RRS James Clark Ross JR20121114 (JR280)

Cruise summary report

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Cruise Info.

Ship name (ship code)

RRS James Clark Ross (74JC)

Cruise identifier

JR20121114 (JR280)

Cruise period

2012-11-14 — 2012-12-11

Status

Completed

Port of departure

Stanley, Falkland Islands (Malvinas)

Port of return

Stanley, Falkland Islands (Malvinas)

Purpose

Research

Objectives

JR280 is a 16 day science cruise to the South Georgia region nested inside a combined logistic and science leg during voyage 22 of the RRS James Clark Ross. As part of the logistics element the ship undertook base reliefs at Bird Island and King Edward Point (South Georgia), and Signy (South Orkney Islands). During the science part of the cruise we undertook the Western Core Box survey to determine the distribution and biomass of krill northwest of South Georgia, refurbished the biological moorings in the South Georgia region and deployed a new biological mooring near Signy. In addition collaborators from the Max Planck Institute in Bremen investigated the N2O emission potential of the Antarctic krill Euphausia superba.

Since 1981 BAS have undertaken cruises to determine krill biomass as part of the ongoing assessment of the status of the marine ecosystem in the region of South Georgia. This unique time series, known as the Western Core Box, is part of the Ecosystem Programme contribution to BAS national capability. It comprises an acoustic grid survey of 8 transects each of 80 km in length, together with associated net and oceanographic sampling and the calibration of the acoustic instrumentation. Net sampling to catch live krill for experiments and observations was also undertaken at night.

In addition to the acoustic survey, which covers a wide area but has limited temporal coverage, there are three moorings (one in the Western Core Box, one southwest and one northwest of South Georgia) to provide a temporal context. These moorings are recovered during the cruise, refurbished and data downloaded, and then redeployed later in the cruise.

Chief scientist

Jonathan L Watkins (British Antarctic Survey)

Project

Ecosystems Programme: Western Core Box

Coordinating body

Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)

Cruise report

(7.36 MB)

Ocean/sea areas

General

South West Atlantic Ocean (limit 20W)
Southern Ocean

Specific

South Georgia

Track charts

(0.29 MB)

Measurements

Physical oceanography

Surface measurements underway (T,S)

Quantity: track kilometres = 7200
Description: ADCP

Bathythermograph

Quantity: number of profiles = 28
Description: XBT

Water bottle stations

Quantity: number of samples = 43
Description: CTD Water Samples

CTD stations

Quantity: number of profiles = 16
Description: CTD

CTD stations

Quantity: number of profiles = 6
Description: CTD

Subsurface temperature measurements

Description: Oxygen microsensors, pH

Chemical oceanography

Oxygen

Description: Oxygen microsensors, pH

Biology and fisheries

Biochemical measurements (eg lipids, amino acids)

Quantity: number of samples = 43
Description: Gas samples from krill incubation (recording 45N2O and 46N2O)

Zooplankton

Quantity: number of specimens = 800
Description: RMT8 - krill length measurements and photography

Zooplankton

Quantity: number of specimens = 815
Description: RMT8 - Macrozooplankton samples

Zooplankton

Quantity: number of samples = 43
Description: Krill samples

Acoustic reflection on marine organisms.

Quantity: activity duration in days = 25
Description: EK60 Multi-frequency scientific echo-sounder

Meteorology

Routine standard measurements

Quantity: track kilometres = 7200
Description: Onboard ships meteorological

Geology and geophysics

Single-beam echosounding

Quantity: track kilometres = 7200
Description: EA600 Single Beam

Multi-beam echosounding

Quantity: number of surveys = 2
Description: EM122 Swath

Moorings, landers, buoys

Physical oceanography

CTD stations

60° 34' 31" S 46° 31' 2" W — Site: Deployed - Signy Inaccessible Trench Water Depth: 700m Instrumentation: CTD, ADCP

CTD stations

55° 12' 19" S 41° 6' 25" W — Site: Recovered - P2 Water Depth: 3200m Instrumentation: Aquadoop current meter (1500m), Sediment Trap (1500m), Main Buoy - SBE CTD, RDI ADCP (near surface)

CTD stations

55° 14' 6" S 41° 13' 47" W — Site: Deployed - P2 Water Depth: 3383m Instrumentation: Aquadoop current meter (1500m), Sediment Trap (1500m), Main Buoy - SBE CTD, RDI ADCP (near surface)

CTD stations

53° 48' 7" S 37° 56' 37" W — Site: Recovered - Western Core Box Shallow Mooring Water Depth: 300m Instrumentation: Sonar bell (10m above release), Main buoy - (~240m) - ASL WCP, SBE CTD, RDI ADCP

