Cruise inventory
RRS Discovery D326
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |||||||||
| Ship name (ship code) | RRS Discovery (74E3) | ||||||||
| Cruise identifier | D326 | ||||||||
| Cruise period | 2008-01-05 — 2008-02-05 | ||||||||
| Status | Completed | ||||||||
| Port of departure | Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain | ||||||||
| Port of return | Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain | ||||||||
| Purpose | Research | ||||||||
| Objectives | The main testable hypothesis of the proposed work is: Atmospheric inputs control rates of primary production and microbial diversity in oceanic waters where nutrients are limiting.
The objectives of the project are to: 1. Obtain an improved temporal and spatial estimate of atmospheric dust inputs to the tropical N Atlantic through collections on a dedicated SOLAS process cruise. 2. Obtain an improved estimate of the seawater dissolution of N, P, Fe and Zn species from aerosol dust. 3. Determine the impact of atmospheric dust derived micronutrients on microbial community production and species diversity in the surface microlayer and underlying waters. In addition, researchers from the Archer/Geider group were on-board. The overall aim of their research was to determine the extent to which the photoprotective roles of DMSP and QAs influence their production rates in marine surface waters and hence, the production of their volatile breakdown products. The cruise objectives for this work were to: 1. relate DMSP and QAC concentrations to plankton community structure, light regime, photoinhibition, xanthophyll cycle and MAA accumulation in varying oceanic provinces and over diel cycles. 2. determine the potential for photoinhibition and DMSP/GBT turnover in natural phytoplankton in contrasting oceanic provinces. The cruise departed Tenerife on February 5, 2008, and we have conducted regular stations (typically 2 per day) along the cruise track. The track took us into the oligotrophic Atlantic waters, productive Cape Verde waters, and tropical waters with very high nitrogen fixation (judged initially from the Trichodesmium concentrations). The various researchers and groups have also started a range of biological experiments at different sites along the cruise track. We have encountered a major dust event in week 2, and then from week 3 of the cruise we encountered large amounts of dust. We have visited the TENATSO time series site near the Cape Verdes and have undertaken an extensive set of measurements there. We have collected the atmospheric dust for elemental analyses (at UEA and NOCS), and also to produce leachates which are used on board for biological experiments. We have undertaken sampling of the water column to analyse for dissolved and particulate metals, nutrients, dissolved organic matter, amino acids, hemes, thiols and phytochelatin synthase expression. In addition, nitrogen fixation measurements were undertaken, in tandem with nifh gene sampling. Nitrate uptake experiments have been conducted. Furthermore, bacterial phosphate uptake experiments have been undertaken using addition of collected dust. Halocarbon and DMS gas measurements have been conducted during the cruise. In addition, experiments have been undertaken by the Archer/Geider group on effects of high sun light exposure on DMS and GBT production. The cruise has been very successful with a minimum of lost time. | ||||||||
| Chief scientist | Eric P Achterberg (University of Southampton School of Ocean and Earth Science) | ||||||||
| Project | UK SOLAS | ||||||||
| Coordinating body | NERC | ||||||||
| Cruise report |  (4.07 MB) | ||||||||
| Ocean/sea areas | |||||||||
| General | North East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W) | ||||||||
| Specific | Tropical and subtropical Northeast Atlantic Ocean | ||||||||
| Track charts | (0.18 MB) | ||||||||
| Measurements | |||||||||
| Physical oceanography | |||||||||
| Surface measurements underway (T,S) | Quantity: activity duration in days = 28 Description: Continuous underway measurements | ||||||||
| CTD stations | Quantity: number of stations = 49 Description: Ca. 400 samples for D- and L amino acids, DOC, DON, and DOP. | ||||||||
| Chemical oceanography | |||||||||
| Oxygen | Quantity: number of stations = 60 Description: Samples analysed for low level nutrients, macromolar nutrients and oxygen for CTD calibration ( couple of samples per cast) | ||||||||
