Stoca-F is a specific part of the STOCA project to do maintenance to the "ESPEE" mooring of Espartel (Gibraltar), verifing it´s sensors with the readings of a CTD and replacing batteries.

The goals of this campaign are framed within the objectives of the overall project 'Radial Profunda de Canarias', being the experimental cruise of the proposal. Thus, this cruise will help to: ¿ Determine the structure of the current when it reaches the Canary Islands, mass transport, heat and nutrients and interannual variability. ¿ Characterize the different modes of variability of heat and mass transport in easternorth atlantic subtropical gyre. ¿ Characterize the annual cycle in the physical conditions of the surface layers and mixture to where the seasonal cycle is significant, relating it to the meteorological forcings. ¿ Characterization of changes in water masses, mainly in the North Atlantic Central Water (NACW), in Antarctic Atlantic Intermediate Water (AAIW) in Mediterranean Water (MW) and bottom waters of the Canary Basin, in based on temperature, salinity, nutrients and oxygen.

The goals of this campaign are framed within the objectives of the overall project 'Radial Profunda de Canarias', being the experimental cruise of the proposal. Thus, this cruise will help to: ¿ Determine the structure of the current when it reaches the Canary Islands, mass transport, heat and nutrients and interannual variability. ¿ Characterize the different modes of variability of heat and mass transport in easternorth atlantic subtropical gyre. ¿ Characterize the annual cycle in the physical conditions of the surface layers and mixture to where the seasonal cycle is significant, relating it to the meteorological forcings. ¿ Characterization of changes in water masses, mainly in the North Atlantic Central Water (NACW), in Antarctic Atlantic Intermediate Water (AAIW) in Mediterranean Water (MW) and bottom waters of the Canary Basin, in based on temperature, salinity, nutrients and oxygen.

The goals of this campaign are framed within the objectives of the overall project 'Radial Profunda de Canarias', being the experimental cruise of the proposal. Thus, this cruise will help to: ¿ Determine the structure of the current when it reaches the Canary Islands, mass transport, heat and nutrients and interannual variability. ¿ Characterize the different modes of variability of heat and mass transport in easternorth atlantic subtropical gyre. ¿ Characterize the annual cycle in the physical conditions of the surface layers and mixture to where the seasonal cycle is significant, relating it to the meteorological forcings. ¿ Characterization of changes in water masses, mainly in the North Atlantic Central Water (NACW), in Antarctic Atlantic Intermediate Water (AAIW) in Mediterranean Water (MW) and bottom waters of the Canary Basin, in based on temperature, salinity, nutrients and oxygen.

The goals of this campaign are framed within the objectives of the overall project 'Radial Profunda de Canarias', being the experimental cruise of the proposal. Thus, this cruise will help to: - Determine the structure of the current when it reaches the Canary Islands, mass transport, heat and nutrients and interannual variability. - Characterize the different modes of variability of heat and mass transport in easternorth atlantic subtropical gyre. - Characterize the annual cycle in the physical conditions of the surface layers and mixture to where the seasonal cycle is significant, relating it to the meteorological forcings. - Characterization of changes in water masses, mainly in the North Atlantic Central Water (NACW), in Antarctic Atlantic Intermediate Water (AAIW) in Mediterranean Water (MW) and bottom waters of the Canary Basin, in based on temperature, salinity, nutrients and oxygen.

Recent geomorphological studies in the Alboran Sea using multibeam data and seismic profiles have revealed the presence of 4 fields of mounds, probably formed by ecosystem-engineering species, in the upper slope of the Spanish Margin, close to the shelf edge. These fields are located between 160 and 320 m depth, in a sedimentary context that belongs to a contouritic terrace, previously defined by Ercilla et al. (2016) in the upper slope of the northen Alboran sea. This terrace is formed by turbulent processes associated with the interface of the Surficial Atlantic water and the Mediterranean Intermediate water masses, as well as with their oscillation during quaternary glacial and interglacial periods. These mounds are located at the proximal side of the terraces, close to the shelf break, and are exposed to the Western Intermediate Water and Modified Atlantic water masses based on previous studies using CTD data. The main aim of this project is to characterize the habitats and associated biota, focusing especially on the dominant habitat-forming species of these mounds, as well as to define the geological and oceanographic factors that may modulate their development.

NA

Main targets: · ESTOC Observatory service - EMSO-ICOS. · ESTOC time-series - Winter sampling. · Coastal observatory sampling. · Time Serie for environmental control of the PLOCAN test bed.

The main target of the project is to perform the scientific studies and research necessary to improve and optimize the environmental assessment of the infralitoral and the continental shelf between Cabo de Palos and Cabo Tiñoso (Cartagena coast), in order to meet the scientific and technical requirements raised in the Natura 2000 Network and the IEO in the course of the process of public information and inquiries to the Environmental Sustainability Report. Specific targets are (1) Geological characterization of the study area by interpreting the data obtained with a multibeam and parametric echo sounder and the surficial sediment sampling by means of Shipek/Van Veen and Box-Corer gears. (2) Characterization from the point of view of chemical contamination of the conditions prior to the planned work, by the study of the distribution of environmental contamination by trace metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and organochlorine compounds in the sediments of the Gorguel-Escombreras area and nearby areas of environmental interest that may suffer the impact of the work. (3) Acquisition of detailed bathymetry and backscatter data from the southern and southeastern continental slope of the study area, to obtain photo and video images in the next campaign that will be carried out on board the Sarmiento de Gamboa ship, and where they will use the Liropus ROV.

Main targets: · ESTOC Observatory service - FixO3. · ESTOC time-series - Winter sampling. · Coastal observatory sampling. · Time Serie for environmental control of the PLOCAN test bed.