RRS Challenger CH11/81
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RRS Challenger (74CH) |
| Cruise identifier | CH11/81 |
| Cruise period | 1981-07-21 — 1981-08-04 |
| Status | Completed |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | The purpose of this work was to observe and collect samples of sediment and organisms from the sea bed on the shelf and shelf edge west of Ireland. The observations were made by underwater TV and film cameras and the sediment samples collected by grabbing, dredging and coring. Information on the bedforms and thickness was obtained by geophysical profiling including side scan sonar, pinger, sparker and depth recording. Further data on the deep structure will be interpreted from gravity meter recordings. Water samples were collected and filtered and the suspended sediment will be analysed in conjunction with water temperature measurement to aid interpretation of overall hydrography of the area of Porcupine Bank. |
| Chief scientist | T P Scoffin (University of Edinburgh Department of Geology) |
| Cruise report |  (0.90 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | Irish Sea and St. George's Channel |
| Specific | West of Ireland |
| Track charts |  |
| Measurements | |
| Biology and fisheries | |
| Phytoplankton | Quantity: number of samples = 10 |
| Zooplankton | Quantity: number of samples = 10 |
| Phytobenthos | Quantity: number of samples = 30 |
| Zoobenthos | Quantity: number of samples = 60 |
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | Quantity: number of samples = 10 Description: borers and foulers |
| Other biological/fisheries measurement | Quantity: number of samples = 30 Description: attached plants and algae |
| Geology and geophysics | |
| Dredge | Quantity: number of deployments = 78 |
| Grab | Quantity: number of deployments = 101 Description: 3 paleontology;geochronology |
| Core - soft bottom | Quantity: number of stations = 3 Description: 86 physical/84 chemical analysis of sediments |
| Bottom photography | Quantity: number of deployments = 10 Description: and 20 motion picture |
| In-situ seafloor measurement/sampling | Quantity: number of deployments = 8 Description: temp. |
| Long/short range side scan sonar | Quantity: track kilometres = 45 |
| Single channel seismic reflection | Quantity: track kilometres = 230 |
| Gravity measurements | Quantity: track kilometres = 277.8 |
