Research cutter Uthörn

For many beginning sea biologists the journey on the research cutter AWI Uthörn is an practical test in multiple regard – not necessarily to the joy of the students. The journey on the rocking cutter is a possibility show qualifications in practise, but also a challenge for every stomach.

Every week the cutter runs out during the summer months to such education journeys in the German Bay. However, this is not the only job of the research cutter Uthörn: He is central for the withdrawal of test material from the North Sea for the own research of the AWI and guest research.

For that the team of the cutter refers on the on-board equipment: Trawl-net, plankton net and a "Krabbenkurre", Dredgen as well as different grip arms. The accumulated biological investigation material is sent on inquiry also to scientist in colleages everywhere in Germany. On the spacious deck of the research cutter Uthörn the crew finds enough place to the sighting of the catch – a sorting machine helps in it. Moreover, there is on Uthörn a wet lab and a dry lab which are equipped according to research project with additional devices.

The Uthörn is in the year on an average 140 days on lake. An other important job is a long-term monitoring programme in the German Bay. Water samples on so-called cut journeys are taken by board Uthörn. Scientists examine, for example, the nutrient loading and salinity, turbidity as well as the temperature of the sea water. For these measurements the research cutter is on the move in the in-flow area of Eider and the Elbe to to the west of Helgoland.