Resources

RRS James Clark Ross JR20080221 (JR179)

Cruise summary report

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)RRS James Clark Ross (74JC)
Cruise identifierJR20080221 (JR179)
Cruise period2008-02-21 — 2008-04-11
StatusCompleted
Port of departureStanley, Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Port of returnStanley, Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
PurposeResearch
ObjectivesOn cruise JR179 a multidisciplinary programme was carried out in the Amundsen and Bellingshausen Seas, including benthic marine biological studies and marine geological and geophysical investigations. RRS James Clark Ross became the first UK vessel to reach Pine Island Bay, and also ventured further west the ever before. In view of the large amount of passage required to reach some of the remote study sites it was clear that many days of ship time could be saved by combining different activities into a single multidisciplinary cruise. The different science teams worked well together and some interesting discussions resulted.

The data and samples collected on the cruise will provide new insights into the distribution and diversity of benthic marine fauna on the Pacific margin of Antarctica, the stability (or instability) of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet during the late Quaternary, and variations in palaeoclimatic and palaeoceanographic conditions in the region during the Holocene. The work carried out on the cruise will contribute to several International Polar Year programmes.
Chief scientistPeter Enderlein (British Antarctic Survey), Robert D Larter (British Antarctic Survey)
Coordinating bodyBritish Antarctic Survey (BAS)
Cruise reportRRS James Clark Ross JR20080221 (JR179) cruise report jr179.pdf (3.99 MB) 
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralSouthern Ocean
SpecificAmundsen Sea and Bellingshausen Sea
Track chartsRRS James Clark Ross JR20080221 (JR179) cruise track — jr179trk.pdf (0.04 MB) 
Measurements 
Physical oceanography 
Surface measurements underway (T,S)Quantity: activity duration in days = 50
Description: BAS oceanlogger, temperature, conductivity
Water bottle stationsDescription: Niskin bottles on CTD, sampled for salinity calibration
CTD stationsDescription: Seabird CTD, C, T, O2, transmissometer, fluorometer, PAR
CTD stationsQuantity: number of profiles = 24
Description: CTD
Current profiler (eg ADCP)Quantity: activity duration in days = 49
Description: RDI 75 kHz ADCP
Biology and fisheries 
Pelagic bacteria/micro-organismsDescription: Filtered samples from Niskin bottles, for diatom assemblages
Pelagic bacteria/micro-organismsDescription: Filtered samples from Niskin bottles, for DGGE and clone library analyses
ZoobenthosDescription: Epibenthic sledge trawls
ZoobenthosQuantity: number of deployments = 41
Description: Aggasiz trawls
Acoustic reflection on marine organisms.Quantity: activity duration in days = 49
Description: Kongsberg EK60, backscatter amplitudes at 38, 120 and 200 kHz
Meteorology 
Routine standard measurementsQuantity: activity duration in days = 50
Description: BAS oceanlogger, temperature, pressure, wind speed and direction
Geology and geophysics 
Core - soft bottomQuantity: number of stations = 29
Description: Box cores
Core - soft bottomQuantity: number of stations = 12
Description: Gravity cores up to 6 m in length
Core - soft bottomQuantity: number of stations = 17
Description: Piston cores up to 12 m in length
Single-beam echosoundingQuantity: activity duration in days = 49
Description: Kongsberg EA600, water depth and reflection amplitude
Multi-beam echosoundingQuantity: activity duration in days = 49
Description: Kongsberg EM120, water depth and backscatter amplitude
Magnetic measurementsQuantity: activity duration in days = 11
Description: SeaSpy proton precession magnetometer, total field
Magnetic measurementsQuantity: activity duration in days = 50
Description: BAS shipboard three-component magnetometer, x-y-z components of field
Other geological/geophysical measurementsQuantity: activity duration in days = 49
Description: TOPAS PS018 parametric sub-bottom profiler, reflection amplitude and travel time
Moorings, landers, buoys 
Biology and fisheries 
Zoobenthos62° 9' 59" S  57° 18' 59" W — Wood package deployed, for colonisation study. No instrumentation except homing beacon
Zoobenthos62° 9' 59" S  57° 19' 59" W — Whale bone package deployed, for colonisation study. No instrumentation except homing beacon
Data held at BODC Get data
Series/Profiles 
4  Bathythermograph (MBT/XBT)
Sound velocity and travel time in the water column
Reference numbers
Temperature of the water column
Vertical spatial coordinates
Sound velocity and travel time in the water column
Reference numbers
Temperature of the water column
Vertical spatial coordinates

