RRS James Cook JC062
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |||||||||
| Ship name (ship code) | RRS James Cook (740H) | ||||||||
| Cruise identifier | JC062 | ||||||||
| Cruise period | 2011-07-24 — 2011-08-29 | ||||||||
| Status | Completed | ||||||||
| Port of departure | Falmouth, United Kingdom | ||||||||
| Port of return | Falmouth, United Kingdom | ||||||||
| Purpose | Research | ||||||||
| Objectives | While there has been an increase in the understanding of how climate and surface processes affect deep-sea communities, the ability to understand these links further is thought to be limited by sampling error from undetected habitat heterogeneity (i.e. irregular or uneven habitat distributions). Features like hills, valleys, depressions, small rock outcrops, and biogenic mounds add to habitat complexity, but links between such features and the animals that live among them are very poorly resolved in abyssal plain habitats using current methods.
Our efforts aimed to address the following objectives: 1. We serviced the PAP1, PAP3 and Bathysnap long-term observatory systems. These systems provide data that is critical in understanding connections between climate, surface ocean processes, and change in deep-sea habitats. 2. We ecologically surveyed the region around the PAP - Sustained Observatory (SO) to understand how the topography of the seabed alters the abundance and distribution of fauna in abyssal habitats. This surveying employed the use of acoustic mapping, megacoring, box coring, a baited camera lander, towed cameras, an amphipod trap, and trawling. 3. We also conducted a number of specialised research studies including research on low bandwidth observatory telecommunications, phytoplankton community structure, bioluminescence, the impacts of crude oil on benthic sediment communities, and the effects of pressure on photoreceptors, and the potential impacts of trawling on slope habitats in the Porcupine Seabight. These studies took advantage of the equipment above with the addition of conductivity temperature and depth (CTD) rosette casts and laboratory facilities. The cruise achieved its main objectives including servicing of mooring infrastructure, ecological mapping of the PAP area, and a survey of potentially impacted sponge communities on the N PSB slope. We were favoured by good weather and what proved to be mainly minor issues with winches and other equipment. We surveyed three abyssal plain areas and four hill areas within the greater vicinity of the PAP-SO. At all of these seven sites we conducted a WASP transect and at least 5 megacore deployments. At all seven survey sites except PAP Cent. we conducted a baited camera and ampipod trap deployment as the deposition of ballast at PAP Cent. was to be avoided. At the PAP Cent. site we also conducted series of five box core deployments. Details on specific activities, their objectives and initial results are provided below including ancillary activities conducted at Goban Spur and the Porcupine Seabight. | ||||||||
| Chief scientist | Henry Ruhl (National Oceanography Centre, Southampton) | ||||||||
| Project | Porcupine Abyssal Plain - Sustained Observatory (PAP-SO); OCEANS 2025 | ||||||||
| Coordinating body | Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) | ||||||||
| Cruise report |  (2.46 MB) | ||||||||
| Ocean/sea areas | |||||||||
| General | North East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W) | ||||||||
| Specific | Porcupine Abyssal Plain | ||||||||
