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BODC Cruise Metadata Report for RRS James Cook (740H) cruise JC166 (JC167)

Introduction

This report collates information from the BODC cruise inventory and oceanographic databases. It presents

Cruise Inventory Information

Long name RRS James Cook (740H) cruise JC166 (JC167)
Short name JC166 (JC167)
Objectives and Narrative JC166-167 combined two sets of activities: the delivery of scientific research funded through the NERC National Capability programme CLASS, and training & equipment trials for the engineers of the MARS group within NOC. The work was carried out in two main research areas west of Cornwall: the Greater Haig Fras Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ), and the Whittard Canyon submarine canyon complex. Both research areas are major study sites within the CLASS programme, and specifically the work at Haig Fras was one of the main deliverables of the programme for 2018.
Haig Fras is the only rocky reef on the Celtic Shelf, west of Cornwall. The Greater Haig Fras area was designated an (MCZ) in 2016 to protect this unique site and its mosaic of rock and sedimentary habitats. To demonstrate the use of autonomous survey methods for the monitoring of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and improve our understanding of the natural variability of this mosaic habitat, NOC has set up a series of repeat AUV surveys (multibeam echosounder, sidescan sonar, photography) over the area, with a 3 year cycle.
The Whittard Canyon system on the Celtic Margin is a key area to achieve an understanding of the interaction between coastal & shelf waters and the open ocean. The heterogeneous terrain of submarine canyons has a strong influence on oceanographic processes, focusses the transport of sediments, organic matter and nutrients, can create a series of potential geohazards and tends to support an increased diversity in habitats and species. Part of the Whittard Canyon system was declared an MCZ in 2013, protecting, amongst others, both healthy and heavily impacted cold-water coral reefs from further human impacts.
The equipment trials and personnel training covered a range of systems, including the ROV Isis, AUV Autosub6000, a wave-glider, a deep glider, the ASV C-worker and a drone. Overall, the aims of the cruise were four-fold:
- Re-survey of the Haig Fras site (for the CLASS project)
- Training of ROV and AUV engineers
- Equipment trials
- Acquisition of opportunistic data from Whittard Canyo
Ship RRS James Cook
Departure Port Southampton, United Kingdom
Departure Date 2018-06-19
Arrival Port Southampton, United Kingdom
Arrival Date 2018-07-06
Principal Scientist(s) Maaten Furlong (National Oceanography Centre, Southampton), Veerle A Huvenne (National Oceanography Centre, Southampton)
Responsible Organisation National Oceanography Centre, Southampton
Associated Project(s)
IHB Sea Areas Visited English Channel, Celtic Sea, Bay of Biscay
Marsden Squares Visited 145;3/145;4/146;3/181;1/181;2
Work Area Description Celtic Sea (Haig Fras), Bay of Biscay (Whittard Canyon)
Unable to lookup cruise bounds at this time
Work Area Bounding Polygon
Southern Limit unknown
Northern Limit unknown
Western Limit unknown
Eastern Limit unknown

Cruise Inventory Datasets

Physical oceanography  
Other physical oceanographic measurements Quantity: number of profiles = 4
Description: SVP  
Other physical oceanographic measurements Quantity: activity duration in days = 2
Description: Wave glider deployments (trials)  
Other physical oceanographic measurements Quantity: activity duration in days = 11
Description: Deep glider deployment (trials)  
Geology and geophysics  
Bottom photography Quantity: number of dives = 6
Description: ROV dives  
Bottom photography Quantity: number of dives = 2
Description: HyBIS tows  
Geophysical measurements made at depth Quantity: number of dives = 3
Description: Autosub6000 missions  
Single channel seismic reflection Quantity: survey square kilometres = 3750
Description: EM122 and EM710 multibeam data  

Cruise Inventory Mooring/Buoy Operations

No information on datasets is currently available

Summary of BODC Data Holdings for the Cruise

National Oceanographic Database

Summary

# Series Instrument Description Parameters
3 Multi-beam echosounder Bathymetry and Elevation
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Reference numbers

Note: Parameter terms are taken from the BODC Parameter Discovery Vocabulary XML (SKOS)

Full List

BODC Reference Instrument Description Date/Time Location  
2026993 Multi-beam echosounder 2018-06-23 23:02Z Click for more
2027007 Multi-beam echosounder 2018-06-24 19:43Z Click for more
2027019 Multi-beam echosounder 2018-06-20 21:10Z Click for more

Project Database

No data currently held for this cruise in the BODC Project Database

References

Track Charts

Track Chart

Reports

Cruise Report