| Other dissolved gases | Quantity: number of samples = 58 Description: Surface water concentrations of iodocarbons | ||||||||
| Other dissolved gases | Quantity: number of stations = 49 Description: Ca. 400 samples for D- and L amino acids, DOC, DON, and DOP. | ||||||||
| Other dissolved gases | Quantity: number of stations = 29 Description: Seawater concentrations of iodocarbons | ||||||||
| Phosphate | Quantity: number of stations = 60 Description: Samples analysed for low level nutrients, macromolar nutrients and oxygen for CTD calibration ( couple of samples per cast) | ||||||||
| Nitrate | Quantity: number of stations = 60 Description: Samples analysed for low level nutrients, macromolar nutrients and oxygen for CTD calibration ( couple of samples per cast) | ||||||||
| Silicate | Quantity: number of stations = 60 Description: Samples analysed for low level nutrients, macromolar nutrients and oxygen for CTD calibration ( couple of samples per cast) | ||||||||
| Alkalinity | Quantity: number of samples = 96 Description: DIC-Alkalinity underway samples | ||||||||
| Alkalinity | Quantity: number of stations = 25 Description: DIC-Alkalinity profiles (231 samples) | ||||||||
| Trace elements | Quantity: number of stations = 53 Description: Aluminium measurements | ||||||||
| Trace elements | Quantity: number of samples = 189 Description: 189 underway samples for dissolved Fe | ||||||||
| Trace elements | Quantity: number of stations = 49 Description: Ca. 400 samples for D- and L amino acids, DOC, DON, and DOP. | ||||||||
| Trace elements | Quantity: number of stations = 53 Description: Over 400 samples for dissolved Fe | ||||||||
| Trace elements | Quantity: number of samples = 29 Description: 29 underway samples for organic Fe complexation | ||||||||
| Trace elements | Quantity: number of stations = 15 Description: Dissolved Mn analyses | ||||||||
| Trace elements | Quantity: number of stations = 53 Description: Ammonium measurements | ||||||||
| Other chemical oceanographic measurements | Quantity: number of samples = 96 Description: DIC-Alkalinity underway samples | ||||||||
| Other chemical oceanographic measurements | Quantity: number of stations = 25 Description: DIC-Alkalinity profiles (231 samples) | ||||||||
| Contamination | |||||||||
| Suspended matter | Quantity: number of samples = 30 Description: Water column particles for trace metals | ||||||||
| Trace metals | Quantity: number of stations = 27 Description: Trace metals (ca. 100 samples) | ||||||||
| Biology and fisheries | |||||||||
| Primary productivity | Quantity: number of stations = 30 Description: Primary production and nitrogen fixation | ||||||||
| Phytoplankton pigs (eg chlorophyll, fluorescence) | Quantity: number of stations = 25 Description: Pigment, POC, Variable fluorescence, 13C uptake, DMSP turnover and AFC samples from incubation experiments. | ||||||||
| Particulate organic matter (inc POC, PON) | Quantity: number of stations = 25 Description: Pigment, POC, Variable fluorescence, 13C uptake, DMSP turnover and AFC samples from incubation experiments. | ||||||||
| Biochemical measurements (eg lipids, amino acids) | Quantity: number of stations = 25 Description: Pigment, POC, Variable fluorescence, 13C uptake, DMSP turnover and AFC samples from incubation experiments. | ||||||||
| Phytoplankton | Quantity: number of stations = 30 Description: Phytoplankton concentrates for protein analysis and filters for DNA/RNA analysis | ||||||||
| Phytoplankton | Quantity: number of stations = 25 Description: Pigment, POC, Variable fluorescence, 13C uptake, DMSP turnover and AFC samples from incubation experiments. | ||||||||
| Phytoplankton | Quantity: number of stations = 30 Description: Trichodesmium samples | ||||||||
| Zooplankton | Description: Ca. 20 and Ca. 70 samples for community structure analysis | ||||||||
| Pelagic bacteria/micro-organisms | Quantity: number of stations = 20 Description: 5 or 20 m depth samples from CTD for microbial activity and carbon fixation measurements | ||||||||
| Pelagic bacteria/micro-organisms | Quantity: number of stations = 20 Description: 1 to 3 depth samples for molecular analyses of microbes | ||||||||
| Pelagic bacteria/micro-organisms | Quantity: activity duration in days = 27 Description: 30 min underway samples for microbial abundance | ||||||||
