by Sijia Zou
Figure 1: Mooring launch locations (white squares at 53N array, the central Labrador Sea and west Irminger Sea) and CTD stations (small yellow squares). This picture is from Johannes Karstensen (chief scientist of the cruise) with permission.
Another promising year for measuring Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation starts with cruise Maria S. Merian 54 (MSM 54), which departed St. John’s, Canada on 12th May and will end on 7th June in Reykjavik, Iceland. During this cruise, we will deploy seven moorings at the exit of the Labrador Sea near 53N, and two deep ones at the entrance near the west Greenland coast (Figure 1, right). These moorings serve to measure the magnitude and variability of the deep western boundary current as well as the connection of deep layer transport between entrance and exit of the Labrador Sea. Besides, direct measurements of the convective activity will be accomplished with mooring deployments in the central Labrador Sea (K1 and SeaCycler) and the central Irminger Sea (CIS). These observations will collectively contribute to our understanding of how the boundary current (both strength and property) varies with time, and the how these buy kamagra online changes are related to the convections.
Along the cruise, we will be conducting 90 CTD casts, crossing the Labrador Sea and west Irminger Sea. We are excited to expect a thick, cold and fresh Labrador Sea Water layer comparable to the ever-observed deepest convection in 1994.
Now we have been at sea for 5 days. The weather was not as good as what I have hoped: it was windy and cold during the first 3 days and got foggy afterwards. Hopefully the weather is getting better so that we can have everything progressed as scheduled.
Just BTW: Food is great on MSM (Figure 2). People are nice (Figure 2). I wish I could speak some German.
At the port of St. Johns, Canada on May 12th before cruise started. by Sijia Zou
With two other students (Christina Schmidt on the left and Patricia Handmann on the right) from GEOMAR (photo credit to Marilena Oltmanns). The flying hair in this photo tells you how important it is to wear a hat on the ship.
One of the great dinners on board (half chicken!!).