CTD stations

53° 47' 52" S 37° 55' 31" W — Site: Deployed - Western Core Box Shallow Mooring Water Depth: 300m Instrumentation: Main buoy - (~240m) - ASL WCP, SBE CTD, RDI ADCP

CTD stations

52° 48' 37" S 40° 5' 46" W — Site: Recovered - P3 Water Depth: 3700m Instrumentation: Aquadoop current meter (2000m), Sediment Trap (2000m), Main Buoy - SBE CTD, RDI ADCP (near surface)

Current meters

55° 14' 6" S 41° 13' 47" W — Site: Deployed - P2 Water Depth: 3383m Instrumentation: Aquadoop current meter (1500m), Sediment Trap (1500m), Main Buoy - SBE CTD, RDI ADCP (near surface)

Current meters

52° 48' 37" S 40° 5' 46" W — Site: Recovered - P3 Water Depth: 3700m Instrumentation: Aquadoop current meter (2000m), Sediment Trap (2000m), Main Buoy - SBE CTD, RDI ADCP (near surface)

Current meters

55° 12' 19" S 41° 6' 25" W — Site: Recovered - P2 Water Depth: 3200m Instrumentation: Aquadoop current meter (1500m), Sediment Trap (1500m), Main Buoy - SBE CTD, RDI ADCP (near surface)

Current profiler (eg ADCP)

53° 48' 7" S 37° 56' 37" W — Site: Recovered - Western Core Box Shallow Mooring Water Depth: 300m Instrumentation: Sonar bell (10m above release), Main buoy - (~240m) - ASL WCP, SBE CTD, RDI ADCP

Current profiler (eg ADCP)

52° 48' 37" S 40° 5' 46" W — Site: Recovered - P3 Water Depth: 3700m Instrumentation: Aquadoop current meter (2000m), Sediment Trap (2000m), Main Buoy - SBE CTD, RDI ADCP (near surface)

Current profiler (eg ADCP)

55° 12' 19" S 41° 6' 25" W — Site: Recovered - P2 Water Depth: 3200m Instrumentation: Aquadoop current meter (1500m), Sediment Trap (1500m), Main Buoy - SBE CTD, RDI ADCP (near surface)

Current profiler (eg ADCP)

60° 34' 31" S 46° 31' 2" W — Site: Deployed - Signy Inaccessible Trench Water Depth: 700m Instrumentation: CTD, ADCP

Current profiler (eg ADCP)

55° 14' 6" S 41° 13' 47" W — Site: Deployed - P2 Water Depth: 3383m Instrumentation: Aquadoop current meter (1500m), Sediment Trap (1500m), Main Buoy - SBE CTD, RDI ADCP (near surface)

Current profiler (eg ADCP)

53° 47' 52" S 37° 55' 31" W — Site: Deployed - Western Core Box Shallow Mooring Water Depth: 300m Instrumentation: Main buoy - (~240m) - ASL WCP, SBE CTD, RDI ADCP

Biology and fisheries

Sediment traps

55° 12' 19" S 41° 6' 25" W — Site: Recovered - P2 Water Depth: 3200m Instrumentation: Aquadoop current meter (1500m), Sediment Trap (1500m), Main Buoy - SBE CTD, RDI ADCP (near surface)

Sediment traps

55° 14' 6" S 41° 13' 47" W — Site: Deployed - P2 Water Depth: 3383m Instrumentation: Aquadoop current meter (1500m), Sediment Trap (1500m), Main Buoy - SBE CTD, RDI ADCP (near surface)

Sediment traps

52° 48' 37" S 40° 5' 46" W — Site: Recovered - P3 Water Depth: 3700m Instrumentation: Aquadoop current meter (2000m), Sediment Trap (2000m), Main Buoy - SBE CTD, RDI ADCP (near surface)

Geology and geophysics

Single-beam echosounding

53° 47' 52" S 37° 55' 31" W — Site: Deployed - Western Core Box Shallow Mooring Water Depth: 300m Instrumentation: Main buoy - (~240m) - ASL WCP, SBE CTD, RDI ADCP

Single-beam echosounding

53° 48' 7" S 37° 56' 37" W — Site: Recovered - Western Core Box Shallow Mooring Water Depth: 300m Instrumentation: Sonar bell (10m above release), Main buoy - (~240m) - ASL WCP, SBE CTD, RDI ADCP

Long/short range side scan sonar

53° 48' 7" S 37° 56' 37" W — Site: Recovered - Western Core Box Shallow Mooring Water Depth: 300m Instrumentation: Sonar bell (10m above release), Main buoy - (~240m) - ASL WCP, SBE CTD, RDI ADCP

