RRS Ernest Shackleton ES006
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ship name (ship code) | RRS Ernest Shackleton (74EE) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cruise identifier | ES006 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cruise period | 2003-01-22 — 2003-03-11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Completed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Port of departure | Stanley, Falkland Islands (Malvinas) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Port of return | Stanley, Falkland Islands (Malvinas) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purpose | Research | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Objectives | ES006 was a joint British/Norwegian cruise to the Weddell Sea. As part of a memorandum of understanding between the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research and the British Antarctic Survey, this was a joint effort to study the coastal current flowing into the Weddell Sea, and the Ice Shelf Water overflow at Filchner Sill. Data were shared between both institutions, while most of the equipment used on the cruise was supplied by the Bjerknes Centre. A total of 91 CTD casts were made during the cruise, across Filchner Trough, and along and across the shelf break. One mooring (S2) was deployed on the western side of Filchner Sill; it was recovered two years later from RRS James Clark Ross on cruise JR097. This cruise was part of the GIANTS-RISOC (Global Interactions of the ANTarctic ice Sheet - Response of the Ice Shelf-Ocean system to Climate) project at BAS, and the Norwegian Antarctic Research Expedition 2001/02.
In addition, three moorings were deployed near the Brunt Ice Shelf as part of the Halley Lifetime Study at BAS. Two of these were recovered two years later from RRS James Clark Ross on cruise JR097. They had both sustained damage from iceberg impacts, and had been moved from their original positions, most likely by icebergs. The third mooring could not be located or recovered. The cruise was originally scheduled to take place in 2002, but was postponed a year because of severe sea ice conditions in the Weddell Sea in early 2002. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chief scientist | Bogi Hansen (Faroese Fisheries Laboratory) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Project | GIANTS-RISOC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinating body | British Antarctic Survey (BAS) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cruise report |  (4.88 MB) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ocean/sea areas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| General | Southern Ocean | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Specific | Weddell Sea (Filchner Trough, Filchner Sill, Polarstern Canyon, Helmert Bank) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track charts | (0.06 MB) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Measurements | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Physical oceanography | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CTD stations | Quantity: number of profiles = 91 Description: CTD casts, using Sea-Bird Electronics 9+ with single temperature/conductivity sensors, rosette with four 1.7-liter Niskin bottles. Downward-looking 300-kHz LADCP used on 33 casts. Water samples were obtained for salinity calibration and oxygen stable isotope analysis; the oxygen samples were not analysed, and have been discarded. Salinity samples have been analysed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Geology and geophysics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Single-beam echosounding | Quantity: activity duration in days = 9 Description: Bottom depths, from ship's Simrad EA500 12-kHz single beam echo sounder (logged Feb. 11-19 only). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moorings, landers, buoys | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Physical oceanography | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current meters | 75° 43' 17" S 27° 16' 35" W — Mooring B2 deployed, 3 current meters (65m, 170m, 250 m depth), 1 sediment trap (280 m depth). Not recovered, presumed destroyed by iceberg impact. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current meters | 75° 27' 54" S 26° 50' 29" W — Mooring B1 deployed, 2 current meters (80 and 180 m depth), 1 sediment trap (210 m depth). Recovered 24/2/2005 on JR097. The mooring had been moved approx. 2.5 km, most likely by iceberg impact. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current meters | 74° 40' 5" S 33° 26' 35" W — Mooring S2 deployed, 3 current meters (446, 496, and 571 m depth). Recovered 27/2/2005 on JR097. Uppermost current meter was damaged by water ingress. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current meters | 75° 48' 41" S 26° 51' 59" W — Mooring B3 deployed, 4 current meters (62, 102, 182, and 277 m depth), 1 sediment trap (307 m depth). Recovered 24/2/2005 on JR097. The mooring had been moved approx. 7 km. The uppermost current meter and top buoy were missing, and there was damage to other instruments, most likely from iceberg impact. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Biology and fisheries | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sediment traps | 75° 43' 17" S 27° 16' 35" W — Mooring B2 deployed, 3 current meters (65m, 170m, 250 m depth), 1 sediment trap (280 m depth). Not recovered, presumed destroyed by iceberg impact. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sediment traps | 75° 27' 54" S 26° 50' 29" W — Mooring B1 deployed, 2 current meters (80 and 180 m depth), 1 sediment trap (210 m depth). Recovered 24/2/2005 on JR097. The mooring had been moved approx. 2.5 km, most likely by iceberg impact. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sediment traps | 75° 48' 41" S 26° 51' 59" W — Mooring B3 deployed, 4 current meters (62, 102, 182, and 277 m depth), 1 sediment trap (307 m depth). Recovered 24/2/2005 on JR097. The mooring had been moved approx. 7 km. The uppermost current meter and top buoy were missing, and there was damage to other instruments, most likely from iceberg impact. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Data held at BODC | Get data | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Series/Profiles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 Paddle wheel current meter | Reference numbers Moored instrument depth Date and time Temperature of the water column Horizontal velocity of the water column (currents) Electrical conductivity of the water column Reference numbers Moored instrument depth Date and time Temperature of the water column Horizontal velocity of the water column (currents) Electrical conductivity of the water column
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| Discrete samples | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 Instrument mooring |
