RRS Discovery DY032

Cruise summary report

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Cruise Info.

Ship name (ship code)

RRS Discovery (74EQ)

Cruise identifier

DY032

Cruise period

2015-06-20 — 2015-07-07

Status

Completed

Port of departure

Liverpool, United Kingdom

Port of return

Southampton, United Kingdom

Purpose

Research

Objectives

The oceanic water column and the underlying seabed change on a variety of temporal and spatial scales. The objective of the PAP observatory is to provide high temporal resolution (hours) of an increasing number of variables which are relevant from the perspective of the biology, physics and chemistry over a relatively small spatial scale (30km). The site has been under examination for over 20 years and during that time, substantial changes have been observed in the benthic environment. The intention is to sustain and enhance these observations in order that a deeper understanding is obtained into the processes which operate; in particular the responses to the changes which are currently taking place in the global environment. The objective of the cruise was primarily to service the infrastructure required for continuous sustained observation, and to put these into context using observations from the ship which as yet cannot be carried out autonomously. In parallel to maintaining and extending exisiting measurements, the over view was enhanced by parallel research into nitrogen cycling processes occurring in marine aggregates along with studies of the abundance, distribution of and composition of those aggregates. These investigations were carried out using a multi instrument observational approach combined with direct sampling. In addition the cruise achieved substantial sampling of the seabed of the PAP and associated abyssal hills, directly by coring and seasonally by time lapse photography.

Chief scientist

Richard Stephen Lampitt (National Oceanography Centre, Southampton)

Coordinating body

Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)

Cruise report

(7.24 MB)

Ocean/sea areas

General

Celtic Sea
North East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W)

Specific

Porcupine Abyssal Plain

Measurements

Physical oceanography

CTD stations

Quantity: number of profiles = 16
Description: CTD measurements of pressure, salinity, temperature, oxygen, chlorophyll, plus water samples from some CTDs for chlorophyll, oxygen, salinity, DIC and Ammonia

Biology and fisheries

Particulate organic matter (inc POC, PON)

Quantity: number of stations = 36
Description: Snowcatcher water samples analysed for particle size and sinking speed

Particulate organic matter (inc POC, PON)

Quantity: number of stations = 6
Description: SAPS microplastics, ammonium, POC PA

Particulate organic matter (inc POC, PON)

Quantity: number of stations = 13
Description: In situ in-line Hologram water column profiles, (0-250m); Biogeochemical analysis

Zooplankton

Quantity: number of stations = 18
Description: WP2, plankton net, 200µm, to 200m, 3 x midnight, 3 x noon

Zoobenthos

Quantity: number of hauls = 1
Description: Benthic trawls for collection of Macro benthos and fish

Zoobenthos

Quantity: number of cores = 10
Description: MacroBenthos; MeioBenthos; Foraminifera; Preserved Samples; Ecological Analysis

Moorings, landers, buoys

Physical oceanography

Optics (eg underwater light levels)

48° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — PAP1 Longterm Observatory Recovery

Optics (eg underwater light levels)

49° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — PAP1 Longterm Observatory Deployment

Current meters

48° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — PAP3 deepwater sediment traps Recovery

Current meters

48° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — PAP3 deepwater sediment traps Deployment

Chemical oceanography

Oxygen

48° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — PAP3 deepwater sediment traps Deployment

Oxygen

48° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — PAP1 Longterm Observatory Recovery

Oxygen

48° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — PAP3 deepwater sediment traps Recovery

Oxygen

49° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — PAP1 Longterm Observatory Deployment

Carbon dioxide

48° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — PAP1 Longterm Observatory Recovery

Carbon dioxide

49° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — PAP1 Longterm Observatory Deployment

Nitrate

48° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — PAP1 Longterm Observatory Recovery

Nitrate

49° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — PAP1 Longterm Observatory Deployment

48° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — PAP1 Longterm Observatory Recovery

Biology and fisheries

Primary productivity

49° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — PAP1 Longterm Observatory Deployment

Primary productivity

48° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — PAP1 Longterm Observatory Recovery

Sediment traps

48° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — PAP3 deepwater sediment traps Recovery

Sediment traps

48° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — PAP3 deepwater sediment traps Deployment

Zooplankton

48° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — PAP1 Longterm Observatory Recovery

Zooplankton

49° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — PAP1 Longterm Observatory Deployment

Zoobenthos

48° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — Time lapse Camera Deployment

Zoobenthos

48° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — Time lapse Camera Recovery

Geology and geophysics

Bottom photography

48° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — Time lapse Camera Recovery

Bottom photography

48° 0' 0" N 16° 0' 0" W — Time lapse Camera Deployment

Data held at BODC

Get data

Series/Profiles

29 Bottle station

Reference numbers
Nitrite concentration parameters in the water column
Phosphate concentration parameters in the water column
Vertical spatial coordinates
Dissolved oxygen parameters in the water column
Silicate concentration parameters in the water column
Ammonium and ammonia concentration parameters in water bodies
Nitrate concentration parameters in the water column
Quality control flags

