Resources

RRS Discovery D79

Cruise summary report

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)RRS Discovery (74E3)
Cruise identifierD79
Cruise period1976-10-28 — 1976-11-28
StatusCompleted
Port of departureBarry, United Kingdom
Port of returnSanta Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
PurposeResearch
ObjectivesThe principal objectives were:
1) To carry out an extensive biological sampling programme on the bottom and on the lower part of the water column in an abyssal area influenced by the north-west African coast upwelling system.
2) To obtain benthic samples at depths of about 2000m from serveal localities off the north-west African coast between Cap Blanc and the Canaries to fill gaps in previously obtained sample series.
3) To obtain a series of bottom pore-water and sediment samples, using a pore-water sampler and new box corer from a variety of environments off the north-west African margin, including the region 6000+m depth reportedly extending westwards from about 24N, 30W.
4) To obtain a series of large volume water samples, at all depths, for investigations of the organic and inorganic composition of suspended particles and for studies of the concentration patterns of selected dissolved trace metals.
5) To obtain samples of the sea-surface organic films.
Chief scientistAnthony L Rice (Institute of Oceanographic Sciences Wormley Laboratory)
ProjectBiological and Geochemical Sampling off the North West African Coast
Cruise reportRRS Discovery D79 cruise report d79.pdf (10.12 MB) 
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralNorth East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W)
Track chartsRRS Discovery D79 cruise track — trk1960.html
Measurements 
Physical oceanography 
BathythermographQuantity: number of profiles = 72
Water bottle stationsQuantity: number of stations = 16
Other physical oceanographic measurementsQuantity: 8
Description: pore water sampler
Biology and fisheries 
ZooplanktonQuantity: 11
ZoobenthosQuantity: 18
Description: survey:taxonomy etc.
BirdsQuantity: number of observations = 200
Description: taxonomy and population density,
Gear research
Meteorology 
Routine standard measurements
Geology and geophysics 
Core - soft bottomQuantity: number of cores = 8
Description: +6 box cores;16 chemical analysis