Resources

RRS Discovery D352

Cruise summary report

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)RRS Discovery (74E3)
Cruise identifierD352
Cruise period2010-06-02 — 2010-06-26
StatusCompleted
Port of departureGovan, United Kingdom
Port of returnAvonmouth, United Kingdom
PurposeResearch
ObjectivesRRS Discovery cruise D352 was supported as part of a NERC Responsive Mode research project ("A Thermocline Nutrient Pump", NE/F002432/1) awarded to Bangor University (Dr. Tom Rippeth) and the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory (Prof. Jonathan Sharples, now at the University of Liverpool).

The focus of the project, and the cruise, is on the effects of wind stress at the sea surface driving inertial oscillations, and so causing shear and mixing across the thermocline of seasonally-stratified shelf seas. The inertial shear is thought to interact with shear set up by the tidal currents, leading to pulses of mixing at the base of the thermocline. The project also aims to investigate the mixing in the context of supplying nutrients to the sub-surface layer of phytoplankton commonly seen within the shelf seas in summer, and to assess any possible shifts in the phytoplankton ecology as a response to the supply of nutrients.
The cruise was planned around the use a free-fall turbulence profilers (Bangor University's VMP500 and NOC's VMP750) to measure rates of turbulent dissipation, moored instrumentation (ADCPs, temperature and chlorophyll loggers, McLane RAS water samplers, and meteorological sensors), long transects using Scanfish and the vessel hull-mounted ADCPs, and experiments on the water column biogeochemistry.