| Track charts | (0.25 MB) | ||||||||
| Measurements | |||||||||
| Physical oceanography | |||||||||
| Surface measurements underway (T,S) | Quantity: activity duration in days = 35 Description: Sea surface hydrography and meteorology system (2 x Kipp & Zonen CM6B, 2 x SKYE 510, Vaisala HMP45A, Vaisala PTB110, Gill Windsonic option 3, WET Labs WETStar, WET Labs CSTAR, Sea-Bird SBE 45, Sea-Bird SBE 38) | ||||||||
| Water bottle stations | Quantity: number of stations = 10 Description: CTD (Sea-Bird SBE 911plus with digiquartz and dual SBE 3P & SBE 4C sensors, Sea-Bird SBE 32 24-way carousel, Sea-Bird SBE 43, Benthos PSA-916T, Aquatracka MKIII, 2 x Chelsea 2pi PAR or ISUS nitrate, WETLabs BBRTD, Chelsea Aquatracka MKII) | ||||||||
| CTD stations | Quantity: number of stations = 10 Description: CTD (Sea-Bird SBE 911plus with digiquartz and dual SBE 3P & SBE 4C sensors, Sea-Bird SBE 32 24-way carousel, Sea-Bird SBE 43, Benthos PSA-916T, Aquatracka MKIII, 2 x Chelsea 2pi PAR or ISUS nitrate, WETLabs BBRTD, Chelsea Aquatracka MKII) | ||||||||
| Transparency (eg transmissometer) | Quantity: activity duration in days = 35 Description: Sea surface hydrography and meteorology system (2 x Kipp & Zonen CM6B, 2 x SKYE 510, Vaisala HMP45A, Vaisala PTB110, Gill Windsonic option 3, WET Labs WETStar, WET Labs CSTAR, Sea-Bird SBE 45, Sea-Bird SBE 38) | ||||||||
| Current profiler (eg ADCP) | Quantity: activity duration in days = 35 Description: Teledyne RDI Ocean Observer (75 kHz/150 kHz) ADCP (hull mounted) | ||||||||
| Chemical oceanography | |||||||||
| Other chemical oceanographic measurements | Quantity: number of stations = 65 Description: Dissolved inorganic carbon (non-toxic supply) | ||||||||
| Contamination | |||||||||
| Other contaminant measurements | Quantity: number of experiments = 3 Description: Crude oil spill impact experiments (with sediment cores and near bottom seawater) | ||||||||
| Biology and fisheries | |||||||||
| Phytoplankton pigs (eg chlorophyll, fluorescence) | Quantity: number of stations = 4 Description: Bioluminescence (CTD profiles and incubation experiments to assess light effect). Supplementary analysis includes; taxonomic analysis of phytoplankton (lugols), picoplankton and bacteria (flow cytometry) and luciferin | ||||||||
| Phytoplankton pigs (eg chlorophyll, fluorescence) | Quantity: number of stations = 77 Description: Phytoplankton community (CTD profiles and non-toxic supply). Supplementary analysis includes plant pigment (HPLC), light microscopy (lugols), flow cytometry and coccolithophore enumeration by SEM | ||||||||
| Phytoplankton pigs (eg chlorophyll, fluorescence) | Quantity: activity duration in days = 35 Description: Sea surface hydrography and meteorology system (2 x Kipp & Zonen CM6B, 2 x SKYE 510, Vaisala HMP45A, Vaisala PTB110, Gill Windsonic option 3, WET Labs WETStar, WET Labs CSTAR, Sea-Bird SBE 45, Sea-Bird SBE 38) | ||||||||
| Phytoplankton pigs (eg chlorophyll, fluorescence) | Quantity: number of stations = 1 Description: Fast Repetition Rate Fluorometer (FRRF) (Chelsae FASTtracka operated in continuous flow-through mode) | ||||||||
| Particulate organic matter (inc POC, PON) | Quantity: number of stations = 1 Description: SAPS (600 m, 293 mm GF/F) | ||||||||
| Biochemical measurements (eg lipids, amino acids) | Quantity: number of stations = 4 Description: Bioluminescence (CTD profiles and incubation experiments to assess light effect). Supplementary analysis includes; taxonomic analysis of phytoplankton (lugols), picoplankton and bacteria (flow cytometry) and luciferin | ||||||||
