RRS Challenger CH54

Cruise summary report

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Cruise Info.

Ship name (ship code)

RRS Challenger (74CH)

Cruise identifier

CH54

Cruise period

1989-06-09 — 1989-06-22

Status

Completed

Port of departure

Great Yarmouth, United Kingdom

Purpose

Research

Objectives

This was a joint operation between the RRS Challenger and the German research vessel Victor Hensen. At the start of the cruise both vessels were involved in two days of intensive sampling. Challenger made CTD profiles to determine the physical conditions likely to be favourable for fish larvae. Sampling continued in the German Bight for most of the rest of the cruise, with two final stations in the central and southern Norh Sea.

On 14th June, Challenger surveyed a grid 20 x 10km as sea truth for the European Imaging Spectroscopy Campaign (EISAC), conducted by the European Space Agency and the Joint Research Centre, Ispra. The survey was undertaken using an undulator equipped with light, chlorophyll, temperature and depth sensors. Data was also obtained from pumped surface samples from instruments, including a transmissometer, fluorometer, thermosalingoaph, particle counter and spectrophotometer. Aircraft surveyed 3 transects and it was hoped that the Challenger would be on Line 1 as the aircraft flew over. However, timing was difficult to achieve and so Line 2 was flown over the actual position of the ship. Line 3 included a "red tide" sampled by Challenger 3 hours after the overflight. The cruise was very successful, with over 85 CTD profiles and 80 plankton hauls. All objectives were achieved.

Results:
1. 10 undulator tows were completed, 4 with plankton samples taken.Temperature stratification was observed and chlorophyll concentration wasa measured.
2. 2 CTD transects, W-E and N-S were worked in collaboration with RV Victor Hensen. Physical mapping and particle characterisation in a series of CTD profiles. Samples of fish larvae were preserved for various analyses of nutritional condition.
3. Particle size measurements were made by Coulter Counter from surface and vertical profile samples.
4. The in-situ light meter and 14C incubation rig was deployed on 8 days to determine the productivity of different size fractions of phytoplankton and the light a

Chief scientist

Ian Joint (Plymouth Marine Laboratory)

Project

North Sea Project

Coordinating body

NERC

Cruise report

(0.32 MB)

Ocean/sea areas

General

North Sea

Specific

North Sea

Measurements

Physical oceanography

Surface measurements underway (T,S)

Description: cont.

Water bottle stations

Quantity: number of samples = 85
Description: surface only

CTD stations

Quantity: number of profiles = 91

Transparency (eg transmissometer)

Quantity: number of profiles = 85

Optics (eg underwater light levels)

Quantity: number of profiles = 10

Chemical oceanography

Oxygen

Quantity: number of profiles = 85

Biology and fisheries

Primary productivity

Quantity: number of experiments = 9

Phytoplankton pigs (eg chlorophyll, fluorescence)

Quantity: number of profiles = 90

Phytoplankton

Quantity: number of samples = 20

Zooplankton

Quantity: number of samples = 80

Eggs and larvae

Quantity: number of samples = 80
Description: distribution,energy transfers

Pelagic bacteria/micro-organisms

Quantity: number of profiles = 90

Meteorology

Incident radiation

Description: cont.

Data held at BODC

Get data

Series/Profiles

11 Bottle station

Reference numbers
Vertical spatial coordinates
Quality control flags
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies

[Show series]

Reference numbers
Vertical spatial coordinates
Quality control flags
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies

[Hide series]

BODC id	Date/Time	Location
1653625	1989-06-12 04:18	54° 6' 4" N 7° 50' 25" E
1653649	1989-06-14 04:12	54° 7' 38" N 8° 10' 1" E
1653674	1989-06-17 04:23	55° 19' 8" N 4° 52' 12" E
1653698	1989-06-19 06:06	53° 57' 44" N 7° 58' 48" E
1653637	1989-06-13 04:46	54° 2' 35" N 7° 51' 8" E
1653650	1989-06-15 04:15	54° 26' 56" N 6° 51' 10" E
1653613	1989-06-11 04:25	53° 59' 54" N 6° 12' 59" E
1653662	1989-06-16 05:28	54° 47' 58" N 6° 3' 20" E
1653686	1989-06-18 04:45	55° 18' 5" N 7° 12' 40" E
1653717	1989-06-21 09:17	52° 43' 41" N 2° 29' 31" E
1653705	1989-06-20 04:18	54° 10' 0" N 3° 45' 7" E

