Project: North Atlantic Bloom Experiment 2008

Acronym/Short Name:NAB 2008
Project Duration:2006-10 - 2011-09
Geolocation:North Atlantic, 60 ° North

Description

NAB2008 was a process experiment designed to study an important component of the oceanic carbon system - the North Atlantic spring bloom. The phytoplankton bloom occurring each spring in the North Atlantic, drives the uptake of carbon dioxide and is an important component of the biological pump (Bagniewski et al., 2010). Previous studies in this region have shown the importance of small temporal and spatial scales, i.e. ecosystem patchiness, during the bloom, but were restricted by the limitations of ship-based sampling. Recent advances in autonomous platforms and sensors presented an opportunity to study this important event in a new way. In addition to deployment of a diverse suite of in situ sampling devices, NAB2008 was also a test-bed for developing the strategies and knowledge needed to successfully use new methods to drive the next generation of ocean observations.

In 2008, a coordinated deployment of 1 float, 4 Seagliders and 2 research vessels sampled the evolution of the North Atlantic spring bloom along and surrounding the nearly Lagrangian path followed by the float. The autonomous measurements were continuous through the experimental period, and included CTD, chlorophyll fluorescence, optical backscatter, and oxygen on all platforms; and nitrate, optical attenuation, and various radiance measurements on the float. Velocities were determined from the vehicle motion, with the float extending to a depth of 230 meters and gliders to 1,000 meters. The autonomous vehicles were deployed, rescued, and recovered on three cruises of the Icelandic vessel Bjarni Saemundsson. A 21-day cruise of the R/V Knorr conducted more detailed measurements during the peak of the bloom in May. The R/V Knorr sampling program included optical profiles, ADCP data and analysis of water samples for nutrients, particulate organic carbon, pigments, micro-plankton composition, complemented by guest investigator analyses. Data from both ships were used to calibrate and validate the autonomous measurements.

References:
Bagniewski, W., Fennel, K., Perry, M. J., and D'Asaro, E. A. (2010) Optimizing models of the North Atlantic spring bloom using physical, chemical and bio-optical observations from a Lagrangian float, Biogeosciences Discuss., 7, pp. 8477-8520, doi:10.5194/bgd-7-8477-2010

NAB08 preprints

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Sampling Diagram


DatasetLatest Version DateCurrent State
Primary productivity measurements from on-deck bottle incubations during R/V Knorr cruise KN193-03 and R/V Bjarni Saemundsson cruises B10-2008 and B4-2008 to the subpolar North Atlantic, Iceland Basin in 20082018-09-17Final no updates expected
Calibration reports for data from B4-2008, B9-2008, B10-2008, KN193-03, SG140, SG141, SG142, SG143, and Biofloat_48 in the subpolar North Atlantic and Iceland Basin in 2008 (NAB 2008 project2011-12-02Final no updates expected
Niskin bottle hydrography from the CTD rosette from cruises KN193-03, B4-2008, B9-2008, and B10-2008 from the subpolar North Atlantic and Iceland Basin in 2008 (NAB 2008 project)2011-05-10Final with updates expected
Profiles of chlorophyll fluorescence and volume scattering function from a WET Labs FLNTU sensor on Biofloat 48 in the subpolar North Atlantic and Iceland Basin in 2008 (NAB 2008 project)2011-03-28Final no updates expected
CTD, oxygen, and optical sensor profile measurements from Seagliders 140, 141, 142, and 143 in the subpolar North Atlantic and Iceland Basin in 2008 (NAB 2008 project)2011-03-28Final no updates expected
Profile data from Lagrangian mixed layer float collected from Biofloat 48 deployment in the subpolar North Atlantic and Iceland Basin in 2008 (NAB 2008 project)2011-03-24Under revision
Nitrate plus raw spectral profiles from a Satlantic Nitrate Sensor on Biofloat 48 in the subpolar North Atlantic and Iceland Basin in 2008 (NAB 2008 project)2011-03-15Final no updates expected
Hyperspectral upwelling radiance (Lu) profiles from a Trios ARC sensor on the Biofloat 48 in the subpolar North Atlantic and Iceland Basin in 2008 (NAB 2008 project)2011-03-15Final no updates expected
Hyperspectral downwelling radiance (Ed) profiles from a Trios ARC sensor on Biofloat 48 in the subpolar North Atlantic and Iceland Basin in 2008 (NAB 2008 project)2011-03-15Final no updates expected
Position and time data along the track of Biofloat 48 in the subpolar North Atlantic and Iceland Basin in 2008 (NAB 2008 project)2011-03-09Final no updates expected
Dissolved oxygen concentration and oxygen saturation from an Aanderaa 3835 Optode oxygen sensor on Biofloat 48 in the subpolar North Atlantic and Iceland Basin in 2008 (NAB 2008 project)2011-03-08Final no updates expected
Full-resolution profiles of pressure, salinity, and temperature plus derived variables from Biofloat_48 deployment in the subpolar North Atlantic and Iceland Basin in 2008 (NAB 2008 project)2011-03-08Final no updates expected
Photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) profiles from a LI-COR 192-SA sensor on Biofloat 48 in the subpolar North Atlantic and Iceland Basin in 2008 (NAB 2008 project)2011-03-08Final no updates expected
Raw and derived parameters from a WET Labs C-Star Beam Transmissometer on Biofloat 48 in the subpolar North Atlantic and Iceland Basin in 2008 (NAB 2008 project)2011-03-08Final no updates expected
Dissolved oxygen profile from a Seabird SBE43 Oxygen sensor on Biofloat 48 in the subpolar North Atlantic and Iceland Basin in 2008 (NAB 2008 project)2011-03-08Final no updates expected
Raw GPS data acquired during surface communication of Biofloat 48 in the subpolar North Atlantic and Iceland Basin in 2008 (NAB 2008 project)2011-03-03Final no updates expected
Surface position and time data from Seagliders 140, 141, 142, and 143 in the subpolar North Atlantic and Iceland Basin in 2008 (NAB 2008 project)2011-02-07Final no updates expected
CTD full resolution profiles from cruises KN193-03, B4-2008, B9-2008, and B10-2008 in the subpolar North Atlantic and Iceland Basin in 2008 (NAB 2008 project)2011-01-25Preliminary and in progress
Cruise track data from ship underway data acquisition system from cruises KN193-03, B4-2008, B9-2008,and B10-2008 in the subpolar North Atlantic and Iceland Basin in 2008 (NAB 2008 project)2011-01-07Final no updates expected
One meter-averaged CTD profiles from cruises KN193-03, B4-2008, B9-2008, and B10-2008 in the subpolar North Atlantic and Iceland Basin in 2008 (NAB 2008 project)2010-12-22Preliminary and in progress

People

Lead Principal Investigator: Eric D'Asaro
University of Washington Applied Physics Laboratory (UW APL)

Principal Investigator: Katja Fennel
Dalhousie University

Principal Investigator: Craig M. Lee
University of Washington (UW)

Principal Investigator: Mary Jane Perry
University of Maine (U Maine DMC)


Programs

Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry [OCB]