Resources

RRS Discovery D222A

Cruise summary report

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)RRS Discovery (74E3)
Cruise identifierD222A
Cruise period1996-07-27 — 1996-08-26
StatusCompleted
Port of departureSouthampton, United Kingdom
Port of returnSouthampton, United Kingdom
PurposeResearch
ObjectivesThis was an instrumentation development cruise sponsored by the EU MAST III Programme, ALIPOR: Autonomous Lander Instrument Packaged for Oceanographic Research.
The aim was to deploy arrays of landers on the sea floor to monitor physical, geochemical and biological processes in the deep sea benthic boundary layer.
Chief scientistImants G Priede (University of Aberdeen, Oceanlab)
ProjectALIPOR
Coordinating bodyUniversity of Aberdeen
Cruise reportRRS Discovery D222A cruise report d222a.pdf (1.15 MB) 
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralNorth East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W)
SpecificGoban Spur, Porcupine Abyssal Plain
Measurements 
Physical oceanography 
BathythermographQuantity: number of profiles = 7
Description: CTD
Biology and fisheries 
Biochemical measurements (eg lipids, amino acids)Quantity: number of deployments = 5
Description: IFREMER RAP2 lander - sediment interface oxygen consumption and fluxes
Biochemical measurements (eg lipids, amino acids)Quantity: number of deployments = 5
Description: GEOMAR free-fall respirometer - sediment interface oxygen consumption and fluxes
Biochemical measurements (eg lipids, amino acids)Quantity: number of deployments = 6
Description: Goteburg lander - sediment interface and fluxes
Demersal fishQuantity: number of deployments = 11
Description: Fish and amphipod trap - free-fall with acoustic release
Demersal fishQuantity: number of deployments = 7
Description: AVDOS II baited camera and fish tracking system
CrustaceansQuantity: number of deployments = 11
Description: Fish and amphipod trap - free-fall with acoustic release
Other biological/fisheries measurementQuantity: number of deployments = 6
Description: Goteburg lander - sediment interface and fluxes
Other biological/fisheries measurementQuantity: number of deployments = 5
Description: GEOMAR free-fall respirometer - sediment interface oxygen consumption and fluxes
Other biological/fisheries measurementQuantity: number of deployments = 5
Description: IFREMER RAP2 lander - sediment interface oxygen consumption and fluxes
Geology and geophysics 
Bottom photographyQuantity: number of deployments = 16
Description: Sediment profile imagery up to 16 images per drop to a depth of 30cm beneath sediment surface
Moorings, landers, buoys 
Physical oceanography 
Transparency (eg transmissometer)48° 55' 59" N  16° 30' 59" W — MAP: Module Autonome Pluri disciplinaire - one year deployment
Current meters48° 55' 59" N  16° 30' 59" W — MAP: Module Autonome Pluri disciplinaire - one year deployment
Biology and fisheries 
Other biological/fisheries measurement48° 42' 0" N  16° 37' 59" W — ATTIS: Acoustic Telemetry and Transponder Interrogation System - 4 landers deployed to track fish - recovered after 13 days
Other biological/fisheries measurement48° 36' 0" N  16° 9' 59" W — LAFF: Large Abyssal Food-Fall experiment - deployed and recovered after 10 days - dolphin carcass
Data held at BODC 
Discrete samples 
7  CTD frame plus rosette samplerTransmittance and attenuance of the water column
Temperature of the water column
Dissolved oxygen parameters in the water column
Salinity of the water column
Density of the water column
Raw fluorometer output