BODC idDate/TimeLocationDoc.
11737502008-03-21 19:48 64° 23' 40" S  107° 3' 8" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1173750
11737622008-03-28 16:37 67° 59' 54" S  95° 0' 36" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1173762
11737372008-03-06 03:04 74° 22' 18" S  104° 47' 5" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1173737
11737492008-03-20 17:17 67° 3' 40" S  105° 44' 6" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1173749
24  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
Raw oxygen sensor output
Density of the water column
Electrical conductivity of the water column
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies
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
Raw oxygen sensor output
Density of the water column
Electrical conductivity of the water column
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies

BODC idDate/TimeLocationDoc.
17922562008-03-01 20:32 70° 8' 53" S  91° 5' 4" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792256
17922932008-03-08 05:02 74° 7' 54" S  105° 44' 46" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792293
17923732008-03-13 02:53 71° 8' 20" S  109° 56' 38" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792373
17921762008-02-25 00:07 61° 18' 6" S  67° 53' 33" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792176
17922322008-02-28 14:15 68° 17' 12" S  76° 8' 6" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792232
17923002008-03-09 12:00 73° 51' 9" S  106° 10' 9" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792300
17923242008-03-11 19:58 71° 20' 0" S  110° 0' 0" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792324
17923362008-03-12 10:05 71° 20' 1" S  109° 58' 0" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792336
17922192008-02-28 04:24 68° 31' 28" S  76° 10' 18" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792219
17922202008-02-28 10:20 68° 33' 2" S  76° 8' 5" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792220
17921642008-02-24 23:31 61° 18' 6" S  67° 53' 32" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792164
17923482008-03-12 23:21 71° 10' 46" S  109° 54' 15" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792348
17922072008-02-27 18:44 68° 28' 14" S  76° 7' 1" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792207
17922812008-03-06 21:52 74° 24' 30" S  104° 39' 31" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792281
17923852008-03-19 03:55 69° 13' 50" S  106° 40' 47" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792385
17922442008-03-01 04:59 69° 49' 1" S  84° 49' 44" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792244
17922682008-03-06 14:51 74° 21' 28" S  104° 40' 13" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792268
17923972008-03-23 23:39 60° 32' 6" S  108° 18' 21" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792397
17921522008-02-24 22:33 61° 18' 17" S  67° 53' 37" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792152
17923612008-03-13 00:38 71° 10' 46" S  109° 54' 15" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792361
17924042008-03-31 00:27 67° 46' 11" S  83° 15' 1" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792404
17921882008-02-27 09:31 68° 22' 46" S  75° 51' 25" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792188
17923122008-03-10 05:20 73° 58' 48" S  107° 24' 53" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792312
17924162008-04-02 12:18 68° 14' 15" S  70° 12' 11" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1792416
1  Meteorological data logger
Visible waveband radiance and irradiance measurements in the atmosphere
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Air pressure
Date and time
Air temperature
Wind strength and direction
Solar Radiation
Atmospheric humidity
Visible waveband radiance and irradiance measurements in the atmosphere
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Air pressure
Date and time
Air temperature
Wind strength and direction
Solar Radiation
Atmospheric humidity

BODC idDate/TimeLocationDoc.
19036072008-02-21 20:09  — 2008-04-11 11:10 74° 30' 19" S  120° 15' 43" W — 51° 39' 25" S  57° 6' 22" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1903607
1  Multi-beam echosounder
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Date and time
Platform or instrument orientation
Horizontal platform movement
Bathymetry and Elevation
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Date and time
Platform or instrument orientation
Horizontal platform movement
Bathymetry and Elevation

BODC idDate/TimeLocationDoc.
19035882008-02-21 20:09  — 2008-04-11 11:10 74° 30' 19" S  120° 15' 43" W — 51° 39' 25" S  57° 6' 22" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1903588
1  Multiple instrument types
Sound velocity and travel time in the water column
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Date and time
Salinity of the water column
Temperature of the water column
Metadata parameters
Electrical conductivity of the water column
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies
Sound velocity and travel time in the water column
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Date and time
Salinity of the water column
Temperature of the water column
Metadata parameters
Electrical conductivity of the water column
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies

BODC idDate/TimeLocationDoc.
19036192008-02-21 20:09  — 2008-04-11 11:10 74° 30' 19" S  120° 15' 43" W — 51° 39' 25" S  57° 6' 22" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1903619
Discrete samples 
4  Expendable Bathythermograph