Long/short range side scan sonar

53° 47' 52" S 37° 55' 31" W — Site: Deployed - Western Core Box Shallow Mooring Water Depth: 300m Instrumentation: Main buoy - (~240m) - ASL WCP, SBE CTD, RDI ADCP

Data held at BODC

Get data

Series/Profiles

27 Bathythermograph (MBT/XBT)

Sound velocity and travel time in the water column
Reference numbers
Temperature of the water column
Vertical spatial coordinates

[Show series]

Sound velocity and travel time in the water column
Reference numbers
Temperature of the water column
Vertical spatial coordinates

[Hide series]

BODC id	Date/Time	Location
1809952	2012-12-03 09:00	53° 55' 34" S 38° 13' 14" W
1809847	2012-12-01 09:01	54° 3' 17" S 39° 23' 31" W
1809860	2012-12-01 10:12	53° 52' 40" S 39° 26' 40" W
1809872	2012-12-01 11:20	53° 42' 2" S 39° 29' 51" W
1809940	2012-12-02 13:41	53° 59' 39" S 38° 49' 6" W
1810049	2012-12-04 11:54	53° 31' 1" S 37° 50' 47" W
1810050	2012-12-04 13:02	53° 41' 38" S 37° 47' 12" W
1810074	2012-12-04 14:50	53° 51' 8" S 37° 35' 37" W
1810105	2012-12-04 18:14	53° 19' 25" S 37° 46' 15" W
1809859	2012-12-01 09:07	54° 2' 41" S 39° 23' 42" W
1809939	2012-12-02 12:32	53° 49' 3" S 38° 52' 26" W
1810001	2012-12-03 13:37	53° 13' 13" S 38° 26' 56" W
1810025	2012-12-04 09:36	53° 10' 26" S 37° 57' 39" W
1810062	2012-12-04 14:08	53° 52' 10" S 37° 43' 41" W
1810086	2012-12-04 15:58	53° 40' 29" S 37° 39' 11" W
1809896	2012-12-01 13:39	53° 20' 48" S 39° 36' 9" W
1810098	2012-12-04 17:05	53° 30' 0" S 37° 42' 48" W
1809915	2012-12-02 10:11	53° 27' 51" S 38° 59' 1" W
1809964	2012-12-03 10:08	53° 44' 57" S 38° 16' 36" W
1810037	2012-12-04 10:47	53° 20' 41" S 37° 54' 14" W
1809884	2012-12-01 12:29	53° 31' 25" S 39° 32' 59" W
1809976	2012-12-03 11:16	53° 34' 24" S 38° 20' 5" W
1809988	2012-12-03 12:26	53° 23' 47" S 38° 23' 30" W
1810013	2012-12-04 09:30	53° 9' 52" S 37° 57' 50" W
1809927	2012-12-02 11:20	53° 38' 28" S 38° 55' 49" W
1810117	2012-12-04 19:24	53° 8' 52" S 37° 49' 56" W
1809903	2012-12-02 09:00	53° 17' 33" S 39° 5' 5" W

15 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

[Show series]

[Hide series]

BODC id	Date/Time	Location
1793259	2012-11-28 12:53	60° 35' 2" S 46° 35' 2" W
1793296	2012-12-02 05:22	53° 29' 34" S 39° 15' 2" W
1793260	2012-11-29 23:01	55° 12' 21" S 41° 6' 15" W
1793272	2012-11-30 16:01	52° 48' 27" S 40° 7' 19" W
1793327	2012-12-03 21:56	53° 47' 42" S 37° 56' 25" W
1793340	2012-12-04 07:05	53° 21' 34" S 38° 5' 3" W
1793352	2012-12-05 02:20	53° 39' 59" S 38° 5' 12" W
1793388	2012-12-07 11:12	52° 48' 32" S 40° 2' 59" W
1793376	2012-12-06 12:16	53° 47' 52" S 37° 56' 30" W
1793303	2012-12-02 20:34	53° 25' 55" S 38° 41' 44" W
1793339	2012-12-03 23:09	53° 42' 51" S 37° 57' 57" W
1793284	2012-12-01 20:27	53° 50' 46" S 39° 8' 38" W
1793364	2012-12-05 11:28	54° 9' 31" S 36° 41' 46" W
1793407	2012-12-08 10:37	55° 12' 9" S 41° 3' 24" W
1793315	2012-12-03 05:56	53° 47' 6" S 38° 35' 3" W

Discrete samples

28 Expendable Bathythermograph

Resources

RRS James Clark Ross JR20121114 (JR280)

Cruise summary report

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BODC holdings

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