91 CTD/STD cast

Transmittance and attenuance of the water column
Salinity of the water column
Temperature of the water column
Vertical spatial coordinates
Dissolved oxygen parameters in the water column
Visible waveband radiance and irradiance measurements in the water column
Density of the water column
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies

[Show series]

[Hide series]

BODC id	Date/Time	Location
817942	1989-06-11 20:36	53° 59' 55" N 6° 9' 55" E
818091	1989-06-14 19:07	54° 39' 55" N 7° 32' 55" E
818110	1989-06-15 11:05	54° 26' 58" N 6° 52' 32" E
818214	1989-06-17 16:30	55° 26' 50" N 5° 2' 51" E
818299	1989-06-19 04:13	54° 5' 43" N 7° 53' 16" E
818343	1989-06-19 06:44	53° 54' 54" N 8° 0' 2" E
818367	1989-06-19 10:57	53° 56' 26" N 7° 26' 6" E
818380	1989-06-19 12:42	54° 5' 44" N 7° 19' 20" E
818503	1989-06-21 15:59	52° 30' 57" N 2° 29' 58" E
818804	1989-06-17 06:28	55° 18' 21" N 4° 54' 45" E
818816	1989-06-17 07:14	55° 18' 19" N 4° 52' 10" E
818865	1989-06-19 09:36	53° 49' 1" N 7° 31' 6" E
818877	1989-06-19 10:11	53° 52' 9" N 7° 29' 1" E
818146	1989-06-16 05:20	54° 47' 58" N 6° 3' 20" E
818238	1989-06-18 04:40	55° 18' 5" N 7° 12' 40" E
818287	1989-06-18 18:45	55° 14' 34" N 7° 9' 42" E
818331	1989-06-19 06:04	53° 57' 44" N 7° 58' 48" E
818459	1989-06-20 16:42	54° 15' 52" N 3° 43' 13" E
818484	1989-06-21 11:25	52° 43' 54" N 2° 50' 55" E
818496	1989-06-21 13:50	52° 30' 34" N 2° 49' 4" E
818681	1989-06-13 12:25	53° 58' 57" N 7° 50' 39" E
818693	1989-06-13 13:15	53° 57' 53" N 7° 50' 45" E
818712	1989-06-13 15:05	53° 54' 58" N 7° 51' 10" E
818748	1989-06-16 12:49	54° 47' 31" N 6° 3' 45" E
818761	1989-06-16 13:37	54° 46' 13" N 6° 6' 25" E
818828	1989-06-17 08:02	55° 20' 9" N 4° 52' 42" E
818908	1989-06-21 20:04	52° 41' 43" N 2° 10' 2" E
818005	1989-06-13 04:39	54° 2' 35" N 7° 51' 9" E
818029	1989-06-13 10:19	54° 0' 52" N 7° 50' 43" E
818202	1989-06-17 13:47	55° 15' 17" N 4° 45' 56" E
818263	1989-06-18 09:11	55° 17' 56" N 7° 35' 33" E
818379	1989-06-19 11:50	54° 1' 3" N 7° 22' 55" E
818527	1989-06-12 10:11	54° 5' 56" N 7° 52' 44" E
818539	1989-06-12 10:36	54° 5' 59" N 7° 54' 31" E
818576	1989-06-12 14:53	54° 6' 2" N 8° 3' 33" E
818619	1989-06-12 16:23	54° 5' 53" N 8° 9' 24" E
818620	1989-06-12 16:44	54° 5' 57" N 8° 10' 22" E
818668	1989-06-13 09:47	54° 1' 56" N 7° 50' 51" E
818797	1989-06-16 17:07	54° 43' 18" N 6° 14' 29" E
818853	1989-06-17 09:29	55° 18' 9" N 4° 56' 59" E
817905	1989-06-10 04:29	53° 20' 8" N 4° 48' 19" E
817929	1989-06-11 11:47	53° 59' 57" N 6° 7' 13" E
817930	1989-06-11 17:49	53° 59' 51" N 6° 13' 54" E
818030	1989-06-13 11:50	53° 59' 52" N 7° 50' 30" E
818109	1989-06-15 04:14	54° 26' 55" N 6° 51' 10" E
818122	1989-06-15 16:04	54° 27' 19" N 6° 49' 20" E
818275	1989-06-18 12:32	55° 14' 31" N 7° 13' 42" E
818411	1989-06-20 04:11	54° 10' 0" N 3° 45' 7" E
