Deployment: COOK19MV

Brief cruise plan description: Three ships were involved in the SOFeX experiment. Each ship operated in the study area at a different time to afford the longest observation time. The designations SOFeX-N and SOFeX-S are sometimes used to distinguish between two iron enriched patches - one in low silicate waters north of the polar front (SOFEX-N), and the other in high silicate waters south of the polar front (SOFEX-S). All three ships, Melville (MV), Revelle (RR) and Polar Star (PS), worked in SOFEX-S, but only the Revelle and Melville worked in the SOFeX N patch and shuttled between the two patches.

The R/V MELVILLE sailed several weeks after the R/V REVELLE to arrive in the study area just as the 'patches' were forming in response to iron fertilization. The MELVILLE's team planned to make detailed measurements of phytoplankton physiology and rate processes, and to sample daily for phytoplankton growth rates and biomass, soluble and particulate iron and zooplankton biomass. A cruise logbook includes daily entries filed by the Chief Scientist aboard each vessel.