| Phytoplankton | Quantity: number of stations = 4 Description: Bioluminescence (CTD profiles and incubation experiments to assess light effect). Supplementary analysis includes; taxonomic analysis of phytoplankton (lugols), picoplankton and bacteria (flow cytometry) and luciferin | ||||||||
| Phytoplankton | Quantity: number of stations = 77 Description: Phytoplankton community (CTD profiles and non-toxic supply). Supplementary analysis includes plant pigment (HPLC), light microscopy (lugols), flow cytometry and coccolithophore enumeration by SEM | ||||||||
| Zooplankton | Quantity: number of stations = 1 Description: Zooplankton ring net tow (vertical tow, 200 µm mesh, 200 m - surface) | ||||||||
| Pelagic bacteria/micro-organisms | Quantity: number of stations = 4 Description: Bioluminescence (CTD profiles and incubation experiments to assess light effect). Supplementary analysis includes; taxonomic analysis of phytoplankton (lugols), picoplankton and bacteria (flow cytometry) and luciferin | ||||||||
| Phytobenthos | Quantity: number of hauls = 2 Description: Otter trawl Semi Balloon (OTSB-14). Spread = 8.6 m, stretch mesh = 44 mm (main), 37 mm (middle), 13 mm (cod end liner) | ||||||||
| Phytobenthos | Quantity: number of track lines = 15 Description: WASP (OSIL Mk7 still camera, Sony DCR-VX1000E video camera) | ||||||||
| Phytobenthos | Quantity: number of deployments = 72 Description: Megacore samples | ||||||||
| Phytobenthos | Quantity: number of cores = 7 Description: Box core | ||||||||
| Meteorology | |||||||||
| Routine standard measurements | Quantity: activity duration in days = 35 Description: Sea surface hydrography and meteorology system (2 x Kipp & Zonen CM6B, 2 x SKYE 510, Vaisala HMP45A, Vaisala PTB110, Gill Windsonic option 3, WET Labs WETStar, WET Labs CSTAR, Sea-Bird SBE 45, Sea-Bird SBE 38) | ||||||||
| Geology and geophysics | |||||||||
| Dredge | Quantity: number of hauls = 2 Description: Otter trawl Semi Balloon (OTSB-14). Spread = 8.6 m, stretch mesh = 44 mm (main), 37 mm (middle), 13 mm (cod end liner) | ||||||||
| Core - soft bottom | Quantity: number of cores = 7 Description: Box core | ||||||||
| Core - soft bottom | Quantity: number of deployments = 72 Description: Megacore samples | ||||||||
| Bottom photography | Quantity: number of track lines = 15 Description: WASP (OSIL Mk7 still camera, Sony DCR-VX1000E video camera) | ||||||||
| Single-beam echosounding | Quantity: activity duration in days = 35 Description: Echosounding (SIMRAD SBP 120 Sub bottom profiler, SIMRAD EA600 Single beam echo sounder, SIMRAD EM120 System, SIMRAD EM120 Deep water multibeam, Simrad EK-60 Fisheries echo sounder, SIMRAD EM710 Shallow Water Multibeam) | ||||||||
| Multi-beam echosounding | Quantity: activity duration in days = 35 Description: Echosounding (SIMRAD SBP 120 Sub bottom profiler, SIMRAD EA600 Single beam echo sounder, SIMRAD EM120 System, SIMRAD EM120 Deep water multibeam, Simrad EK-60 Fisheries echo sounder, SIMRAD EM710 Shallow Water Multibeam) | ||||||||
| Moorings, landers, buoys | |||||||||
| Physical oceanography | |||||||||
| Surface drifters/drifting buoys | 49° 0' 48" N 16° 22' 10" W — PAP 1 service and deployment due to telemetry problems 11/8/2011 (ISUS, Seaguard, NAS 3x, 2 x microcats SBE IMP, 6 x Star-Oddis micro CTDs, Osmotic sampler, ProOceanus pCO2, 2 x Satlantic radiometers, ODAS buoy, Oceanographic sensor frame) | ||||||||
