RRS James Clark Ross JR20141115 (JR304)

Cruise summary report

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Cruise Info.

Ship name (ship code)

RRS James Clark Ross (74JC)

Cruise identifier

JR20141115 (JR304)

Cruise period

2014-11-15 — 2014-12-17

Status

Completed

Port of departure

Punta Arenas, Chile

Port of return

Stanley, Falkland Islands (Malvinas)

Purpose

Research

Objectives

JR304 was a 19 day science cruise to the South Georgia region nested inside a combined logistic and science leg during voyage 24 of the RRS James Clark Ross. As part of the logistics element the ship undertook base reliefs at Signy (South Orkney Islands), and Bird Island and King Edward Point (South Georgia). During the science part of the cruise we undertook the Western Core Box survey to determine the distribution and biomass of krill northwest of South Georgia, refurbished the biological moorings in the South Georgia region and carried out a series of time stations across the Scotia Sea. BAS scientists were joined by collaborators from Sir Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science (SAHFOS), National Oceanography Centre (NOC) in addition to PhD students from the DTP's EnvEast, Spitfire and GW4+.

Since 1981 BAS have undertaken cruises to determine krill biomass as part of the ongoing assessment of the status of the marine ecosystem in the region of South Georgia. This unique time series, known as the Western Core Box, is part of the Ecosystem Programme contribution to BAS national capability. It comprises an acoustic grid survey of 8 transects each of 80 km in length, together with associated net and oceanographic sampling and the calibration of the acoustic instrumentation. Net sampling to catch live krill for experiments and observations was also undertaken at night.

In addition to the acoustic survey, which covered a wide area but had limited temporal coverage, there were three moorings (one in the Western Core Box, one southwest and one northwest of South Georgia) to provide a temporal context. These moorings were recovered during the cruise, refurbished and data downloaded, then redeployed later in the cruise.

NB The Cruise Report linked to below is an updated version from May 2016

Chief scientist

Jonathan L Watkins (British Antarctic Survey)

Coordinating body

Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)

Cruise report

(10.74 MB)

Ocean/sea areas

General

Southern Ocean

Specific

Scotia Sea

Track charts

(0.07 MB)

Measurements

Physical oceanography

Surface measurements underway (T,S)

Quantity: number of deployments = 18
Description: ADCP

Surface measurements underway (T,S)

Quantity: number of deployments = 18
Description: ADCP at 200 sampling for 1 yr

Bathythermograph

Quantity: number of deployments = 26
Description: XBT

CTD stations

Quantity: number of profiles = 19
Description: CTD

CTD stations

Quantity: number of profiles = 19
Description: CTD at 200 m sampling for 1 yr

Biology and fisheries

Phytoplankton pigs (eg chlorophyll, fluorescence)

Quantity: number of samples = 88
Description: Underway sampling for chlorophyll

Particulate organic matter (inc POC, PON)

Quantity: number of samples = 18
Description: POC from vertical water bottle samples

Particulate organic matter (inc POC, PON)

Quantity: number of profiles = 13
Description: Marine snow camera - vertical profiles

Particulate organic matter (inc POC, PON)

Quantity: number of samples = 30
Description: Marine snow catcher samples - filtered and preserved

Sediment traps

Quantity: number of deployments = 3
Description: Sediment traps. Samples preserved

Zooplankton

Quantity: number of hauls = 9
Description: RMT8 - krill length measurements and photography

Zooplankton

Quantity: number of hauls = 9
Description: RMT8 - krill frozen. Further genetic analysis

Zooplankton

Quantity: number of stations = 17
Description: Bongo nets - Foraminifera

Zooplankton

Quantity: number of hauls = 9
Description: RMT8 - macrozooplankton. Frozen samples for stable isotope analysis

Zooplankton

Quantity: number of samples = 4
Description: Bongo nets - mesozooplankton for experiments or preserved

Zooplankton

Quantity: number of hauls = 4
Description: LHPR - oblique hauls from 1000 m to surface - gauzes frozen

Zooplankton

Quantity: number of samples = 20
Description: Horizontal CPR samples - preserved for analysis at SAHFOS

Zooplankton

Quantity: number of samples = 24
Description: Vertical Bongo net samples - preserved for analysis at SAHFOS

Zooplankton

Quantity: number of hauls = 9
Description: MOCNESS zooplankton hauls - sampled for experiments or preserved

Acoustic reflection on marine organisms.