818435	1989-06-20 09:58	54° 9' 34" N 3° 48' 21" E
818515	1989-06-11 07:41	53° 59' 14" N 6° 8' 20" E
818644	1989-06-13 08:38	54° 4' 3" N 7° 50' 50" E
818700	1989-06-13 13:46	53° 56' 57" N 7° 50' 50" E
818785	1989-06-16 16:18	54° 44' 14" N 6° 11' 27" E
818054	1989-06-13 15:44	53° 53' 53" N 7° 51' 12" E
818318	1989-06-19 05:32	54° 0' 22" N 7° 57' 1" E
818392	1989-06-19 18:07	54° 10' 21" N 6° 0' 55" E
818460	1989-06-20 20:46	54° 10' 27" N 3° 48' 20" E
818564	1989-06-12 11:51	54° 6' 2" N 7° 59' 48" E
818632	1989-06-13 07:42	54° 5' 7" N 7° 50' 58" E
818656	1989-06-13 09:07	54° 3' 0" N 7° 50' 37" E
818724	1989-06-13 16:10	53° 53' 1" N 7° 51' 7" E
818736	1989-06-14 14:33	54° 8' 51" N 8° 1' 49" E
818889	1989-06-19 13:31	54° 10' 43" N 7° 19' 9" E
817917	1989-06-11 04:17	53° 59' 54" N 6° 12' 59" E
817991	1989-06-12 22:09	54° 8' 20" N 7° 47' 37" E
818171	1989-06-16 17:52	54° 41' 53" N 6° 17' 25" E
818226	1989-06-17 18:31	55° 17' 30" N 4° 54' 14" E
818251	1989-06-18 06:24	55° 17' 44" N 7° 1' 0" E
818306	1989-06-19 04:57	54° 3' 4" N 7° 55' 11" E
818423	1989-06-20 09:05	54° 10' 1" N 3° 47' 57" E
818472	1989-06-21 09:11	52° 43' 41" N 2° 29' 31" E
818540	1989-06-12 11:01	54° 5' 58" N 7° 56' 19" E
818773	1989-06-16 14:17	54° 44' 58" N 6° 9' 11" E
818841	1989-06-17 08:46	55° 20' 5" N 4° 56' 25" E
817966	1989-06-12 12:14	54° 6' 2" N 8° 1' 37" E
817978	1989-06-12 17:03	54° 5' 56" N 8° 11' 59" E
818017	1989-06-13 07:06	54° 6' 4" N 7° 50' 58" E
818078	1989-06-14 04:07	54° 7' 38" N 8° 10' 1" E
818158	1989-06-16 11:04	54° 47' 8" N 6° 3' 44" E
818183	1989-06-17 04:15	55° 19' 8" N 4° 52' 12" E
818588	1989-06-12 15:14	54° 6' 2" N 8° 5' 23" E
818607	1989-06-12 15:38	54° 5' 58" N 8° 7' 15" E
817954	1989-06-12 04:17	54° 6' 4" N 7° 50' 25" E
818042	1989-06-13 14:41	53° 55' 54" N 7° 51' 11" E
818066	1989-06-13 19:46	54° 5' 8" N 7° 49' 50" E
818134	1989-06-15 21:50	54° 27' 28" N 6° 50' 8" E
818195	1989-06-17 10:43	55° 19' 13" N 4° 54' 38" E
818355	1989-06-19 07:14	53° 52' 58" N 7° 58' 29" E
818447	1989-06-20 13:38	54° 9' 10" N 3° 48' 47" E
818552	1989-06-12 11:25	54° 6' 0" N 7° 58' 5" E
818890	1989-06-21 18:00	52° 30' 51" N 2° 9' 58" E

Discrete samples

91 CTD frame plus rosette sampler

Transmittance and attenuance of the water column
Salinity of the water column
Temperature of the water column
Dissolved oxygen parameters in the water column
Visible waveband radiance and irradiance measurements in the water column
Density of the water column
Metadata parameters
Primary production in the water column
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies

25 Sample taken from ship's non-toxic supply

Phaeopigment concentrations in the water column
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies

Resources

RRS Challenger CH54

Cruise summary report

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