| Surface drifters/drifting buoys | 49° 0' 48" N 16° 22' 10" W — PAP1 recovery 28/7/2011 (ISUS, Seaguard, NAS 3x, Wetlabs Eco FLNTUSB, 2 x microcats SBE IMP, ProOceanus pCO2 & GTD, 2 x Satlantic radiometers, ODAS buoy, Oceanographic sensor frame) | ||||||||
| Surface drifters/drifting buoys | 48° 59' 21" N 16° 29' 33" W — PAP3 deployment 27/7/2011 (2 x RCM8 , 3 x parflux sediment traps, microcat) | ||||||||
| Surface drifters/drifting buoys | 48° 59' 21" N 16° 29' 33" W — PAP3 recovery 27/7/2011 (2 x RCM8 , 3 x parflux sediment traps) | ||||||||
| Surface drifters/drifting buoys | 49° 0' 48" N 16° 22' 10" W — PAP 1 service and deployment due to telemetry problems 16/8/2011 (ISUS, Seaguard, NAS 3x, 2 x microcats SBE IMP, 6 x Star-Oddis micro CTDs, Osmotic sampler, ProOceanus pCO2, 2 x Satlantic radiometers, ODAS buoy, Oceanographic sensor frame) | ||||||||
| Surface drifters/drifting buoys | 49° 0' 48" N 16° 22' 10" W — PAP1 deployment 29/7/2011 (ISUS, Seaguard, NAS 3x, 2 x microcats SBE IMP, 6 x Star-Oddis micro CTDs, Osmotic sampler, ProOceanus pCO2, 2 x Satlantic radiometers, ODAS buoy, Oceanographic sensor frame) | ||||||||
| Chemical oceanography | |||||||||
| Other chemical oceanographic measurements | 49° 0' 48" N 16° 22' 10" W — PAP 1 service and deployment due to telemetry problems 11/8/2011 (ISUS, Seaguard, NAS 3x, 2 x microcats SBE IMP, 6 x Star-Oddis micro CTDs, Osmotic sampler, ProOceanus pCO2, 2 x Satlantic radiometers, ODAS buoy, Oceanographic sensor frame) | ||||||||
| Other chemical oceanographic measurements | 49° 0' 48" N 16° 22' 10" W — PAP 1 service and deployment due to telemetry problems 16/8/2011 (ISUS, Seaguard, NAS 3x, 2 x microcats SBE IMP, 6 x Star-Oddis micro CTDs, Osmotic sampler, ProOceanus pCO2, 2 x Satlantic radiometers, ODAS buoy, Oceanographic sensor frame) | ||||||||
| Other chemical oceanographic measurements | 49° 0' 48" N 16° 22' 10" W — PAP1 recovery 28/7/2011 (ISUS, Seaguard, NAS 3x, Wetlabs Eco FLNTUSB, 2 x microcats SBE IMP, ProOceanus pCO2 & GTD, 2 x Satlantic radiometers, ODAS buoy, Oceanographic sensor frame) | ||||||||
| Other chemical oceanographic measurements | 49° 0' 48" N 16° 22' 10" W — PAP1 deployment 29/7/2011 (ISUS, Seaguard, NAS 3x, 2 x microcats SBE IMP, 6 x Star-Oddis micro CTDs, Osmotic sampler, ProOceanus pCO2, 2 x Satlantic radiometers, ODAS buoy, Oceanographic sensor frame) | ||||||||
| Biology and fisheries | |||||||||
| Particulate organic matter (inc POC, PON) | 48° 59' 21" N 16° 29' 33" W — PAP3 recovery 27/7/2011 (2 x RCM8 , 3 x parflux sediment traps) | ||||||||
| Particulate organic matter (inc POC, PON) | 48° 59' 21" N 16° 29' 33" W — PAP3 deployment 27/7/2011 (2 x RCM8 , 3 x parflux sediment traps, microcat) | ||||||||
| Zoobenthos | 49° 4' 14" N 16° 15' 53" W — Baited camera lander deployment (21/8/2011 - 22/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Zoobenthos | 48° 52' 22" N 16° 17' 43" W — Baited camera lander deployment (10/8/2011 - 11/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Zoobenthos | 49° 0' 20" N 16° 26' 53" W — Bathysnap recovery (30/7/2011) | ||||||||