Quantity: activity duration in days = 38
Description: EK60 Multi-frequency scientific echosounder

Meteorology

Routine standard measurements

Quantity: activity duration in days = 38
Description: Onboard ship meteorological

Geology and geophysics

Core - soft bottom

Quantity: number of cores = 1
Description: Box core - surface sediment samples frozen. Further analysis calcareous plankton

Single-beam echosounding

Quantity: activity duration in days = 35
Description: EA600 Single Beam bathymetry

Moorings, landers, buoys

Physical oceanography

CTD stations

52° 49' 0" S 40° 7' 0" W — Site: Deployed - P3. Water Depth: 3787m. Instrumentation: Main Buoy (~200 m) - SBE CTD, RDI ADCP, SAMI pH sensor, Oceanus CO2 sensor. Aquadoop current meter (~2000m). Sediment Traps (x2, ~2000m, ~ 600m). Seaguard current meter & O2 sensor (~600m), SBE CTD (~600m), Watersampler (~600m)

CTD stations

55° 15' 0" S 41° 15' 0" W — Site: Deployed - P2. Water Depth: 3355m. Instrumentation: Main Buoy (~200 m) - SBE CTD, RDI ADCP, SAMI pH sensor, Oceanus CO2 sensor. Aquadoop current meter (~2000m), Sediment Trap (~2000m), Seaguard current meter & O2 sensor (~550m), Water sampler (~550m)

CTD stations

55° 13' 59" S 41° 13' 59" W — Site: Recovered - P2. Water Depth: 3383m. Instrumentation: Aquadoop current meter (1500m), Sediment Trap (1500m), Main Buoy - SBE CTD, RDI ADCP (near surface)

Current meters

55° 13' 59" S 41° 13' 59" W — Site: Recovered - P2. Water Depth: 3383m. Instrumentation: Aquadoop current meter (1500m), Sediment Trap (1500m), Main Buoy - SBE CTD, RDI ADCP (near surface)

Current meters

Current profiler (eg ADCP)

55° 13' 59" S 41° 13' 59" W — Site: Recovered - P2. Water Depth: 3383m. Instrumentation: Aquadoop current meter (1500m), Sediment Trap (1500m), Main Buoy - SBE CTD, RDI ADCP (near surface)

Current profiler (eg ADCP)

Chemical oceanography

Oxygen

Carbon dioxide

Biology and fisheries

Sediment traps

55° 13' 59" S 41° 13' 59" W — Site: Recovered - P2. Water Depth: 3383m. Instrumentation: Aquadoop current meter (1500m), Sediment Trap (1500m), Main Buoy - SBE CTD, RDI ADCP (near surface)

Sediment traps

Data held at BODC

Get data

Series/Profiles

25 Bathythermograph (MBT/XBT)

Sound velocity and travel time in the water column
Reference numbers
Temperature of the water column
Vertical spatial coordinates

[Show series]

Sound velocity and travel time in the water column
Reference numbers
Temperature of the water column
Vertical spatial coordinates

[Hide series]

