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RV Edward Forbes 16/76

Cruise summary report

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)RV Edward Forbes (74EF)
Cruise identifier16/76
Cruise period1976-08-24 — 1976-09-17
StatusCompleted
Port of returnBarry, United Kingdom
PurposeResearch
Objectives1. To lay ten Plessey self-recording current meter rigs, seven of conventional design and three designed for shallow water of a mean depth of 5-6m. The sites have been chosen for three reasons. Firstly to provide data from areas where none or very little existed previously, secondly to monitor current speed and direction at the north and south boundaries of the study area. Thirdly, one station has been sited to assess the longterm current conditions, initially over one year.
2. To lay the Marconi buoyed system at Station 25 in a mean depth of 12m water, the rig to include a string of six sensors, spaced at 1m intervals. The purpose of the deployment is to evaluate the system and measure velocity profiles through the water column.
3. To undertake pilot tracer experiment with fluorescent dyed sand in two colours, blue and red, using a Decca HiFix 6 position fixing system for location. To decide whether this method of position fixing is adequate for the Sizewell-Dunwich study requirements.
4. To conduct a box coring programme in the area of the banks and their environments. The fluorescent tracer sampler is designed to detect the whereabouts of the dyed sand on the seabed surface. In order to detect the tracer at depth it is intended to take box core samples in areas where the tracer is found. The box cores will also be analysed using X-ray and impregnation techniques to give information on sedimentation.
5. To conduct echosounding surveys across the Sizewell-Dunwich banks as time and conditions permit, again using HiFix 6 for position fixing.
Chief scientistBarbara J Lees (Institute of Oceanographic Sciences Taunton)
Cruise reportRV Edward Forbes 16/76 cruise report edward_forbes16_76.pdf (0.38 MB)  RV Edward Forbes 16/76 cruise report sarsia4and16_76.pdf (0.37 MB) 
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralNorth Sea
Track chartsRV Edward Forbes 16/76 cruise track — trk1825.html
Measurements 
Physical oceanography 
Current metersQuantity: 10
Description: 2 weeks
Biology and fisheries 
Phytoplankton pigs (eg chlorophyll, fluorescence)Description: fluorescent tracer experiment,over 2 tidal cycles
Geology and geophysics 
Single-beam echosoundingQuantity: 100