Marine

Water Sampling for Long-Term Monitoring

October 15, 2018 by Marine Directorate Communications No Comments | Category Marine Directorate general, Marine Directorate Science, Marine Directorate Surveys, Oceanography, Research Vessel Surveys

Survey: MRV Scotia 1418S

Duration: 5-15 October 2018

Procedure:

Scotia will make her way to the eastern start of the Nolso – Flugga (NOL) section and start collecting long term monitoring samples and taking CTD profiles. On a previous trip – the 0618S survey – a mooring in an AL500 frame also failed to surface and communication with this lost mooring will be attempted.

After the NOL section, Scotia will head to the western (Faroe) side of the FIM section to carry out standard CTD and water sampling along the line. Scotia will then sail back to the JONSIS line to conduct a fine scale CTD survey around the area of the AECO mooring.

Once that work is completed and if time allows, Scotia will carry out additional work (listed in the survey objectives) along the JONSIS line, in the Moray Firth and/or Aberdeen Bay, prior to her return.

Scientific Procedures:

It is expected that deployments of hydrographic equipment will be carried out with the CTD crane whilst the vessel is on station. The plankton crane will be used for the deployment of ADCP moorings in trawl-resistant frames (AL200 and AL500) and short single-string moorings. Longer single-string ADCP mooring deployments will be done from the trawl deck.

Two container laboratories will be required (one for water filtering and a dry container for communications with sampling equipment). Chlorophyll samples will be stored frozen in the freezer in the Fish House. Nutrient samples will be stored frozen in an empty freezer on the lower container deck.

Objectives:

1. Perform hydrographic sampling along the ALTERECO monitoring section in the northern North Sea, which will be sampled in all MSS oceanographic surveys in 2018.
2. Perform hydrographic sampling along the JONSIS long term monitoring section in the northern North Sea.
3. Recover, download and re-deploy an ADCP mooring deployed in a trawl-proof frame on the JONSIS section (the “AlterEco mooring”, AECO).
4. Recover, download and re-deploy one ADCP mooring at a position on Fair Isle – Munken (FIM) section.
5. Perform hydrographic sampling along the long term monitoring Faroe-Shetland Channel Nolso – Flugga (NOL) section.
6. Try to establish communication with previously lost mooring (AL-500) on NOL, and potentially attempt recovery.
7. Perform hydrographic sampling along the long-term monitoring Faroe-Shetland Channel Fair Isle – Munken (FIM) section.
8. Take water samples for long term storage on Fair Isle – Munken or Nolso – Flugga section stations.
9. Perform fine scale VMADCP/CTD survey work on the JONSIS line (around 59° 17′ N, 001° 15′ W).
10. If weather/time permits perform a short-term deployment of an ADCP in AL200 frame.
11. If weather/time permits, perform VMADCP/CTD survey work in the Moray Firth and/or Aberdeen Bay.
12. Run the thermosalinograph throughout the survey.
13. Run the VMADCP on all the standard sections.

Gear:

• SeaBird Conductivity, Temperature and Depth units (CTDs)
• Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs);
• Current meter instrumentation;
• Water filtering equipment;
• Mooring equipment; and
• Chemistry sampling equipment.

Mooring Positions (Recovery):

• AECO – 59° 16.928′ N 001° 15.393′ W   Trawl resistant AL200 frame
• NWSE – 60° 16.42′ N 004° 20.46′ W    Short single string mooring
• NWEA – 61° 38.01’N 004° 32.60’W     (previously lost, attempt to communicate again)

Mooring Positions (Deployment):

• AECO – 59° 17.00′ N 001° 15.00′ W on JONSIS
• NWSE – 60° 16.29′ N 004° 20.78′ W on FIM

Chart showing key activities on 1418S (moorings shown with green flags)

*******************************

Further Information:

Tags: Aberdeen Bay, coastal monitoring, Fair Isle, Faroe-Shetland, Flugga, Moray Firth, MRV Scotia, oceanography, research, sampling, science, Survey

Comments