BODC id	Date/Time	Location
1801741	2014-12-10 11:20	53° 34' 27" S 38° 20' 3" W
1801808	2014-12-11 12:27	53° 20' 9" S 37° 54' 14" W
1801870	2014-12-11 18:53	53° 51' 14" S 37° 35' 39" W
1801600	2014-12-08 09:06	53° 20' 50" S 39° 36' 8" W
1801661	2014-12-09 09:41	53° 59' 36" S 38° 49' 7" W
1801673	2014-12-09 10:50	53° 49' 1" S 38° 52' 25" W
1801704	2014-12-10 09:00	53° 13' 15" S 38° 26' 56" W
1801716	2014-12-10 09:05	53° 13' 44" S 38° 26' 46" W
1801753	2014-12-10 12:29	53° 45' 2" S 38° 16' 39" W
1801777	2014-12-11 09:00	53° 52' 8" S 37° 43' 40" W
1801697	2014-12-09 14:26	53° 17' 13" S 39° 2' 18" W
1801728	2014-12-10 10:10	53° 23' 51" S 38° 23' 30" W
1801790	2014-12-11 11:16	53° 31' 0" S 37° 50' 49" W
1801833	2014-12-11 14:16	53° 8' 54" S 37° 49' 56" W
1801845	2014-12-11 15:29	53° 19' 29" S 37° 46' 22" W
1801624	2014-12-08 11:24	53° 42' 5" S 39° 29' 50" W
1801648	2014-12-08 13:44	54° 3' 20" S 39° 23' 29" W
1801789	2014-12-11 10:08	53° 41' 33" S 37° 47' 14" W
1801612	2014-12-08 10:15	53° 31' 29" S 39° 32' 59" W
1801636	2014-12-08 12:36	53° 52' 42" S 39° 26' 41" W
1801685	2014-12-09 12:05	53° 38' 22" S 38° 55' 46" W
1801857	2014-12-11 16:38	53° 30' 4" S 37° 42' 48" W
1801869	2014-12-11 17:46	53° 40' 37" S 37° 39' 15" W
1801765	2014-12-10 13:33	53° 55' 37" S 38° 13' 13" W
1801821	2014-12-11 13:34	53° 9' 50" S 37° 57' 51" W

19 CTD/STD cast

Reference numbers
Transmittance and attenuance of the water column
Salinity of the water column
Temperature of the water column
Vertical spatial coordinates
Dissolved oxygen parameters in the water column
Visible waveband radiance and irradiance measurements in the water column
Density of the water column
Electrical conductivity of the water column
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies

[Show series]

[Hide series]

BODC id	Date/Time	Location
1808807	2014-11-25 18:12	59° 57' 44" S 46° 9' 34" W
1808936	2014-12-11 06:20	53° 42' 50" S 37° 57' 57" W
1808820	2014-11-28 12:20	55° 15' 9" S 41° 18' 7" W
1808856	2014-12-01 20:26	54° 9' 31" S 36° 41' 13" W
1808868	2014-12-03 18:25	54° 15' 59" S 36° 25' 59" W
1808881	2014-12-09 00:17	53° 29' 34" S 39° 15' 14" W
1808997	2014-12-14 14:06	52° 36' 1" S 39° 11' 58" W
1808893	2014-12-09 07:48	53° 50' 51" S 39° 8' 35" W
1808912	2014-12-10 05:55	53° 25' 55" S 38° 41' 42" W
1808961	2014-12-13 14:12	52° 45' 43" S 40° 18' 13" W
1808973	2014-12-13 22:22	52° 48' 42" S 39° 58' 21" W
1808832	2014-11-29 03:04	55° 14' 51" S 41° 15' 58" W
1808788	2014-11-25 10:21	59° 57' 44" S 46° 9' 34" W
1808900	2014-12-09 22:07	53° 47' 5" S 38° 34' 59" W
1808985	2014-12-14 07:44	52° 36' 0" S 39° 12' 0" W
1808819	2014-11-26 16:55	59° 57' 46" S 46° 9' 36" W
1808844	2014-11-29 17:42	55° 14' 51" S 41° 15' 54" W
1808924	2014-12-10 22:38	53° 21' 40" S 38° 4' 58" W
1808948	2014-12-12 22:40	52° 48' 41" S 39° 58' 21" W

1 Pumped water sample

Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Date and time
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies

[Show series]

Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Date and time
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies

[Hide series]

BODC id	Date/Time	Location	Doc.
1868626	2014-11-17 17:58 — 2014-12-15 15:55	60° 45' 6" S 58° 10' 26" W — 52° 15' 11" S 36° 26' 33" W

Discrete samples

21 CTD frame plus rosette sampler

Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies

25 Expendable Bathythermograph

111 Sample taken from ship's non-toxic supply

Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies

Resources

RRS James Clark Ross JR20141115 (JR304)

Cruise summary report

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BODC holdings

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