| Zoobenthos | 49° 4' 53" N 16° 40' 13" W — Baited camera lander deployment (8/8/2011 - 9/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Zoobenthos | 48° 57' 8" N 16° 32' 46" W — Amphipod trap deployment (17/8/2011 - 18/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Zoobenthos | 48° 58' 59" N 16° 43' 45" W — Baited camera lander deployment (4/8/2011 - 6/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Zoobenthos | 48° 58' 32" N 16° 43' 58" W — Amphipod trap deployment (4/8/2011 - 6/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Zoobenthos | 49° 4' 41" N 16° 15' 39" W — Amphipod trap deployment (21/8/2011 - 22/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Zoobenthos | 49° 5' 49" N 16° 18' 43" W — Amphipod trap deployment (13/8/2011 - 14/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Zoobenthos | 49° 5' 21" N 16° 40' 0" W — Amphipod trap deployment (8/8/2011 - 9/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Zoobenthos | 49° 0' 21" N 16° 26' 55" W — Bathysnap deployment (4/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Zoobenthos | 48° 57' 41" N 16° 32' 45" W — Baited camera lander deployment (17/8/2011 - 18/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Zoobenthos | 48° 52' 48" N 16° 17' 30" W — Amphipod trap deployment (10/8/2011 - 11/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Zoobenthos | 49° 5' 9" N 16° 18' 59" W — Baited camera lander deployment (13/8/2011 - 14/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Zoobenthos | 49° 0' 21" N 16° 27' 3" W — Bathysnap deployment (21/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | 49° 0' 48" N 16° 22' 10" W — PAP1 recovery 28/7/2011 (ISUS, Seaguard, NAS 3x, Wetlabs Eco FLNTUSB, 2 x microcats SBE IMP, ProOceanus pCO2 & GTD, 2 x Satlantic radiometers, ODAS buoy, Oceanographic sensor frame) | ||||||||
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | 49° 0' 48" N 16° 22' 10" W — PAP 1 service and deployment due to telemetry problems 16/8/2011 (ISUS, Seaguard, NAS 3x, 2 x microcats SBE IMP, 6 x Star-Oddis micro CTDs, Osmotic sampler, ProOceanus pCO2, 2 x Satlantic radiometers, ODAS buoy, Oceanographic sensor frame) | ||||||||
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | 49° 0' 48" N 16° 22' 10" W — PAP 1 service and deployment due to telemetry problems 11/8/2011 (ISUS, Seaguard, NAS 3x, 2 x microcats SBE IMP, 6 x Star-Oddis micro CTDs, Osmotic sampler, ProOceanus pCO2, 2 x Satlantic radiometers, ODAS buoy, Oceanographic sensor frame) | ||||||||
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | 49° 0' 48" N 16° 22' 10" W — PAP1 deployment 29/7/2011 (ISUS, Seaguard, NAS 3x, 2 x microcats SBE IMP, 6 x Star-Oddis micro CTDs, Osmotic sampler, ProOceanus pCO2, 2 x Satlantic radiometers, ODAS buoy, Oceanographic sensor frame) | ||||||||
| Meteorology | |||||||||
| Other meteorological measurements | 49° 0' 48" N 16° 22' 10" W — PAP1 recovery 28/7/2011 (ISUS, Seaguard, NAS 3x, Wetlabs Eco FLNTUSB, 2 x microcats SBE IMP, ProOceanus pCO2 & GTD, 2 x Satlantic radiometers, ODAS buoy, Oceanographic sensor frame) | ||||||||
| Other meteorological measurements | 49° 0' 48" N 16° 22' 10" W — PAP 1 service and deployment due to telemetry problems 11/8/2011 (ISUS, Seaguard, NAS 3x, 2 x microcats SBE IMP, 6 x Star-Oddis micro CTDs, Osmotic sampler, ProOceanus pCO2, 2 x Satlantic radiometers, ODAS buoy, Oceanographic sensor frame) | ||||||||
| Other meteorological measurements | 49° 0' 48" N 16° 22' 10" W — PAP 1 service and deployment due to telemetry problems 16/8/2011 (ISUS, Seaguard, NAS 3x, 2 x microcats SBE IMP, 6 x Star-Oddis micro CTDs, Osmotic sampler, ProOceanus pCO2, 2 x Satlantic radiometers, ODAS buoy, Oceanographic sensor frame) | ||||||||
| Other meteorological measurements | 49° 0' 48" N 16° 22' 10" W — PAP1 deployment 29/7/2011 (ISUS, Seaguard, NAS 3x, 2 x microcats SBE IMP, 6 x Star-Oddis micro CTDs, Osmotic sampler, ProOceanus pCO2, 2 x Satlantic radiometers, ODAS buoy, Oceanographic sensor frame) | ||||||||
