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RV Prince Madog PD37/03

Cruise plan

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)RV Prince Madog (74P2)
Cruise identifierPD37/03
Cruise period2003-09-12 — 2003-09-20
StatusCompleted
Port of departureMenai Bridge, United Kingdom
Port of returnMenai Bridge, United Kingdom
PurposeResearch
ObjectivesOutline of science objectives:
The cruise aims to measure water-leaving radiance using above-water optical sensors and calibrate them against water quality parameters through the measurement of phytoplankton pigments, suspended sediment load, yellow substance and water clarity. These are sea trials aimed at finalising protocols before placing instruments on board the Irish Ferries Ulysses for long term monitoring of water quality. The cruise will be run jointly with a second project CASIX which aims to make measurements of phytoplankton and suspended matter properties including particle size to try to further understand primary productivity and carbon fluxes in shelf seas.
Main cruise objectives:
1) Obtain continuous measurements of above-water reflectance (RAMSES) along the Irish Ferries Ulysses route from Holyhead to Dublin during daylight hours (see attached map).
2) Measure water quality parameters (chlorophyll, suspended sediment load, yellow substance, nutrients and water clarity) in order to calibrate the radiometers for the independent determination of water quality and for validation of the POL ERSIM model.
3) Measure in situ water-leaving radiance (Floating RAMSES) to determine accuracy of above-water methods.
4) Obtain tidal cycles of phytoplankton abundance and physiology (FRRF), SPM concentration and particle sizes (LISST) on stations in the western Irish Sea gyre and off Holyhead (see attached map).
5) Deploy settling velocity tubes at tidal stations
6) Obtain in situ profiles of spectral reflectance (PRR600 and Micro-PRO) for inter-calibration of radiometers.
Chief scientistE Gay Mitchelson-Jacob (University of Wales, Bangor School of Ocean Sciences)
ProjectCentre for Air-Sea Interactions and Fluxes/EU Ireland-Wales INTERREG Program
Coordinating bodyWelsh European Funding Office (for INTERREG)
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralIrish Sea and St. George's Channel
SpecificIrish Sea
Track chartsRV Prince Madog PD37/03 cruise track — pd37_03roscop4718trk.pdf (0.10 MB) 
Measurements 
Physical oceanography 
Water bottle stationsQuantity: number of profiles = 71
Description: Sampling of water at depths using water bottles on CTD rosette
CTD stationsQuantity: number of profiles = 71
Description: Measure temperature profiles by CTD
CTD stationsQuantity: number of profiles = 71
Description: Measure salinity profiles by CTD
CTD stationsQuantity: number of profiles = 71
Description: Measure fluorescence profiles by CTD
CTD stationsQuantity: number of profiles = 71
Description: Measure transmittance profiles by CTD
Transparency (eg transmissometer)Quantity: number of profiles = 27
Description: Measurement of diffuse attenuation coefficients at SeaWiFS wavelengths
Transparency (eg transmissometer)Quantity: number of profiles = 46
Description: Measurement of diffuse attenuation coefficients at MERIS wavelengths
Transparency (eg transmissometer)Quantity: number of measurements = 48
Description: Secchi Depth
Optics (eg underwater light levels)Quantity: number of profiles = 46
Description: Measurement of in-situ profiles of spectral remote sensing reflectance at MERIS wavelengths with Satlantic MicroPro freefall radiometer
Optics (eg underwater light levels)Quantity: number of measurements = 57
Description: In-situ water leaving radiance with TRIOS in-water sensor
Optics (eg underwater light levels)Quantity: number of measurements = 57
Description: Above-water reflectance using TRIOS radiometer
Optics (eg underwater light levels)Quantity: number of profiles = 27
Description: Measurement of in-situ profiles of spectral remote sensing reflectance at SeaWiFS wavelengths with PRR-600 profiling radiometer
Other physical oceanographic measurementsQuantity: number of profiles = 37
Description: Measure SPM volume-specific particle size classes with LISST-100
Other physical oceanographic measurementsQuantity: number of samples = 58
Description: Sampling particulate absorption by filter pad technique at surface
Other physical oceanographic measurementsQuantity: number of samples = 11
Description: Sampling particulate absorption by filter pad technique at depth
Other physical oceanographic measurementsQuantity: number of samples = 55
Description: Sampling for particle settling velocity
Chemical oceanography 
PhosphateQuantity: number of samples = 129
Description: Sampling for phosphate at depth
PhosphateQuantity: number of samples = 150
Description: Sampling for phosphate at surface
NitrateQuantity: number of samples = 129
Description: Sampling for nitrate at depth
NitrateQuantity: number of samples = 150
Description: Sampling for nitrate at surface
NitriteQuantity: number of samples = 150
Description: Sampling for nitrite at surface
NitriteQuantity: number of samples = 129
Description: Sampling for nitrite at depth
AmmoniaQuantity: number of samples = 129
Description: Sampling for ammonia at depth
AmmoniaQuantity: number of samples = 150
Description: Sampling for ammonia at surface
SilicateQuantity: number of samples = 150
Description: Sampling for silicate at surface
SilicateQuantity: number of samples = 129
Description: Sampling for silicate at depth
Biology and fisheries 
Primary productivityQuantity: number of profiles = 37
Description: Measurement of photosynthetic response with FRRF variable fluorescence fluorometer
Phytoplankton pigs (eg chlorophyll, fluorescence)Quantity: number of samples = 24
Description: Sampling for chlorophyll at surface, analysis by HPLC
Phytoplankton pigs (eg chlorophyll, fluorescence)Quantity: number of samples = 4
Description: Sampling for chlorophyll at depth, analysis by HPLC
Dissolved organic matter (inc DOC)Quantity: number of samples = 58
Description: Sampling for CDOM at surface, analysis by spectrophotometry
PhytoplanktonQuantity: number of samples = 34
Description: Sampling for phytoplankton concentration and type at surface
PhytoplanktonQuantity: number of samples = 11
Description: Sampling for phytoplankton concentration and type at depth
SestonQuantity: number of samples = 144
Description: Sampling for SPM at depth, analysis by weight and ignition
SestonQuantity: number of samples = 197
Description: Sampling for SPM at surface, analysis by weight and ignition
Moorings, landers, buoys 
Physical oceanography 
Current profiler (eg ADCP)53° 34' 57" N  5° 46' 56" W — Sea-bed deployed ADCP mooring, deployed 12/09/03, recovered 16/09/03. Station identifier: Station G.
Current profiler (eg ADCP)53° 23' 2" N  4° 41' 57" W — Sea-bed deployed ADCP mooring, deployed 12/09/03, recovered 20/09/03. Station identifier: Station H.