Expedition ANT-XXIV/4
On 18 April 2008 Polarstern will start its return from Punta Arenas to Bremerhaven. The cruise will be utilized for continuous investigations of atmospheric and marine properties as well as for energy and material fluxes between ocean and atmosphere. The following projects will be carried out:
Autonomous measurement platforms for energy and material exchange between ocean and atmosphere (OCEANET)
In order to provide a solid basis for the observational monitoring of energy and matertial exchange between ocean and atmosphere it is planned to develop an autonomous observation system for operational use onboard available cargo- and research vessels. The project is based on a network of expertise from IFM-GEOMAR (CO2-/O2-fluxes, photosyntetic status, energy budget, remote sensing), the GKSS research centre (ferry box, remote sensing of marine biology with ENVISAT/MERIS) and AWI-Bremerhaven (CO2-system, marine infrastructure of Polarstern).
Remote sensing of (atmospheric column) aerosol composition
The main goals are to characterize aerosol column properties, check their consistency with associated measurements of broadband radiative fluxes, and to monitor temporal evolution of aerosol properties in order to explore aerosol-cloud interactions and to establish meridional gradients of tropospheric aerosols.
MAX-DOAS-measurements of atmospheric trace gases for SCIAMACHY-Validation
To validate satellite-provided data ground-based control-measurements done at locations beneath the satallite´s orbit are necessary. In case of SCIAMACHY, measurements onboard Polarstern seem best suited for that purpose, because on the way to and from the Antarctica, the ship follows a polar course corresponding to ENVISAT´s orbit.
Shipboard ADCP-measurements of equatorial current system
Shipboard ADCP measurements with Polarstern will enhance the availability of current section and thus allow in the future to adress the intraseasonal to seasonal variability of the transports of the main current branches. Furthermore, they will be used as a reference data set for the moored observation at the equator at 23°W.
Satellite ground truth: bio-optical and atmospheric studies
The aim of this research projekt is to improve estimates of global marine primary production and the distribution of major phytoplankton functional groups by using remote sensing data in combination with in situ measurements of ocean optics, phytoplankton productivity and composition and particulate organic carbon (POC).
Photos: Stefan Kinne, Bernhard Pospichal, Astrid Wittmann
Itinerary
18 April 2008: Departure Punta Arenas
20 May 2008: Arrival Bremerhaven