| Geology and geophysics | |||||||||
| Bottom photography | 49° 0' 21" N 16° 26' 55" W — Bathysnap deployment (4/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Bottom photography | 48° 57' 41" N 16° 32' 45" W — Baited camera lander deployment (17/8/2011 - 18/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Bottom photography | 49° 4' 14" N 16° 15' 53" W — Baited camera lander deployment (21/8/2011 - 22/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Bottom photography | 48° 52' 22" N 16° 17' 43" W — Baited camera lander deployment (10/8/2011 - 11/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Bottom photography | 49° 4' 53" N 16° 40' 13" W — Baited camera lander deployment (8/8/2011 - 9/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Bottom photography | 48° 58' 59" N 16° 43' 45" W — Baited camera lander deployment (4/8/2011 - 6/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Bottom photography | 49° 0' 20" N 16° 26' 53" W — Bathysnap recovery (30/7/2011) | ||||||||
| Bottom photography | 49° 5' 9" N 16° 18' 59" W — Baited camera lander deployment (13/8/2011 - 14/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Bottom photography | 49° 0' 21" N 16° 27' 3" W — Bathysnap deployment (21/8/2011) | ||||||||
| In-situ seafloor measurement/sampling | 49° 5' 49" N 16° 18' 43" W — Amphipod trap deployment (13/8/2011 - 14/8/2011) | ||||||||
| In-situ seafloor measurement/sampling | 48° 52' 48" N 16° 17' 30" W — Amphipod trap deployment (10/8/2011 - 11/8/2011) | ||||||||
| In-situ seafloor measurement/sampling | 48° 57' 8" N 16° 32' 46" W — Amphipod trap deployment (17/8/2011 - 18/8/2011) | ||||||||
| In-situ seafloor measurement/sampling | 48° 58' 32" N 16° 43' 58" W — Amphipod trap deployment (4/8/2011 - 6/8/2011) | ||||||||
| In-situ seafloor measurement/sampling | 49° 4' 41" N 16° 15' 39" W — Amphipod trap deployment (21/8/2011 - 22/8/2011) | ||||||||
| In-situ seafloor measurement/sampling | 49° 5' 21" N 16° 40' 0" W — Amphipod trap deployment (8/8/2011 - 9/8/2011) | ||||||||
| Data held at BODC | Get data | ||||||||
| Series/Profiles | |||||||||
| 1 Fluorometers | Reference numbers Moored instrument depth Date and time Salinity of the water column Temperature of the water column Electrical conductivity of the water column Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies Reference numbers Moored instrument depth Date and time Salinity of the water column Temperature of the water column Electrical conductivity of the water column Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies
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| 1 In-situ dissolved gas analyser | Reference numbers Date and time Dissolved concentration parameters for other gases in the water column Partial pressure (pCO2) and fugacity (fCO2) of carbon dioxide in the water column Reference numbers Date and time Dissolved concentration parameters for other gases in the water column Partial pressure (pCO2) and fugacity (fCO2) of carbon dioxide in the water column
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| Discrete samples | |||||||||
| 7 Box core | |||||||||
| 10 CTD frame plus rosette sampler | Salinity of the water column | ||||||||
| 6 Instrument mooring | |||||||||
| 72 Multicorer | |||||||||
| 65 Sample taken from ship's non-toxic supply | |||||||||
| 1 Stand-alone pumps | |||||||||
| 15 Underwater camera system | |||||||||
| 1 WP-2 zooplankton net | |||||||||
| 6 | |||||||||
| 3 | |||||||||
| 2 | |||||||||
| 7 |
