We are on the way – finally!

The infrastructure programme EUROFLEETS2, which covers 31 partners from 20 countries, was established to better link the European scientific fleet and to enable transnational access to research vessels and other large marine infrastructure. Over the last three years, the programme initiated four calls to apply for ship-time for a total of 22 research vessels. Important eligibility criteria for proposals were that the consortium needs to consist of at least two partners from different European countries and that scientists are applying for ship-time on vessels not belonging to their own country.

Polarstern is the only German research vessel offered in EUROFLEETS2. It received five proposals for ship-time and the project BURSTER („Bottom cURrents in a STagnant EnviRonment“) submitted by Dr. Renata Lucchi from the Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS) in Triest, Italy achieved the best evaluation results. The project aims to investigate the geodynamic and hydrographic conditions, and the active gas seepage present in the pockmark-field piercing the sediment drift located in the inner part of the Kveithola Trough, a 100 km long and approx. 13 km wide channel on the western Barents Sea shelf.

Another project from the same Italian research institute, led by Dr. Manuel Bensi, complements the scientific work during the first leg of the Polarstern expedition PS99. Temporal and spatial variations of deep currents, thermohaline variations as well as sedimentary and geophysical processes to the southwest of Svalbard are the focus of the so-called DEFROST (“DEep Flow Regime Off SpiTsbergen”) project. Ship-time on Polarstern will be used to recover moorings deployed during earlier EUROFLEETS2 expeditions with the Norwegian research vessels „G.O. Sars“ and „Helmer Hansen“ as well as the Italian research vessel “OGS-Explora”.

After some stormy days during our journey (including the well-known side effects for those of us not born as “old sea-dogs”), we reached the first study area northwest of Bear Island on the morning of June 19th. There, at 150 to 370 m water depth, we retrieved a large number of water and sediment samples, repeatedly deployed a towed camera system, and mapped the seafloor using sonar systems during the short transects between the different sampling sites. Supported by the good weather conditions and the calm sea in the study area, we made good progress in the station work and although breathers were short, everyone was in a good mood.

A school of Orcas passing by at close distance on their way to the North was definitely the highlight of the first week at sea. Maybe we’ll meet them again off the coast of Spitsbergen during the next part of our expedition – we are looking forward…

Best wishes on behalf of all participants,

Thomas Soltwedel

(with contributions by Nicole Biebow)