Celtic Explorer CE20017A
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | Celtic Explorer (45CE) |
| Cruise identifier | CE20017A |
| Cruise period | 2020-07-22 — 2020-08-09 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Bremerhaven, Germany |
| Port of return | Bremerhaven, Germany |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | The objective of the BSH North Sea Summer Surveys (NSSS) is to monitor the oceanographic and chemical state of the North Sea at the time of expected maximum stratification and phytoplankton productivity having passed its peak.
All parameters exhibit a strong seasonal and/or inter-annual variability. Seasonal heating leads to the establishment of a seasonal thermocline between spring and end of August or mid-September. The data provide the basis for the calculation of heat and salt budgets, and the identification of long-term changes, possibly due to climate change. They are also used for the validation of operational and climate models and for the calibration of satellite-based ocean colour data and downstream products (Secchi depth, turbidity, CDOM, chlorophyll-a), which are used for assessments and MSFD reporting. The BSH North Sea Summer Surveys started in 1998 and were conducted yearly. They cover the entire North Sea with seven zonal coast-to-coast sections between 54° and 60°N and additional stations between 54°N and the entrance of the English Channel. To monitor artificial radionuclides additional stations in the English Channel and Skagerrak are served alternately every second year. In 2020 the Skagerrak was served. Most of the data are available via the German Oceanographic Data Centre (DOD), selected surface data (5 m) are also fed into the MEris MAtchup In-situ Database (MERMAID). |
| Chief scientist | Katrin Latarius (Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency) |
| Project | BSH North Sea Summer Surveys (NSSS) |
| Cruise report |  (4.96 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North Sea |
