10 April – 16 May 2012, Punta Arenas – Bremerhaven

Polarstern will leave Punta Arenas on 10 April 2012 for the Atlantic transect to Bremerhaven.  During the cruise 13 scientific groups will perform comprehensive meteorological, oceanographic, chemical, and biological observations.

The measurements will include continuous records of atmospheric and marine properties as well as of energy and material fluxes between ocean and atmosphere. Together with measurements of atmospheric aerosol, its optical properties, and an analysis of isotope anomalies of ozone and nitrate, atmospheric transports and other processes will be investigated. The obtained data will also be used to validate atmospheric and oceanographic circulation models.

CTD stations (Conductivity/salinity, Temperature, Depth) will be carried out to measure vertical profiles of oceanic temperature and salinity and to collect water samples from various depth levels. The latter will be analysed with respect to parameters like dissolved organic matter, transition metals, or dissolved organic carbon to improve our knowledge on the role of bacteria of the Roseobacter clade for the oceanic component of global cycle of matter. Underwater light measurements will help to interpret the data. The CTD stations in the Vema Channel in the tropical Atlantic are part of a long-term study of the global deep-sea circulation system.

Beside these measurements continuous observations of sea birds and whales are planned to improve our knowledge about the population densities in the Atlantic. Sea trials and tests will be performed of systems for underwater navigation and bathymetry. The cruise will end on 16 May 2012 in Bremerhaven.