Resources

RRS Discovery DY088

Cruise summary report

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)RRS Discovery (74EQ)
Cruise identifierDY088
Cruise period2018-03-07 — 2018-04-02
StatusCompleted
Port of departurePunta Arenas, Chile
Port of returnPunta Arenas, Chile
PurposeResearch
ObjectivesDetermining the tectonic history of the basins and bathymetric highs of the South Scotia Ridge is essential to understand the paleo-current history of cold dense waters which escape the Weddell Sea and connect with the Atlantic Ocean, as well as understanding the pre-break up configuration of the South America - Antarctic Peninsula land bridge and how and when the South Scotia Ridge formed.
Determining the origin of these blocks requires direct sampling by dredging for petrological, geochemical and geochronological study. Discovery Bank was the prime target for dredge sampling followed by Bruce and Pirrie banks. Sampling of sediments deposited on the basement highs for biostratigraphic, petrological and geochemical/isotopic work also has the potential to record past changes in ocean circulation (Antarctic Circumpolar Current influence vs stronger Weddell Sea influence), productivity and sea-ice extent with emphasis on the most recent periods of glacial enhancement of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and warm interglacials. This work would complement IODP Leg 382, scheduled for 2019, to drill sediments deposited in the basins bordered by Bruce and Pirie banks.
Geophysical surveys and direct sampling of sediments of the South Orkney Plateau (SOP) will investigate glacial landforms in troughs that were created by fast-flowing ice during the last glaciation (c. 20 000 years ago). For example, suites of small (<5 m high) moraines, which can only be identified by high-resolution 3D mapping of the seafloor and sub-surface sediments, indicate "episodic" retreat of grounded ice back towards the landmasses. By taking seafloor cores targeted to sample the transition between subglacial and postglacial sediments we can add a chronology of South Orkney ice cap retreat to the record provided by the glacial landforms; longer cores can be used to identify significant climatic/oceanographic changes that may have driven the retreat.
Chief scientistTeal R Riley (British Antarctic Survey)
Coordinating bodyBritish Antarctic Survey (BAS)
Cruise reportRRS Discovery DY088 cruise report dy088.pdf (18.33 MB) 
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralSouth West Atlantic Ocean (limit 20W)
Southern Ocean
SpecificScotia Sea, Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean
Track chartsRRS Discovery DY088 cruise track — dy088trk.pdf (0.58 MB) 
Measurements 
Physical oceanography 
Other physical oceanographic measurementsQuantity: activity duration in days = 12
Description: Sound velocity probe measurements
Geology and geophysics 
DredgeQuantity: number of stations = 15
Description: Geological dredge sampling
Core - soft bottomQuantity: number of stations = 32
Description: Gravity and box core sampling
Multi-beam echosoundingQuantity: activity duration in days = 16
Description: EM122/710 swath bathymetry data
Gravity measurementsQuantity: activity duration in days = 16
Description: Gravimeter
Magnetic measurementsQuantity: activity duration in days = 12
Description: Magnetometer deployment
Data held at BODC Get data
Series/Profiles 
1  Meteorological data logger
Visible waveband radiance and irradiance measurements in the atmosphere
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Air pressure
Date and time
Air temperature
Wind strength and direction
Raw light meter output
Solar Radiation
Atmospheric humidity
Visible waveband radiance and irradiance measurements in the atmosphere
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Air pressure
Date and time
Air temperature
Wind strength and direction
Raw light meter output
Solar Radiation
Atmospheric humidity

BODC idDate/TimeLocationDoc.
18441992018-03-07 21:50  — 2018-04-02 11:40 61° 43' 52" S  70° 54' 22" W — 52° 21' 11" S  34° 46' 8" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1844199
1  Multi-beam echosounder
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Date and time
Platform or instrument orientation
Horizontal platform movement
Bathymetry and Elevation
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Date and time
Platform or instrument orientation
Horizontal platform movement
Bathymetry and Elevation

BODC idDate/TimeLocationDoc.
18441872018-03-07 21:50  — 2018-04-02 11:40 61° 43' 52" S  70° 54' 22" W — 52° 21' 11" S  34° 46' 8" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1844187
1  Multiple instrument types
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Transmittance and attenuance of the water column
Date and time
Salinity of the water column
Temperature of the water column
Metadata parameters
Raw suspended particulate material concentration sensor output
Electrical conductivity of the water column
Raw fluorometer output
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Transmittance and attenuance of the water column
Date and time
Salinity of the water column
Temperature of the water column
Metadata parameters
Raw suspended particulate material concentration sensor output
Electrical conductivity of the water column
Raw fluorometer output
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies

BODC idDate/TimeLocationDoc.
18442062018-03-07 21:50  — 2018-04-02 11:40 61° 43' 52" S  70° 54' 22" W — 52° 21' 11" S  34° 46' 8" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1844206