Resources

RRS Discovery D128

Cruise summary report

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)RRS Discovery (74E3)
Cruise identifierD128
Cruise period1982-05-02 — 1982-05-26
StatusCompleted
Port of departureAbidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
Port of returnAbidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
PurposeResearch
ObjectivesThe primary objective of the cruise was to take samples of the air/sea interface, near surface water, the sediment/water interface and deeper sediment from selected water columns in the Gulf of Guinea. It was planned to work mainly over local high spots both in the basin area and on the banks. From experience this gives the best chance of collecting sediments in their original time sequence. We wished to test our hypothesis that this is a suitably pure marine area of high productivity, free from significant terrigenous input, for detailed geochemical study of diagenetic processes.
The secondary objective was to examine the distribution of mid-water organisms in the area, and take good quality live plankton sample for subsequent shipboard biochemical/physiological experiments. It was hoped that the area would be rich enough to allow short duration net hauls, and together with the new cod-end system, allow the collection of good experimental material.
Chief scientistRobert J Morris (Institute of Oceanographic Sciences Wormley Laboratory)
Cruise reportRRS Discovery D128 cruise report d128.pdf (0.73 MB) 
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralNorth East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W)
Gulf of Guinea
SpecificGulf of Guinea
Track chartsRRS Discovery D128 cruise track — trk2854.html
Measurements 
Physical oceanography 
CTD stationsQuantity: number of stations = 1
Biology and fisheries 
ZooplanktonQuantity: number of samples = 67
Description: identification, distribution and description of communities
Meteorology 
Other meteorological measurementsDescription: air sea interface studies
Geology and geophysics 
Core - soft bottomQuantity: number of cores = 13
Description: chemical analysis