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RRS Challenger CH108B

Cruise summary report

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)RRS Challenger (74CH)
Cruise identifierCH108B
Cruise period1993-11-25 — 1993-12-10
StatusCompleted
Port of departureHull, United Kingdom
Port of returnHull, United Kingdom
PurposeResearch
Objectives1. To measure the rates of nutrient fluxes between the sediments and the water column in a variety of sediment types in the LOIS RACS-C region.
2. To map the distributions of nutrients, salinity, turbidity and Th234 in the LOIS RACS-C region.
3. To deploy (and subsequently recover) four LOIS instrument moorings to measure salinity, fluorescence, and turbidity.
Chief scientistNicholas J P Owens (Newcastle University Department of Marine Science and Coastal Management)
ProjectLOIS - RACS
Coordinating bodyUK NERC
Cruise reportRRS Challenger CH108B cruise report ch108b_93.pdf (0.62 MB) 
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralNorth Sea
SpecificEastern North Sea coastal zone, Tweed estuary to Humber
Track chartsRRS Challenger CH108B cruise track — trk3901.html
Measurements 
Physical oceanography 
Surface measurements underway (T,S)Quantity: activity duration in days = 12
Description: thermosalinograph, continuous underway nutrients and oxygen, transmissometer, fluorometer, surface PAR
CTD stationsQuantity: number of profiles = 17
Description: CTDO+transmissometer+fluorometer+PAR
Transparency (eg transmissometer)Quantity: activity duration in days = 12
Description: thermosalinograph, continuous underway nutrients and oxygen, transmissometer, fluorometer, surface PAR
Transparency (eg transmissometer)Quantity: number of profiles = 17
Description: CTDO+transmissometer+fluorometer+PAR
Transparency (eg transmissometer)Description: Environmental monitoring package
Optics (eg underwater light levels)Quantity: number of profiles = 17
Description: CTDO+transmissometer+fluorometer+PAR
Optics (eg underwater light levels)Quantity: activity duration in days = 12
Description: thermosalinograph, continuous underway nutrients and oxygen, transmissometer, fluorometer, surface PAR
Current metersQuantity: number of stations = 4
Description: 4 deployed, 3 recovered
Current profiler (eg ADCP)Quantity: track kilometres = 5550
Description: ADCP
Sea level (inc. bot. press., inverted echosounder)Quantity: number of stations = 2
Chemical oceanography 
OxygenQuantity: number of profiles = 17
Description: CTDO+transmissometer+fluorometer+PAR
OxygenQuantity: number of stations = 9
Description: sediment stations; range of chemical and biological measurements
OxygenQuantity: activity duration in days = 12
Description: thermosalinograph, continuous underway nutrients and oxygen, transmissometer, fluorometer, surface PAR
PhosphateQuantity: number of stations = 9
Description: Pore water concentrations and fluxes
PhosphateQuantity: activity duration in days = 12
Description: thermosalinograph, continuous underway nutrients and oxygen, transmissometer, fluorometer, surface PAR
NitrateQuantity: number of stations = 9
Description: Pore water concentration and benthic flux
NitrateQuantity: activity duration in days = 12
Description: thermosalinograph, continuous underway nutrients and oxygen, transmissometer, fluorometer, surface PAR
NitriteQuantity: activity duration in days = 12
Description: thermosalinograph, continuous underway nutrients and oxygen, transmissometer, fluorometer, surface PAR
NitriteQuantity: number of stations = 9
Description: Pore water concentrations and benthic fluxes
AmmoniaQuantity: number of stations = 9
Description: Pore water fluxes and benthic fluxes
AlkalinityQuantity: number of stations = 9
Description: Pore water concentration
pHDescription: Environmental monitoring package
IsotopesQuantity: number of stations = 9
Description: for determinations of 7Be, 137Cs, 210Pb, 226Ra (sometimes 60Co)
IsotopesQuantity: number of samples = 41
Description: SAP samples for 3234Th determinations
Contamination 
Suspended matterDescription: Environmental monitoring package
Biology and fisheries 
Phytoplankton pigs (eg chlorophyll, fluorescence)Quantity: number of profiles = 17
Description: CTDO+transmissometer+fluorometer+PAR
Phytoplankton pigs (eg chlorophyll, fluorescence)Quantity: activity duration in days = 12
Description: thermosalinograph, continuous underway nutrients and oxygen, transmissometer, fluorometer, surface PAR
ZoobenthosQuantity: number of stations = 9
Geology and geophysics 
Single-beam echosoundingQuantity: track kilometres = 5550
Description: echo sounder
Moorings, landers, buoys 
Physical oceanography 
Transparency (eg transmissometer) transmissometer on above rig - deployed and recovered
Current meters doppler, S4 current meter
Current meters53° 48' 36" N  0° 2' 48" E — rig with instruments as above - deployed and recovered
Current meters53° 33' 53" N  0° 3' 35" E — rig with instruments as above - deployed and recovered
Current meters53° 50' 35" N  0° 9' 6" E — S4 current meter, acoustic doppler current meter
Sea level (inc. bot. press., inverted echosounder)53° 50' 35" N  0° 9' 6" E — transmissometer on above rig - deployed and recovered
Sea level (inc. bot. press., inverted echosounder) water level recorder
Chemical oceanography 
pH EMP 2000 Environmental Monitor
Contamination 
Suspended matter EMP 2000 Environmental Monitor
Data held at BODC Get data
Series/Profiles 
2  Bottom pressure sensor tide gauge
Date and time
Temperature of the water column
Sea level
Date and time
Temperature of the water column
Sea level