The cruise was very successful. Initially calm weather allowed all of the moorings to be deployed easily, and then 2 strong wind events (generally northerly force 7) passed through the region allowing intense work with the turbulence profilers to make the key measurements of the vertical turbulent mixing. While both profilers eventually succumbed to damage as a result of recoveries during poor sea states, the data collected was of very high quality and clearly showed the spikes in thermocline mixing that we were looking for. The parallel biogeochemistry experiments showed a response in the nutrient distributions, in particular with the nitracline being raised within the thermocline as a result of the mixing and a reduction in primary production (i.e. wind events tend to be cloudy).
Chief scientistJonathan Sharples (National Oceanography Centre, Liverpool)
Cruise reportRRS Discovery D352 cruise report d352.pdf (7.86 MB) 
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralCeltic Sea
SpecificCeltic Sea
Track chartsRRS Discovery D352 cruise track — d352trk.pdf (0.08 MB) 
Measurements 
Physical oceanography 
Surface measurements underway (T,S)Quantity: track kilometres = 3500
Description: Surfmet CTD, chl fluorescence, transmittance
CTD stationsQuantity: number of profiles = 59
Description: Seabird 911 CTD plus chlorophyll fluorescence, dissolved oxygen, transmittance
Subsurface temperature measurementsQuantity: activity duration in hours = 36
Description: Self-logging T loggers suspended over vessel side, every 1 or 2 metres depth sampling every 15 secs
Current profiler (eg ADCP)Quantity: track kilometres = 3500
Description: Vessel ADCP (150 kHz and 75 kHz)
Other physical oceanographic measurementsQuantity: track kilometres = 2800
Description: Scanfish towed, undulating CTD package with chl fluorescence
Other physical oceanographic measurementsQuantity: activity duration in hours = 89
Description: Profiles of turbulent dissipation with Rockland VMP500 and VMP750 profilers
Chemical oceanography 
PhosphateQuantity: number of profiles = 59
Description: Chemical analyses of bottle samples collected during CTD stations.
NitrateQuantity: number of profiles = 59
Description: Chemical analyses of bottle samples collected during CTD stations.
AmmoniaQuantity: number of profiles = 59
Description: Chemical analyses of bottle samples collected during CTD stations.
SilicateQuantity: number of profiles = 59
Description: Chemical analyses of bottle samples collected during CTD stations.
Biology and fisheries 
Primary productivityQuantity: number of stations = 10
Description: C14 primary production measurements
Phytoplankton pigs (eg chlorophyll, fluorescence)Quantity: number of profiles = 59
Description: Chemical analyses of bottle samples collected during CTD stations.
Dissolved organic matter (inc DOC)Quantity: number of profiles = 10
Description: Analyses of bottle samples from CTD stations. Limited vertical resolution.
Biochemical measurements (eg lipids, amino acids)Quantity: number of stations = 10
Description: Standalone pump sampling and Day grab for lipids, typically near-surface and bottom layer and grab in seabed
ZooplanktonQuantity: number of hauls = 10
Description: Triplicate bongo net hauls, full depth and half depth
Meteorology 
Routine standard measurementsQuantity: track kilometres = 3500
Description: Standard ship's meteorological package
Geology and geophysics 
Single-beam echosoundingQuantity: track kilometres = 3500
Description: Ship's echosounder
Moorings, landers, buoys 
Physical oceanography 
Subsurface temperature measurements49° 27' 55" N  8° 49' 57" W — Self-logging T and CT sensors, logging every 5 - 15 metres, every 1 minute.
Subsurface temperature measurements49° 22' 20" N  8° 54' 46" W — Self-logging T and CT sensors, logging every 5 - 15 metres, every 1 minute.
Subsurface temperature measurements53° 45' 4" N  5° 29' 54" W — Self-logging T sensor
Subsurface temperature measurements49° 25' 18" N  8° 58' 52" W — Self-logging T and CT sensors, logging every 5 - 15 metres, every 1 minute.
Current profiler (eg ADCP)49° 25' 18" N  8° 58' 52" W — ADCP in bed frame. 4 m bins, velocity averages every 2 minutes.
Current profiler (eg ADCP)53° 45' 4" N  5° 29' 54" W — ADCP in bed frame
Current profiler (eg ADCP)49° 22' 20" N  8° 54' 46" W — ADCP in bed frame. 4 m bins, velocity averages every 2 minutes.
Current profiler (eg ADCP)49° 27' 55" N  8° 49' 57" W — ADCP in bed frame. 4 m bins, velocity averages every 2 minutes.
Chemical oceanography 
Nitrate49° 25' 18" N  8° 58' 52" W — McLane RAS sampler at 20 m and 40 m depth sampling once per day
Biology and fisheries 
Phytoplankton pigs (eg chlorophyll, fluorescence)49° 25' 18" N  8° 58' 52" W — Wetlabs recording fluorometers, 1 minute sample interval.
Phytoplankton49° 25' 18" N  8° 58' 52" W — McLane RAS sampler at 20 m and 40 m depth sampling once per day
Meteorology 
Routine standard measurements49° 27' 55" N  8° 49' 57" W — Met sensors on surface torroid buoy, 10 minute sample rate.
Routine standard measurements53° 45' 4" N  5° 29' 54" W — Met sensors on surface torroid buoy, 10 minute sample rate.
Routine standard measurements49° 22' 20" N  8° 54' 46" W — Met sensors on surface torroid buoy, 10 minute sample rate.
Routine standard measurements49° 25' 18" N  8° 58' 52" W — Met sensors on surface torroid buoy, 10 minute sample rate.
Data held at BODC Get data
Series/Profiles 
11  CTD in towed or autonomous underwater vehicle
Reference numbers
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Vertical platform movement
Date and time
Salinity of the water column
Temperature of the water column
Vertical spatial coordinates
Dissolved oxygen parameters in the water column
Density of the water column
Horizontal platform movement
Electrical conductivity of the water column
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies
Reference numbers
Horizontal spatial co-ordinates
Vertical platform movement
Date and time
Salinity of the water column
Temperature of the water column
Vertical spatial coordinates
Dissolved oxygen parameters in the water column
Density of the water column
Horizontal platform movement
Electrical conductivity of the water column
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies

BODC idDate/TimeLocationDoc.
11482482010-06-22 18:09:49  — 2010-06-22 23:33:03 50° 4' 22" N  7° 59' 45" W — 50° 34' 57" N  7° 11' 30" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1148248
11481682010-06-13 13:50:07  — 2010-06-13 22:01:40 49° 6' 37" N  10° 13' 19" W — 49° 21' 15" N  9° 27' 24" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1148168
11481932010-06-15 05:17:58  — 2010-06-15 13:59:58 48° 59' 2" N  9° 29' 24" W — 49° 45' 51" N  8° 18' 23" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1148193
11482002010-06-15 13:59:59  — 2010-06-16 01:33:35 48° 59' 50" N  9° 44' 3" W — 49° 45' 51" N  8° 47' 16" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1148200
11482122010-06-17 18:23:22  — 2010-06-18 06:18:14 49° 9' 25" N  9° 1' 44" W — 49° 37' 8" N  8° 0' 59" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1148212
11481812010-06-14 18:51:02  — 2010-06-15 05:17:57 48° 28' 8" N  9° 28' 42" W — 49° 10' 20" N  8° 18' 23" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1148181
11482612010-06-24 11:17:29  — 2010-06-25 05:30:02 50° 37' 51" N  7° 6' 12" W — 53° 5' 34" N  5° 11' 16" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1148261
11481442010-06-05 19:34:09  — 2010-06-05 23:57:06 49° 12' 22" N  9° 20' 12" W — 49° 37' 30" N  8° 39' 59" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1148144
11481562010-06-12 09:27:43  — 2010-06-13 01:55:16 48° 57' 10" N  10° 0' 58" W — 49° 48' 59" N  8° 32' 55" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1148156
11482242010-06-21 11:18:08  — 2010-06-21 23:48:15 48° 14' 52" N  10° 46' 7" W — 48° 53' 1" N  9° 35' 56" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1148224
11482362010-06-21 23:48:16  — 2010-06-22 18:07:51 48° 14' 52" N  10° 44' 11" W — 50° 4' 13" N  8° 0' 0" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1148236
60  CTD/STD cast
Reference numbers
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
Density of the water column
Raw light meter output
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies
Reference numbers
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
Density of the water column
Raw light meter output
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in water bodies