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | Quantity: number of stations = 24 Description: Particulate hemes (ca. 400 samples) from afternoon casts | ||||||||
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | Quantity: number of stations = 30 Description: Particulate Hemes (ca. 200 samples) from morning casts | ||||||||
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | Quantity: number of stations = 28 Description: Particulat thiols (ca. 280 samples) | ||||||||
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | Quantity: number of stations = 28 Description: Phytochelatin synthase expression (ca. 230 samples) | ||||||||
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | Quantity: number of stations = 14 Description: Dissolved thiols (ca. 30 samples) | ||||||||
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | Quantity: number of stations = 25 Description: Pigment, POC, Variable fluorescence, 13C uptake, DMSP turnover and AFC samples from incubation experiments. | ||||||||
| Meteorology | |||||||||
| Atmospheric chemistry | Quantity: activity duration in days = 31 Description: Gas samples collected. High volume aerosol samples - trace metals, major ions. | ||||||||
| Atmospheric chemistry | Quantity: activity duration in days = 30 Description: Low volume aerosol collection for trace metals | ||||||||
| Moorings, landers, buoys | |||||||||
| Physical oceanography | |||||||||
| Surface drifters/drifting buoys | 12° 35' 59" N 30° 34' 59" W — Drifter deployed with temperature logger and Argos system for satellite location. Drifter not recovered as Gonio was malfunctioning on Discovery. | ||||||||
| Data held at BODC | |||||||||
| Series/Profiles | |||||||||
| 1 In-situ pH sensor | Date and time Horizontal spatial co-ordinates Alkalinity, acidity and pH of the water column Reference numbers Date and time Horizontal spatial co-ordinates Alkalinity, acidity and pH of the water column Reference numbers
| ||||||||
| Discrete samples | |||||||||
| 193 All plastic clean surface pumped supply | Phosphate concentration parameters in the water column Metal ligand parameters in the water column Nitrate concentration parameters in the water column Dissolved metal concentrations in the water column | ||||||||
| 27 Bulk filtered air sample | Inorganic phosphorus species concentrations in the atmosphere Sulphur species concentrations in the atmosphere Concentration of nitrogen species in the atmosphere Metal concentrations in the atmosphere Concentration of inorganic halogens in the atmosphere | ||||||||
| 126 CTD frame plus rosette sampler | Optical backscatter Phosphate concentration parameters in the water column Density of the water column Dissolved total or organic phosphorus concentration in the water column Visible waveband radiance and irradiance measurements in the water column Transmittance and attenuance of the water column Electrical conductivity of the water column Other halocarbon concentrations in water bodies Organometallic species concentration parameters in water bodies Total dissolved inorganic carbon (TCO2) concentration in the water column Alkalinity, acidity and pH of the water column Silicate concentration parameters in the water column Dissolved oxygen parameters in the water column Nitrate concentration parameters in the water column Raw oxygen sensor output Dissolved total and organic nitrogen concentrations in the water column Temperature of the water column Salinity of the water column Dissolved metal concentrations in the water column Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in the water column Dissolved organic carbon concentration in the water column | ||||||||
| 1586 Sample taken from ship's non-toxic supply | Microzooplankton generic abundance in water bodies Phytoplankton taxonomic abundance in water bodies Phosphate concentration parameters in the water column Virus abundance in water bodies Total dissolved inorganic carbon (TCO2) concentration in the water column Alkalinity, acidity and pH of the water column Silicate concentration parameters in the water column Nitrate concentration parameters in the water column Phytoplankton generic abundance in water bodies Bacteria generic abundance in water bodies Salinity of the water column Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in the water column |
