ALBERT

Description: The first expedition planned for 1970 was conducted in the ocean area between the Iberian and West African coasts (north of 15 ° N and 30 ° W, see map). The first three sections of the expedition were devoted mainly to biological questions. The fourth and last cruise-section was concentrated on geological and geophysical problems relating to the exploration of the Iberian shelf and shelf margin. Since the activation of R.V. "Meteor" in 1964, biological work has predominantly centred round two questions: a) comparative studies on nutrient dynamics in poor and rich areas and b) communities in the open ocean and their diurnal periodic migrations. It was the purpose of the Canaries Basin expedition to supplement the data collected during previous research cruises, particularly the Atlantic Seamount cruises ("Meteor" cruise 8 and 9) in 1967 and the West African expedition ("Meteor" cruise 13) in 1968. Research work in the various disciplines of marine biology was carried out simultaneously with the collecting of chemical and physical data indispensable for the understanding of productivity, transport and decomposition of organic matter as well as affording an opportunity to observe biogenic sedimentation. In planning the cruise, special emphasis was laid on ensuring as close a coordination as possible between the individual working programmes; it was decided that of the vast number of problems presently confronting marine science, particularly in the biological field, only a few should be selected and these approached from diverse sides. Each cruise section was directed at one focal point, around which other investigations were grouped. Cruise section I. Nutrient dynamics in an upwelling water body off the West African coast. Cruise section II. Communities and environmental conditions in the region of the Great Meteor Seamount. Cruise section III. Metabolism and communities on the Iberian deep-sea bed. Cruise section IV. Testing of geophysical gear. Moreover, investigations on two important questions that for a considerable length of time have occupied the attention of planktologists and geologists at various German institutes covered several cruise sections: a) The structure of communities in the oceanic deep scattering layers and at the sea surface; an insight into the feeding migrations of these organisms is essential for an understanding of the vertical transport of organic matter in the open sea. b) The origin of sediments in the deep sea and on the Iberian shelf in relation to organic productivity and climatic and oceanographic fluctuations. The Canaries Basin expedition 1970 inaugurated the "Cooperative Investigations of the Northeastern Central Atlantic" (CINECA), a programme coordinated by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) on the recommendation of the FAO and IOC.

Description: The Persian Gulf situated in the arid climate region of the northern hemisphere shows special conditions in its hydrochemistry. The high evaporation, the lack of large rivers, and the exclusion of deep water from the Indian Ocean governs the nutrient cycle. At 95 stations in the deeper part of the Persian Gulf (Iran side), in the Strait of Hormuz, and in the Gulf of Oman determinations of dissolved oxygen, dissolved inorganic phosphate, silicate, and pH were carried out. The data are compiled in the data report (BRETTSCHNEIDER, GRASSHOFF, KOSKE & v. TREPKA 1970). The ammonia, nitrite and nitrate data from 30 stations are added to this report. On 4 selected transverse profiles for phosphate, and dissolved oxygen and on 1 length profile for phosphate, silicate, oxygen, and pH the distribution of these components is shown and the in- and outflow is characterized. It is also pointed out that the nutrients on their way into the Persian Gulf are diminished and that temporary replenishment supply from a layer of about 100 m depth in the Indian Ocean follows. On one horizontal map the phosphate distribution in the surface and 30 m layer gives reference to biological activity. One diagram where nitrogen components are plotted against phosphate shows that nitrate is a limiting factor for productivity. 02/P04-P and P04-P/S‰ diagrams enable the different waterbodies and mixed layers to be characterized.

Description: The atmospheric space from 11° N to 5° S along the Somali-coast of East-Africa over the western part of the Arabian Sea has been investigated making use of the aerological measurements, gained during the International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE) 1964/65. On the basis of the analyses obtained, an attempt is made to compute a heat budget for this space. In particular the following components have been taken into account: the net-radiation flux in the atmosphere (GN), the turbulent flux of sensible heat (Qs) and of latent heat (QL) from ocean to the atmosphere above, the potential (P), the sensible (I) and the latent energy (E). The vertical velocity component (ω) has been carefully determined making use of the adiabatic method but considering nonadiabatic effects of various kind lateron. From the vertical divergence of the net-radiation flux the cooling by long wave radiation was computed. Maximum effect of this process was obtained in the monsoon inversion (-5.4°C/day). Above the tropical tropopause the atmosphere shows maximum warming of 1.8°C/day. The intensity of the turbulent flux of sensible and latent heat is mainly determined by the windfield and by the local differences in the watertemperature. Maximum values are for Qs = 12·10-4 cal cm2 sec-1 and for QL = 140·10-4 cal cm2 sec-1 (Bowen-ratio R = Qs/QL = 8.5%, mostly not more than 4-5%). The computation of the vertical velocity rests besides the thermodynamic method (adiabatic) on a consideration of various non-adiabatic effects such as radiation, flux of sensible and latent heat. The following distribution has been obtained: Below the monsoon inversion a rising motion (maximum -30·10-4 mb/sec ≈ +2.8 cm/sec) and above a sinking motion (maximum +20·10-4 mb/sec ≈ -3.4 cm/sec) upwards to the tropical tropopause (near 90 mb). Above the tropopause weak rising motion (-2·10-4 mb/sec ≈ +1.3 cm/sec) was obtained. An attempt to compute various terms (in total 7) of the heat budget equation shows, that horizontal advection of various energy forms are only of importance in the monsoon layer (below the inversion) and above the tropical tropopause. In all height-intervalls considered the vertical advektion of the energy forms is dominant. The results of the budget-computation are presented in graphical form.

Description: During the Atlantic Expedition 1965 (IQSY) with the research vessel "Meteor" an extensive aerological programme was performed in order to investigate the lower trade wind regime. In this study energy and mass transport in the atmospheric layer below the top of the trade inversion was estimated on the basis of 4 to 8 radiosonde and radar wind measurements. The experiment took place on an anchoring station at the intersection of the Equator and 30° W longitude from September 12 to October 11, 1965. With the aid of simple model assumptions a mean sinking rate through the inversion of 540 m/d was derived. This value is determined mainly by the net radiative cooling and the prerequisite of no heating due to condensation. From the temporal variations of the daily averages of the thermal energy content within the inversion layer and the height of its boundaries it seems to be evident that changes of a quasi-equilibrium of mean subsidence and turbulent mixing at the inversion base are compensated by vertical motions of the inversion. The effect of strong mixing at the inversion base is supported by the fact that remarkable turbulent upward transport of latent heat is required at this level.

Description: The records of the potential gradient over the ocean obtained during the Atlantic Expedition of the research vessel "Meteor" in 1965 show a strong fluctuation of the values. Their frequency behaviour has been investigated. First a separation of different types of fluctuation has been made with regard to visual impression. Then power spectra of selected records were calculated. They show a F-5/3-range (F = frequency) in the interval of periods between 0.2 and 10 minutes for the most frequent visual type. For longer periods the ascent becomes more flat. This result can be explained by the assumption that the fluctuations are effected by the convective vertical air exchange over the sea.