BODC idDate/TimeLocationDoc.
10795112010-06-06 04:46:25 49° 24' 16" N  8° 59' 9" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079511
10795232010-06-06 06:23:40 49° 23' 59" N  9° 0' 20" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079523
10796032010-06-08 20:37:57 49° 24' 29" N  9° 0' 24" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079603
10796882010-06-11 10:03:49 49° 24' 38" N  8° 58' 19" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079688
10797442010-06-13 02:34:45 49° 6' 56" N  9° 27' 25" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079744
10798612010-06-16 04:29:32 49° 25' 58" N  9° 2' 3" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079861
10799532010-06-18 07:02:24 49° 25' 31" N  9° 0' 31" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079953
10799892010-06-19 20:36:37 49° 16' 14" N  9° 12' 53" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079989
10800632010-06-21 05:18:45 48° 57' 24" N  9° 42' 36" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1080063
10800752010-06-24 02:40:39 52° 59' 57" N  5° 10' 57" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1080075
10794432010-06-03 02:30:19 53° 36' 19" N  3° 50' 57" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079443
10794792010-06-04 16:40:45 49° 25' 34" N  8° 58' 28" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079479
10795352010-06-06 08:52:23 49° 24' 42" N  9° 0' 25" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079535
10797072010-06-11 20:11:03 49° 25' 52" N  9° 0' 2" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079707
10798122010-06-14 13:08:47 49° 6' 55" N  9° 28' 27" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079812
10798362010-06-14 16:05:42 49° 7' 54" N  9° 27' 40" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079836
10799042010-06-16 13:01:37 50° 8' 55" N  7° 52' 7" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079904
10796152010-06-09 02:44:52 49° 25' 32" N  8° 59' 43" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079615
10797562010-06-13 11:35:59 49° 3' 50" N  9° 28' 55" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079756
10798972010-06-16 10:50:34 49° 58' 14" N  8° 8' 7" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079897
10799282010-06-16 17:15:33 50° 31' 1" N  7° 17' 56" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079928
10799902010-06-19 22:25:29 49° 6' 48" N  9° 27' 20" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079990
10800022010-06-20 00:23:26 48° 57' 19" N  9° 42' 23" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1080002
10800142010-06-20 02:32:59 48° 46' 58" N  9° 58' 0" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1080014
10800512010-06-20 14:51:42 48° 26' 53" N  10° 27' 42" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1080051
10795472010-06-06 09:48:12 49° 25' 0" N  9° 0' 37" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079547
10795602010-06-07 05:01:27 49° 27' 18" N  8° 58' 26" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079560
10795842010-06-07 22:26:17 49° 26' 20" N  8° 58' 42" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079584
10796392010-06-09 16:00:17 49° 25' 34" N  9° 0' 19" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079639
10797192010-06-12 02:33:01 49° 24' 35" N  8° 59' 8" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079719
10797812010-06-14 08:12:27 49° 6' 15" N  9° 29' 37" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079781
10799412010-06-17 04:01:01 49° 25' 9" N  9° 0' 29" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079941
10794312010-06-02 13:28:20 55° 27' 34" N  5° 1' 55" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079431
10795962010-06-08 04:18:29 49° 26' 48" N  8° 58' 9" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079596
10796642010-06-10 12:21:11 49° 25' 49" N  8° 59' 40" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079664
10796762010-06-10 22:12:21 49° 25' 31" N  9° 0' 52" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079676
10798242010-06-14 14:39:36 49° 7' 34" N  9° 28' 5" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079824
10798852010-06-16 08:52:01 49° 47' 23" N  8° 24' 56" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079885
10799772010-06-19 06:38:59 49° 26' 3" N  9° 2' 13" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079977
10798002010-06-14 11:34:30 49° 6' 31" N  9° 27' 13" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079800
10794552010-06-03 13:14:07 53° 45' 18" N  5° 29' 49" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079455
10797202010-06-12 04:35:11 49° 24' 54" N  8° 57' 50" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079720
10797322010-06-12 06:03:10 49° 24' 19" N  8° 57' 37" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079732
10794672010-06-04 15:37:39 49° 28' 59" N  8° 53' 47" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079467
10794922010-06-06 02:44:13 49° 25' 7" N  8° 58' 9" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079492
10796402010-06-10 01:15:19 49° 24' 25" N  8° 59' 15" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079640
10797682010-06-13 22:08:30 49° 7' 2" N  9° 29' 4" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079768
10798732010-06-16 06:49:59 49° 36' 47" N  8° 41' 47" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079873
10799162010-06-16 15:04:52 50° 19' 40" N  7° 35' 10" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079916
10799652010-06-19 05:06:25 49° 25' 19" N  9° 0' 41" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079965
10800262010-06-20 04:15:34 48° 46' 49" N  9° 58' 34" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1080026
10794802010-06-05 02:46:13 49° 25' 6" N  8° 59' 28" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079480
10795592010-06-06 09:59:11 49° 25' 5" N  9° 0' 40" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079559
10795722010-06-07 15:14:49 49° 25' 47" N  8° 59' 37" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079572
10796272010-06-09 11:35:44 49° 25' 4" N  8° 59' 43" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079627
10796522010-06-10 04:29:31 49° 26' 3" N  8° 57' 20" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079652
10797932010-06-14 10:12:08 49° 6' 13" N  9° 25' 43" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079793
10798482010-06-16 02:33:31 49° 24' 43" N  8° 59' 57" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1079848
10800382010-06-20 12:21:06 48° 37' 17" N  10° 13' 12" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1080038
10800872010-06-24 09:25:53 53° 6' 57" N  5° 12' 41" W  View metadata report for BODC series reference number 1080087