Resources

RRS Discovery D86

Cruise summary report

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)RRS Discovery (74E3)
Cruise identifierD86
Cruise period1977-09-07 — 1977-09-30
StatusCompleted
Port of departureSouthampton, United Kingdom
Port of returnBarry, United Kingdom
PurposeResearch
ObjectivesThe main items in the scientific programme were:
1) Setting and recovering four surface moorings carrying meteorological recorders and shallow thermistor chains.
2) Occupying a pattern of CTD stations, in the form of widely spaced small (15km) triangles, each triangle being occupied twice in a 12.5 hour period.
3) Acoustic tracking of near-surface floats, including depth telemetering floats.
4) Tests of a new batfish and using it for mapping near-surface water structure.
5) Trials of an electromagnetic shear probe.
6) Radiosonde tracking, including use of W-3 LO-CATE equipment.
7) Trials of pitch-roll buoy.
8) Intercomparison of electromagnetic and rotor-vane vector averaging current meters.
9) Recovering six current meter moorings and a tide gauge, set by 'Challenger' in July.
10) Surface T and S observations, and bathymetry, on passage when in deep water.
Chief scientistJohn C Swallow (Institute of Oceanographic Sciences Wormley Laboratory)
ProjectJASIN 1977
Cruise reportRRS Discovery D86 cruise report d86.pdf (10.98 MB) 
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralNorth East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W)
Track chartsRRS Discovery D86 cruise track — trk2116a.html RRS Discovery D86 cruise track — trk2116b.html
Measurements 
Physical oceanography 
Surface measurements underway (T,S)Description: recorded throughout cruise
CTD stationsQuantity: number of stations = 44
Subsurface temperature and salinity measurementsDescription: batfish profiling,mostly 15-90m,126 hrs.of steaming
Current metersQuantity: number of deployments = 10
Description: 45 days
Neutrally buoyant floatsQuantity: number of deployments = 3
Description: 6 floats were also tracked at surface
Sea level (inc. bot. press., inverted echosounder)Quantity: activity months = 3
Meteorology 
Upper air observationsQuantity: number of observations = 30
Routine standard measurementsDescription: logged continuously throughout cruise