Poseidon PO240
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | Poseidon (06PO) |
| Cruise identifier | PO240 |
| Cruise period | 1998-06-19 — 1998-07-10 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Southampton, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Southampton, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | The cruise was a follow-up to the original "FLAME" and "MARVEL" cruises in 1997, which carried out some preliminary investigations of hydrothermal activity at the "RAINBOW" vent-site, 36 degrees N, Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The objectives of the cruise were threefold:
1. To recover a series of 11 long-term (up to 12 month) current meter + or - sediment trap moorings. 2. To continue a study of the physical and chemical dispersion of the RAINBOW hydrothermal plume using CTD-nephelometer stations coupled with shipboard and shore-based analyses for TDMn, CH4 and 3Hc. 3. To raise sediment cores from different locations beneath the plume, as targeted from TOBI and BRIDGET data. |
| Chief scientist | Christopher R German (Southampton Oceanography Centre) |
| Project | FLAME |
| Coordinating body | 1) NERC, UK; 2) MAST-III, EC |
| Cruise report |  (1.38 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | North Atlantic Ocean |
| Specific | Mid-Atlantic Ridge |
| Track charts |  |
| Measurements | |
| Physical oceanography | |
| Water bottle stations | Quantity: number of profiles = 36 Description: Vertical CTD hydrocasts with optical sensors; sampling of hydrothermal plumes for salinity, TDMn, CH4 and 3Hc |
| CTD stations | Quantity: number of profiles = 36 Description: Vertical CTD hydrocasts with optical sensors; sampling of hydrothermal plumes for salinity, TDMn, CH4 and 3Hc |
| Transparency (eg transmissometer) | Quantity: number of profiles = 36 Description: Vertical CTD hydrocasts with optical sensors; sampling of hydrothermal plumes for salinity, TDMn, CH4 and 3Hc |
| Chemical oceanography | |
| Other dissolved gases | Quantity: number of profiles = 36 Description: Vertical CTD hydrocasts with optical sensors; sampling of hydrothermal plumes for salinity, TDMn, CH4 and 3Hc |
| Trace elements | Quantity: number of profiles = 36 Description: Vertical CTD hydrocasts with optical sensors; sampling of hydrothermal plumes for salinity, TDMn, CH4 and 3Hc |
| Geology and geophysics | |
| Core - soft bottom | Quantity: number of cores = 4 Description: Box cores taken for time-series investigation of hydrothermal plume fall-out and accumulation of rift-valley floor sediments |
| Moorings, landers, buoys | |
| Physical oceanography | |
| Transparency (eg transmissometer) | 36° 17' 17" N 33° 51' 5" W — All moorings had 3 current meters plus an acoustic release 100m off-bottom and buoyancy |
| Transparency (eg transmissometer) | 36° 13' 53" N 33° 54' 11" W — Single sediment trap mooring and 1 RCM |
| Transparency (eg transmissometer) | 36° 14' 11" N 33° 53' 35" W — 2 sediment trap moorings and 2 RCMs |
| Transparency (eg transmissometer) | 36° 13' 35" N 33° 50' 40" W — All moorings had 3 current meters plus an acoustic release 100m off-bottom and buoyancy |
| Transparency (eg transmissometer) | 36° 16' 15" N 33° 52' 58" W — All moorings had 3 current meters plus an acoustic release 100m off-bottom and buoyancy |
| Transparency (eg transmissometer) | 36° 16' 33" N 33° 54' 8" W — All moorings had 3 current meters plus an acoustic release 100m off-bottom and buoyancy |
| Transparency (eg transmissometer) | 36° 14' 11" N 33° 53' 42" W — 2 sediment trap moorings and 2 RCMs |
| Transparency (eg transmissometer) | 36° 14' 39" N 33° 54' 1" W — All moorings had 3 current meters plus an acoustic release 100m off-bottom and buoyancy |
| Transparency (eg transmissometer) | 36° 17' 11" N 33° 53' 57" W — With 4 RCMs - not recovered |
| Transparency (eg transmissometer) | 36° 25' 24" N 33° 36' 40" W — All moorings had 3 current meters plus an acoustic release 100m off-bottom and buoyancy |
| Transparency (eg transmissometer) | 36° 11' 49" N 33° 47' 58" W — All moorings had 3 current meters plus an acoustic release 100m off-bottom and buoyancy |
| Current meters | 36° 13' 53" N 33° 54' 11" W — Single sediment trap mooring and 1 RCM |
| Current meters | 36° 14' 11" N 33° 53' 35" W — 2 sediment trap moorings and 2 RCMs |
| Current meters | 36° 14' 39" N 33° 54' 1" W — All moorings had 3 current meters plus an acoustic release 100m off-bottom and buoyancy |
| Current meters | 36° 25' 24" N 33° 36' 40" W — All moorings had 3 current meters plus an acoustic release 100m off-bottom and buoyancy |
| Current meters | 36° 17' 17" N 33° 51' 5" W — All moorings had 3 current meters plus an acoustic release 100m off-bottom and buoyancy |
| Current meters | 36° 16' 33" N 33° 54' 8" W — All moorings had 3 current meters plus an acoustic release 100m off-bottom and buoyancy |
| Current meters | 36° 13' 35" N 33° 50' 40" W — All moorings had 3 current meters plus an acoustic release 100m off-bottom and buoyancy |
| Current meters | 36° 17' 11" N 33° 53' 57" W — With 4 RCMs - not recovered |
| Current meters | 36° 11' 49" N 33° 47' 58" W — All moorings had 3 current meters plus an acoustic release 100m off-bottom and buoyancy |
| Current meters | 36° 14' 11" N 33° 53' 42" W — 2 sediment trap moorings and 2 RCMs |
| Current meters | 36° 16' 15" N 33° 52' 58" W — All moorings had 3 current meters plus an acoustic release 100m off-bottom and buoyancy |
| Biology and fisheries | |
| Sediment traps | 36° 14' 11" N 33° 53' 35" W — 2 sediment trap moorings and 2 RCMs |
| Sediment traps | 36° 14' 11" N 33° 53' 42" W — 2 sediment trap moorings and 2 RCMs |
| Sediment traps | 36° 13' 53" N 33° 54' 11" W — Single sediment trap mooring and 1 RCM |
