Resources

RRS Discovery D115

Cruise summary report

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)RRS Discovery (74E3)
Cruise identifierD115
Cruise period1980-12-04 — 1980-12-17
StatusCompleted
Port of departurePonta Delgada, Portugal
Port of returnBarry, United Kingdom
PurposeResearch
ObjectivesThe principal objective was to lay a chain of sea-bed pressure recorders at chosen positions from the Grand Banks of Newfoundland to a site west of the Bay of Biscay including a large triangle spanning the Azores area, and to recover them after about four months, in order to:
(a) link the IOS circuit of tidal stations in the NE Atlantic to the Canadian tidal shelf network off Nova Scotia and Newfoundland,
(b) obtain more material for the study of sub-tidal oscillations, their coherence across the ocean and their spatial gradients about the mid-Atlantic Ridge,
(c) establish the first IOS 1-year oceanic pressure record at the west Biscay station, for high tidal resolution and low frequency comparison with standard tide gauges at Newlyn, Brest and Cascais.
Incidental recording on passage was made of surface salinity and temperature, with special interest in the Labrador current/Gulf Steam boundary region, bathymetry and mangnetic field. About 106 15-gallon plastic containers were carried for filling with sea water on behalf of the Standard Seawater Service.
Chief scientistDavid E Cartwright (Institute of Oceanographic Sciences Bidston Laboratory)
Cruise reportRRS Discovery D115 cruise report d112and115.pdf (0.44 MB) 
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralNorth Atlantic Ocean
SpecificNorth Atlantic
Track chartsRRS Discovery D115 cruise track — trk2467.html
Measurements 
Physical oceanography 
Subsurface temperature and salinity measurementsQuantity: number of recoveries = 8
Description: Mooring out for 120 days: 8 instruments,120 days recording approx.on each. T only
Sea level (inc. bot. press., inverted echosounder)Quantity: number of recoveries = 9
Description: Mooring out for 120 days: 9 tide gauges,120 days recording approx.on each.NB.Tide gauges recovered on this cruise were laid on cruise 112.
Meteorology 
Routine standard measurements