters in the water column Raw fluorometer output Nitrate concentration parameters in the water column Temperature of the water column Bacteria generic abundance in water bodies Carotenoid pigment concentrations in the water column Salinity of the water column Dissolved metal concentrations in the water column Nitrite concentration parameters in the water column Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in the water column Reference numbers |
| 117 Expendable Bathythermograph | Temperature of the water column |
| 307 Sample taken from ship's non-toxic supply | Total metal concentrations in water bodies Dissolved metal concentrations in the water column Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in the water column |
