Resources

RRS James Cook JC094

Cruise summary report

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)RRS James Cook (740H)
Cruise identifierJC094
Cruise period2013-10-13 — 2013-11-29
StatusCompleted
Port of departureSanta Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Port of returnPort of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
PurposeResearch
ObjectivesReconstructing abrupt Changes in Chemistry and Circulation of the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean: Implications for global Climate and deep-water Habitats.

Objectives

(a) Controls on coral habitats past and present
Studying what controls the distribution of corals today and in the past requires systematic mapping, imaging and collections from deep-water coral habitats. Shipboard swath bathymetry was used for an overview of each feature, and to select sampling sites. Systematic dives up the slopes of each feature allowed collection of video, stills, live and fossil corals and seawater. In addition microbathymetry of unusual habitats was to gin a wider overview. Coral associates were imaged and collected to add depth to our knowledge of the coral habitats.

(b) Development of geochemical proxies
Core top sediments, live calcified corals and sponges were collected across a range of depths with associated seawater with sampling focused on the greatest possible range of environmental parameters (e.g. temperature, nutrient status, water mass). These samples will be used to test geochemical proxies.

(c) Reconstruction of past climate
Sediment cores and fossil corals were collected across the basin and at a range of depths to allow a history of the Atlantic to be reconstructed.

(d) Ancillary Studies.
A number of other collections were also made including plastics, rocks, sponges and genetics samples.
Chief scientistLaura F Robinson (University of Bristol School of Earth Sciences)
ProjectTracing Oceanic Processes using Corals and Sediments (TROPICS)
Coordinating bodyNatural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Cruise reportRRS James Cook JC094 cruise report jc094.pdf (21.98 MB) 
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralNorth East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W)
SpecificEquatorial Atlantic
Track chartsRRS James Cook JC094 cruise track — jc094trk.pdf (0.22 MB) 
Measurements 
Physical oceanography 
CTD stationsQuantity: number of deployments = 19
Description: ROV deployments. One aborted, the rest successful. Video, Digital stills, push cores, water samples, CTD data, sediment cores, benthic litter, seafloor fauna (live and fossil)
CTD stationsQuantity: number of profiles = 6
Description: Five full depth, one test CTD with water samples taken for geochemical analyses including nutrients, oxygen, oxygen isotopes, silica isotopes, U-series, 14C, carbonate chemistry
Other physical oceanographic measurementsQuantity: number of samples = 52
Description: Filtered water from underway system
Chemical oceanography 
Other chemical oceanographic measurementsQuantity: number of samples = 30
Description: Niskin water sample collected with Megacore deployments
Biology and fisheries 
ZoobenthosQuantity: number of deployments = 19
Description: ROV deployments. One aborted, the rest successful. Video, Digital stills, push cores, water samples, CTD data, sediment cores, benthic litter, seafloor fauna (live and fossil)
Other biological/fisheries measurementQuantity: number of deployments = 19
Description: ROV deployments. One aborted, the rest successful. Video, Digital stills, push cores, water samples, CTD data, sediment cores, benthic litter, seafloor fauna (live and fossil)
Geology and geophysics 
DredgeQuantity: number of deployments = 1
Description: Benthic fauna and fossil corals.
Core - soft bottomQuantity: number of cores = 1
Description: Piston core (+ 1 trigger core)
Core - soft bottomQuantity: number of deployments = 19
Description: ROV deployments. One aborted, the rest successful. Video, Digital stills, push cores, water samples, CTD data, sediment cores, benthic litter, seafloor fauna (live and fossil)
Core - soft bottomQuantity: number of cores = 7
Description: Gravity cores
Core - soft bottomQuantity: number of cores = 1
Description: Box core recovered
Core - soft bottomQuantity: number of cores = 30
Description: Individual Mega cores recovered.
Bottom photographyQuantity: number of deployments = 19
Description: ROV deployments. One aborted, the rest successful. Video, Digital stills, push cores, water samples, CTD data, sediment cores, benthic litter, seafloor fauna (live and fossil)
Multi-beam echosoundingQuantity: survey square kilometres = 7575
Description: EM120 Multibeam data for bathymetry and habitat mapping