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RRS James Cook JC048

Cruise summary report

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)RRS James Cook (740H)
Cruise identifierJC048
Cruise period2010-05-26 — 2010-07-03
StatusCompleted
Port of departureSt. John's, Canada
Port of returnVigo, Spain
PurposeResearch
ObjectivesThis was the fourth and last cruise undertaken as part of the NERC-funded consortium project (NE/C512961/1) entitled ECOMAR - Ecosystem of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at the Sub-Polar Front and Charlie Gibbs Fracture Zone. http://www.oceanlab.abdn.ac.uk/ecomar/index.php

ECOMAR forms part of the Census of Marine Life MAR-ECO project which is an international study of life in the northern mid-Atlantic Ocean with scientists from 16 nations participating in research of the waters around the mid-Atlantic Ridge from Iceland to the Azores (http://www.mar-eco.no).

Depart: Wednesday, 26 May, St Johns, Newfoundland, Canada.

Long term moorings were recovered at four super stations at a bottom depth of 2500m equipped with sediment traps, current meters, ADCP and sensor suites, SE - 49°01.92'N, 27°40.82'W, SW - 48°46.80'N, 28°38.43'W, NW - 53°59.33'N, 36°07.39'W and NE 54°00.05'N 34°10.58'W. Video and still images of the sea floor were obtained during 4 lander deployments and 21 ISIS ROV dives. Faunas samples were taken on 17 of these ROV dives, further samples from 13 successful megacorer casts and 4 baited traps. High definition video sea floor surveys were completed of approximately 50,000 m2 of sea floor.

Arrive: Vigo, Spain, Saturday 3 July 2010.
Chief scientistImants G Priede (University of Aberdeen, Oceanlab)
ProjectECOMAR - Ecosystem of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at the Sub-Polar Front
Coordinating bodyUniversity of Aberdeen, Oceanlab
Cruise reportRRS James Cook JC048 cruise report jc048.pdf (4.06 MB) 
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralNorth East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W)
SpecificNorth East Atlantic Ocean
Track chartsRRS James Cook JC048 cruise track — jc048trk.pdf (0.22 MB) 
Measurements 
Physical oceanography 
CTD stationsQuantity: number of profiles = 29
Description: To study water masses and flow around the Mid Atlantic Ridge
Biology and fisheries 
NektonQuantity: number of dives = 2
Description: Pelagic sampling and imaging
ZoobenthosQuantity: number of dives = 12
Description: Benthic sampling and imaging
ZoobenthosQuantity: number of dives = 7
Description: Video line transects of the sea floor
Other biological/fisheries measurementQuantity: number of cores = 13
Description: To study benthic infauna, sediment core samples
Geology and geophysics 
Core - soft bottomQuantity: number of cores = 13
Description: To study benthic infauna, sediment core samples
Moorings, landers, buoys 
Physical oceanography 
Current meters48° 46' 49" N  28° 38' 29" W — ECOMAR SW Mooring recovered with sediment traps, current meters etc. Deployed in 2009
Current meters53° 59' 20" N  36° 7' 22" W — ECOMAR NW Mooring recovered with sediment traps, current meters etc. Deployed in 2009
Current meters54° 0' 2" N  34° 10' 36" W — ECOMAR NE Mooring recovered with sediment traps, current meters etc. Deployed in 2009
Current meters49° 2' 35" N  27° 43' 28" W — ECOMAR SE Mooring recovered with sediment traps, current meters etc. Deployed in 2009.
Current profiler (eg ADCP)53° 59' 20" N  36° 7' 22" W — ECOMAR NW Mooring recovered with sediment traps, current meters etc. Deployed in 2009
Current profiler (eg ADCP)54° 0' 2" N  34° 10' 36" W — ECOMAR NE Mooring recovered with sediment traps, current meters etc. Deployed in 2009
Current profiler (eg ADCP)49° 2' 35" N  27° 43' 28" W — ECOMAR SE Mooring recovered with sediment traps, current meters etc. Deployed in 2009.
Current profiler (eg ADCP)48° 46' 49" N  28° 38' 29" W — ECOMAR SW Mooring recovered with sediment traps, current meters etc. Deployed in 2009
Biology and fisheries 
Sediment traps49° 2' 35" N  27° 43' 28" W — ECOMAR SE Mooring recovered with sediment traps, current meters etc. Deployed in 2009.
Sediment traps54° 0' 2" N  34° 10' 36" W — ECOMAR NE Mooring recovered with sediment traps, current meters etc. Deployed in 2009
Sediment traps53° 59' 20" N  36° 7' 22" W — ECOMAR NW Mooring recovered with sediment traps, current meters etc. Deployed in 2009
Sediment traps48° 46' 49" N  28° 38' 29" W — ECOMAR SW Mooring recovered with sediment traps, current meters etc. Deployed in 2009
Demersal fish48° 46' 19" N  28° 38' 26" W — PAL lander Fish photography
Demersal fish53° 58' 23" N  36° 8' 13" W — PAL lander Fish photography
Demersal fish54° 4' 55" N  34° 8' 41" W — PAL lander Fish photography
Demersal fish49° 1' 51" N  27° 42' 5" W — PAL lander Fish photography
Crustaceans53° 59' 18" N  36° 8' 4" W — Baited Amphipod Trap
Crustaceans48° 47' 20" N  28° 38' 26" W — Baited Amphipod Trap
Crustaceans49° 2' 0" N  27° 43' 26" W — Baited Amphipod Trap
Crustaceans54° 3' 56" N  34° 9' 7" W — Baited Amphipod Trap