Celtic Explorer CE13012A
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | Celtic Explorer (45CE) |
| Cruise identifier | CE13012A |
| Cruise period | 2013-08-10 — 2013-09-04 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Hamburg, Germany |
| Port of return | Bergen, Norway |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | In 1998 the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH, Bundesamt für Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie) started its annual summer surveys which cover the entire North Sea between 52° and 60° N. The surveys were realised at a time when thermal stratification is expected to be at its maximum and phytoplankton production has passed its maximum. The surveys include seven coast to coast East-West sections between 54° and 60° N and additional stations between 54° N and the entrance of the English Channel. With the exception of the first survey in 1998 all surveys served a fixed station grid for vertical CTD profiles and water samples.
Between the fixed CTD-stations a towed CTD-system (1998-2008 the BSH system Delphin, since 2009 an EIVA ScanFish MK II) oscillated between a depth of 3-10 m (depending on weather and sea state) and about 5 metres above the bottom in order to record the 3-dimensional distribution of relevant oceanographic parameters. Both CTD-systems recorded data for temperature, salinity, fluorescence (chlorophyll-a, yellow substance), and oxygen concentration. If available, ship mounted sensors recorded fluorescence, temperature, and salinity at about 4 m depth. Since 2010 the survey was extended to the north in order to record the transition area between the northern North Sea and the eastern North Atlantic. Additionally, water samples were collected by means of a CTD-rosette sampler-system (e.g. for nutrients, salinity, oxygen, pH) and with 10 litre and 100 litre glass spheres for organic contaminants. Surface samples for the detection of artificial nuclides were taken at all stations. |
| Chief scientist | Holger Klein (Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency) |
| Cruise report |  (1.29 MB) |
| NPRC | (1.22 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | English Channel North Sea |
| Specific | 47.0°N – 62.5°N 07.0°W – 08.0°E |
| Track charts | (0.60 MB) |