[Show series]

[Hide series]

BODC id	Date/Time	Location
1879544	2015-06-24 15:55	49° 2' 30" N 16° 24' 36" W
1927947	2015-06-25 17:20	48° 56' 39" N 16° 35' 56" W
1927996	2015-06-24 15:55	49° 2' 30" N 16° 24' 36" W
1928060	2015-06-27 19:00	49° 4' 36" N 16° 15' 29" W
1928084	2015-06-29 15:20	48° 49' 9" N 16° 31' 14" W
1879600	2015-06-27 15:54	49° 4' 26" N 16° 15' 40" W
1928035	2015-06-25 21:12	48° 53' 30" N 16° 35' 8" W
1879556	2015-06-25 09:40	48° 50' 28" N 16° 31' 19" W
1879568	2015-06-25 17:20	48° 56' 39" N 16° 35' 56" W
1879581	2015-06-25 21:12	48° 53' 30" N 16° 35' 8" W
1879593	2015-06-26 10:00	48° 50' 24" N 16° 31' 32" W
1928047	2015-06-26 10:00	48° 50' 24" N 16° 31' 32" W
1928115	2015-07-02 15:00	48° 40' 55" N 17° 3' 32" W
1927960	2015-06-30 20:21	49° 12' 46" N 16° 28' 13" W
1927972	2015-07-03 18:40	49° 10' 57" N 16° 36' 2" W
1928059	2015-06-27 15:54	49° 4' 26" N 16° 15' 40" W
1928096	2015-06-30 20:21	49° 12' 46" N 16° 28' 13" W
1927984	2015-06-24 00:32	49° 1' 40" N 16° 24' 53" W
1879612	2015-06-28 09:30	49° 0' 46" N 16° 23' 43" W
1928011	2015-06-25 09:40	48° 50' 28" N 16° 31' 19" W
1928072	2015-06-27 22:00	49° 4' 25" N 16° 15' 49" W
1928103	2015-07-01 14:10	48° 59' 8" N 16° 17' 6" W
1927959	2015-06-25 21:12	48° 53' 30" N 16° 35' 8" W
1928023	2015-06-25 17:20	48° 56' 39" N 16° 35' 56" W
1928127	2015-07-03 18:40	49° 10' 57" N 16° 36' 2" W
1879624	2015-06-29 15:20	48° 49' 9" N 16° 31' 14" W
1879636	2015-06-30 20:21	49° 12' 46" N 16° 28' 13" W
1879661	2015-07-03 18:40	49° 10' 57" N 16° 36' 2" W
1879648	2015-07-01 14:10	48° 59' 8" N 16° 17' 6" W

2 In-situ dissolved gas analyser

Reference numbers
Date and time
Partial pressure (pCO2) and fugacity (fCO2) of carbon dioxide in the water column

[Show series]

Reference numbers
Date and time
Partial pressure (pCO2) and fugacity (fCO2) of carbon dioxide in the water column

[Hide series]

BODC id	Date/Time	Location	Doc.
1850992	2015-07-01 23:58:05 — 2016-03-01 23:58:34	49° 1' 50" N 16° 22' 19" W
1851006	2015-07-01 11:59:38 — 2015-12-31 00:20:52	49° 1' 50" N 16° 22' 19" W

2 Moored CTD

Sound velocity and travel time in the water column
Reference numbers
Moored instrument depth
Date and time
Salinity of the water column
Temperature of the water column
Density of the water column
Electrical conductivity of the water column

[Show series]

[Hide series]

BODC id	Date/Time	Location	Doc.
2171870	2015-07-01 11:30:01 — 2016-04-25 10:15:01	49° 0' 35" N 16° 20' 11" W
2148953	2015-06-28 09:00:01 — 2016-04-24 14:30:01	49° 1' 29" N 16° 21' 47" W

1 Multiple instrument types

Sound velocity and travel time in the water column
Reference numbers
Moored instrument depth
Date and time
Salinity of the water column
Temperature of the water column
Dissolved oxygen parameters in the water column
Density of the water column
Electrical conductivity of the water column

[Show series]

[Hide series]

BODC id	Date/Time	Location	Doc.
2171882	2015-07-01 11:30:50 — 2016-04-25 10:00:50	49° 0' 35" N 16° 20' 11" W

Discrete samples

20 CTD frame plus rosette sampler

Total dissolved inorganic carbon (TCO2) concentration in the water column
Dissolved oxygen parameters in the water column
Alkalinity, acidity and pH of the water column

2 Instrument mooring

Resources

RRS Discovery DY032

Cruise summary report

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BODC holdings

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