Acoustic measurements.
CD170 was a collaborative cruise with the Knorr cruise KN182_2. The latter cruise was conducted between 2 May 2005 and 26 May 2005. These cruises were completed as part of the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funded RAPID Programme and the US National Science Federation (NSF) funded MOCHA Programme to monitor the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation at 26.5 degrees North. The primary purpose of both cruises was to service the 26.5 degrees North mooring array deployed in 2004 during RRS Discovery cruises D277 and D278. These cruises are the first annual refurbishment of this array.
Technological trials run on seismic equipment developed by the SERCEL firm.
The objective of cruise JC103 was to service the moorings of the RAPID 26°N project that are deployed to monitor the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. For each mooring instruments were recovered, data were downloaded and instruments were redeployed. A number of CTDs were made to calibrate the instruments from the moorings. During passage from port of Spain to Nassau trial CTDs were completed in the waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands. After departing Nassau on 29th April work commenced on the western boundary sub-array comprising of moorings WBADCP, WBAL, WB1, WB2, WB2l, WB2h, WB4 and WB4L. The ship returned to Nassau on 6th May to disembark one person before sailing east once again. The final mooring of the wester sub-array was serviced on 8th May before continuing east to the mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) sub-array. Work on the MAR sub-array commenced on 13th May at mooring MAR0. The other moorings in this sub-array were MAR1, MAR1L, MAR2, MAR3 and MAR3L were all completed by 18th May. On the following day the NOG mooring was deployed and as the ship transited to the astern sub-array the first of 5 Argo floats was deployed on 21st May. The eastern boundary sub-array starts at EB1, which was serviced on 23rd May. Following this moorings at EB1L, EBHi, EBH1, EBH2, EBh3,EBh4 and EBH4L in the following days up until 31st May. A number of CTDs were completed form 31st may to 2nd June.
Hydrography and physical oceanography cruise for the French Navy's hydrographic and oceanographic service (SHOM).
The area in between the Audierne and St. Nazaire canyons (Gascogne) along the Armorican margin was one of the areas where the "massifs coralliens" were described for the very first time. Within the framework of the HERMES (EC FP6), MiCROSYSTEMS (ESF) and GeNeSis (FWO) projects, this area will be surveyed using multibeam and high resolution seismics during LEG 1. Based on this site survey, the ROV Genesis will be deployed to carry out detailed mapping of these deep-water "hot-spots". Also the hydrography and sediment dynamics of this area will be studied with respect to the steering of the present ecosystems. LEG 2 will focus on the Galicia bank. This location has been assigned as reference area within the ESF project BIOFUN. In addition to a bathymetric and seismic surveying, also biological sampling and experiments are planned here.
<p style="text-align:justify">SHOM cruise with implementation of the MVP.</p>
Overall objectives in the EU GO project are to assess the promising potential of seismic imaging for physical oceanography, in view of its combination of fine resolution and coverage unmatched by conventional oceanographic measurements. D318 was to provide the means of assessment by obtaining a unique comprehensive oceanographic and seismic dataset at the same time and place. Specific objectives for R.R.S. Discovery cruise 318b were to (i) recover four ADCP moorings, three adjacent temperature-logger moorings and STABLE, from 750-1000m depth east of Portimao Canyon (ii) perform deep water CTD casts (iii) carry out seismic sections using the NMF supplied Bolt airgun and streamer, accompanied by regular XBT and less frequent XCTD casts, iv) work with MV Poseidon to test novel seismic data acquistion strategies. In addition underway data was logged including ship-borne ADCP, surface temperature and salinity, meteorology, gravity and magnetics (to test new NERC magnetometers).
Transit.
Charter cruise with the objective of validating the performance of SERCEL equipment, i.e. evaluation of different seismic devices and validating this equipment.