Nutrient studies for UK-Geotraces 400 South

Malcolm Woodward

Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, West Hoe, Plymouth, PL1 3DH, United Kingdom

Geotraces, March 24th, 2009

Nutrient capability at PML:

Extensive research cruise experience over past 15 years, programme involvement include AMT (Atlantic Meridional Transect), 18 full Atlantic cruises over 12 years UK to/from Falklands/South Africa. SOLAS cruises, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and Antarctic.

Analytical Capability:Would deploy on board a 5-channel segmented-flow colorimetric autoanalyser, for Nitrate, Nitrite, Phosphate, Silicate and Ammonium.

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Nutrients within Geotraces:

Analytical Capability:Ammonium within the water column of the South Atlantic region is found at Nanomolar concentrations, continental shelves and also a maximum concentration zone at the chlorophyll maximum but other than that is low level.For reliable results would deploy a Fluorimetric gas diffusion analyser which also gives nanomolar detection.

AMT 17 Cruise Track

Composite Atlantic Chlorophyll, September/October

Nitrate+Nitrite (uM)

Phosphate (uM)

Atlantic Ocean Macro-Nutrient Structure

AMT-17, Nov, 2005

Geotraces cruise

The Atlantic 400 South Section:The proposed 40 South transect track covers a wide range of nutrient concentrations and will show large gradients with different water masses being present across the transect: Antarctic bottom Water, North Atlantic deep etc and also influence of the Antarctic circumpolar current.

Quality Control:Work to WOCE/Geotraces protocolsGeotraces protocols advice Certified reference Materials be used.New global programme called INSS which is at present developing and calibrating nutrient reference materials, this will be complete by end 2009. Will have access to these samples for Geotraces.An important advance for certifying nutrient analyses

Cruise Requirements, Final slide:

Stations to be measured: All 24 full depth stations, or more as sampled, important to acquire good transect nutrient coverage

Any requirements for other experiments ? Sediment studies ?

Volume of water at each depth: 500 mls (to include washings)

Berths required: 2

Salary: approx 2 months time to include prep, cruise, demob,Data work up and quality control

Specialist equipment on board:5 channel nutrient autoanalyserNanomolar nutrient analyser

Can be flexible to other requirements.

Quality of data, quality control, current situation:

Take all sampling and analytical precautions to avoid contamination as detailed before

Used ‘aged’ low nutrient sea-water to make up working standards

ThankYou

Science Cruise Logistics for UK-Geotraces 400 South

Malcolm Woodward

Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, West Hoe, Plymouth, PL1 3DH, United Kingdom

Geotraces, March 24th, 2009

.Co-ordination of the Science Cruise Logistics:

Successful programme with 5 of UK-SOLAS cruises in last 3 years and all the international AMT cruises. Experienced team.

Work with PSO, all scientists, and NMF at NOCS. to co-ordinate shipping etc.

Attend pre-cruise meetings and advise as required.

Co-ordinate all equipment shipping to Mob port and also dealing with haz chems, gases, radioactives for shipping etc.

Co-ordinate return from demob port of all equipment.

Help with clearances to FCO as required.

Assemble and advise for all paperwork for Health and Safety, COSHH, safe working practices, all personal details like sea survival, medical, dental, competence etc

Webpage would be set up within main UK-Geotraces pages or at PML.

Chase up all scientists and Submit all paperwork to NMF when required.

Organise flights, single flexible Marine fares.

Requirements, Final slide:

Salary: approx 2 weeks each for 2 people

Could include all freight costs within submission andalso all International flight costs, hence remove this from each individual groups costs.Centrally organised, more efficient, no transfers of finances

Quality of data, quality control, current situation:

Take all sampling and analytical precautions to avoid contamination as detailed before

Used ‘aged’ low nutrient sea-water to make up working standards

ThankYou-again

Nanomolar Ammonium

Nanomolar Nitrite

Chlorophyll-a(mg m-3)