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RV K. Piri Reis FDS_Submarine

Cruise summary report

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)RV K. Piri Reis (89PR)
Cruise identifierFDS_Submarine
Cruise period2010-05-14 — 2010-05-26
StatusCompleted
Port of departureIzmir, Turkey
Port of returnIzmir, Turkey
PurposeResearch
ObjectivesThe primary aim of the FDS Submarine cruise was to collect high-resolution velocity data from an active submarine channel, using NERC's Autosub 3 autonomous submarine. In this case, from a saline underflow that passes through a channel network on the Black Sea shelf immediately north of the Bosphorus Strait. Such data for submarine channels is unknown due to the difficulty of measuring such flows which are typically infrequent and destructive. Furthermore, as a result of sea-level rise most flows of this type are out of equilibrium with their bounding topography. This part of the Black Sea is a unique area where a 10-15 m thick underflow of dense Mediterranean water flows across the Black Sea shelf through a series of meandering channels. Furthermore, this channel network was only initiated round 6,000 years ago when sea-level approached its present level, and flows and channel network have co-evolved together to form a system in equilibrium. Such velocity data is critical for generating predictive models of these deep-sea channels which are the primary transporters of sediment, carbon and pollutant fluxes to the deep sea, and whose deposits form major hydrocarbon reservoirs.

Despite a range of problems, including mobilisation, adverse weather, and instrumentation failure the cruise was ultimately successful in providing the first detailed dataset of the three-dimensional flow field of a submarine channel. Cruise highlights included:
1) 36 hours of Autosub 3 data collection across a series of lines around a major channel bend
2) collection of CTD data across a series of transects normal to the channel
3) collection of grab samples from the base of the channel revealing complex spatial patterns in the seafloor environment.
Chief scientistJeffrey Peakall (University of Leeds School of Earth and Environment)
Cruise reportRV K. Piri Reis FDS_Submarine cruise report koca_piri_reis2010.pdf (1.04 MB) 
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralBlack Sea
SpecificNorth of the Bosphorus Strait
Track chartsRV K. Piri Reis FDS_Submarine cruise track — koca_piri_reis2010trk.pdf (0.58 MB) 
Measurements 
Physical oceanography 
CTD stationsQuantity: number of stations = 2
Description: Dokuz Eylül University CTD
CTD stationsQuantity: number of stations = 88
Description: University of Leeds CTD
Current profiler (eg ADCP)Quantity: activity duration in hours = 36
Description: Autosub 3 data collection
Geology and geophysics 
GrabQuantity: number of stations = 40
Description: Grab samples from the base of the submarine channel
Multi-beam echosoundingQuantity: activity duration in hours = 36
Description: Autosub 3 data collection