BODC idDate/TimeLocationDoc.
5765451993-11-26 09:10:50  — 1993-12-08 15:20:55 53° 50' 35" N  0° 9' 0" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 576545
5765701993-11-26 10:50:50  — 1993-12-12 10:40:50 53° 48' 29" N  0° 2' 49" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 576570
15  CTD/STD cast
Transmittance and attenuance of the water column
Salinity of the water column
Temperature of the water column
Vertical spatial coordinates
Concentration of suspended particulate material in the water column
Visible waveband radiance and irradiance measurements in the water column
Density of the water column
Transmittance and attenuance of the water column
Salinity of the water column
Temperature of the water column
Vertical spatial coordinates
Concentration of suspended particulate material in the water column
Visible waveband radiance and irradiance measurements in the water column
Density of the water column

BODC idDate/TimeLocationDoc.
8325331993-12-05 10:37 55° 54' 41" N  1° 54' 25" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 832533
8325571993-12-06 08:34 55° 7' 29" N  1° 9' 35" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 832557
8325211993-12-04 13:16 55° 48' 29" N  1° 50' 49" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 832521
8323971993-11-26 09:34 53° 50' 21" N  0° 9' 10" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 832397
8324411993-11-28 05:35 53° 7' 59" N  0° 33' 56" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 832441
8324651993-11-30 05:49 53° 3' 56" N  1° 0' 10" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 832465
8324901993-12-01 14:57 53° 35' 24" N  0° 53' 17" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 832490
8324041993-11-26 11:08 53° 48' 10" N  0° 2' 31" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 832404
8324891993-12-01 12:24 53° 34' 17" N  0° 44' 0" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 832489
8325081993-12-03 09:07 54° 46' 4" N  1° 0' 23" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 832508
8324531993-11-29 06:23 52° 41' 56" N  2° 18' 47" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 832453
8324771993-12-01 05:21 53° 32' 46" N  0° 44' 35" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 832477
8324281993-11-27 14:46 53° 33' 58" N  0° 3' 27" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 832428
8325451993-12-05 13:14 55° 55' 10" N  2° 5' 4" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 832545
8324161993-11-27 04:08 53° 33' 2" N  0° 5' 34" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 832416
3  Electromagnetic current meter
Date and time
Horizontal velocity of the water column (currents)
Date and time
Horizontal velocity of the water column (currents)

BODC idDate/TimeLocationDoc.
4496991993-11-26 10:00  — 1993-12-08 00:05 53° 50' 41" N  0° 9' 11" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 449699
4497181993-11-26 15:00  — 1993-12-08 01:02:30 53° 47' 42" N  0° 0' 9" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 449718
4496631993-11-27 16:00:01  — 1993-12-08 10:04:59 53° 33' 34" N  0° 3' 20" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 449663
1  Meteorological data logger
Visible waveband radiance and irradiance measurements in the atmosphere
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Date and time
Solar Radiation
Visible waveband radiance and irradiance measurements in the atmosphere
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Date and time
Solar Radiation

BODC idDate/TimeLocationDoc.
9520131993-11-25 21:02:30  — 1993-12-09 21:47:30 52° 40' 9" N  2° 5' 37" W — 55° 59' 43" N  2° 19' 28" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 952013
1  Ship's non-toxic supply
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Transmittance and attenuance of the water column
Nitrite concentration parameters in the water column
Date and time
Phosphate concentration parameters in the water column
Salinity of the water column
Temperature of the water column
Concentration of suspended particulate material in the water column
Nitrate concentration parameters in the water column
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Transmittance and attenuance of the water column
Nitrite concentration parameters in the water column
Date and time
Phosphate concentration parameters in the water column
Salinity of the water column
Temperature of the water column
Concentration of suspended particulate material in the water column
Nitrate concentration parameters in the water column
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies

BODC idDate/TimeLocationDoc.
9520251993-11-25 21:02:30  — 1993-12-09 21:47:30 52° 40' 9" N  2° 5' 37" W — 55° 59' 43" N  2° 19' 28" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 952025
1  Single-beam echosounder
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Date and time
Bathymetry and Elevation
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Date and time
Bathymetry and Elevation

BODC idDate/TimeLocationDoc.
9520011993-11-25 21:02:30  — 1993-12-09 21:47:30 52° 40' 9" N  2° 5' 37" W — 55° 59' 43" N  2° 19' 28" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 952001
4  Transmissometer
Transmittance and attenuance of the water column
Date and time
Concentration of suspended particulate material in the water column
Transmittance and attenuance of the water column
Date and time
Concentration of suspended particulate material in the water column

BODC idDate/TimeLocationDoc.
5765941993-11-26 14:10  — 1993-12-17 08:16 53° 47' 50" N  0° 0' 12" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 576594
5766251993-11-26 10:48  — 1993-12-12 10:39 53° 48' 33" N  0° 2' 49" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 576625
5766621993-11-26 09:25  — 1993-12-08 15:08 53° 51' 1" N  0° 8' 50" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 576662
5766491993-11-27 15:09  — 1993-12-08 11:44 53° 33' 55" N  0° 3' 35" E  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 576649
Discrete samples 
23  Box coreZoobenthos taxonomic abundance
Other fluxes between the bed and the water column
Redox potential in sediment
Nutrient fluxes between the bed and the water column
Sediment water content, porosity and surface area
Metal fluxes between the bed and the water column
Metadata parameters
Sediment grain size parameters
Nitrogen concentrations in sediment
Carbon concentrations in sediment
17  CTD frame plus rosette samplerTransmittance and attenuance of the water column
Salinity of the water column
Temperature of the water column
Concentration of suspended particulate material in the water column
Visible waveband radiance and irradiance measurements in the water column
Density of the water column
25  Day grab
5  Instrument mooring
8  Multicorer
25  Sample taken from ship's non-toxic supplyConcentration of suspended particulate material in the water column
1  Stand-alone pumps