RRS Discovery Cruise 368, 15 Jul - 04 Aug 2011. Hydrographic measurements on WOCE line A16N

Abstract

RRS Discovery Cruise 368 was a repeat occupation of part of the Atlantic hydrographic section designated by the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) as A16N. A total of 29 CTDO (conductivity-temperature-depth-oxygen) stations were occupied. This included one test station, 27 stations between 49N and 23N on the WOCE A16N ‘20W’ line, and one final station near the ESTOC site close to Tenerife. Continuous profile measurements were CTDO and Lowered Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (LADCP). Discrete bottle measurements from a 24-place rosette included salinity and dissolved oxygen analysed on board, and dissolved inorganic nutrients, Dissolved Inorganic Carbon and Total Alkalinity for analysis ashore. Underway measurements included Vessel-Mounted ADCP, surface ocean measurements and surface meteorology. The cruise was a UK contribution to the GO-SHIP sustained hydrography program. It was a partial repeat of the line designated in WOCE as A16N, which was previously occupied as a comprehensive cruise in 2003. In addition, a microbial program was carried out as an opportunistic activity by scientists who would remain on board for the following cruise.This report describes the methods used to acquire and process the data on board the ship during RRS Discovery Cruise 368.<br/