Upcoming expedition of hypox Partners from Kiel and Gothenburg to the Gotland Basin

From 18.9. to 6.10.2009 the first hypox expedition to the Gotland Basin in the central Baltic Sea takes place on board of the IFM-GEOMAR research vessel ALKOR. The scientific crew that is led by Olaf Pfannkuche (IFM-GEOMAR) includes five scientists and PhD students from the IFM-GEOMAR and the University of Gothenburg (UGOT).


R/V ALKOR (Tonnage 1322GT, Length 54,5m). Photo: IFM-GEOMAR


Map of ALKOR cruise No. 346 working area and stations: Studies are carried out in Latvian waters along depth transects and along a transect in the Swedish Exclusive Economic Zone. Map: O. Pfannkuche, IFM-GEOMAR

The major focus of the expedition is on in situ measurements of turnover and fluxes of a variety of different compounds in the benthic boundary layer (BBL) at different ambient bottom water oxygen concentrations. The investigated compounds include nitrogen species as well as phosphate, iron, manganese and dissolved carbon. Additionally, in situ experiments are carried out to systematically investigate the effect of variable bottom water oxygen levels (and specific threshold concentrations) on N-speciation and the release of nutrients. Further activities comprise investigations of sediment geochemistry and biota (meiobenthos, epibenthos) as well as sea floor imaging.


Retrieval of the biogeochemical observatory (BIGO) in a GEOMAR-lander frame. Photo: O.Pfannkuche, IFM-GEOMAR


Deployment of the UGOT benthic chamber Lander. Photo: UGOT