News: Field Phase [2003]

OASIS group onboard the RV Meteor [December 03] The Meteor cruise M 60/1 aimed at physical, biogeochemical and biological sampling in the framework of the OASIS project. A total of 28 scientists from 9 European research institutions and universities were on board to measure the physical properties of the water column, to collect water samples and organisms at the two OASIS study sites, and to perform first analyses of the samples. The cruise leaders onboard the RV Meteor [December 03] The cruise leaders and scientists Bernd Christiansen and Dave Billett are currently on board the RV Meteor studying seamounts — huge underwater mountains that are oases of life in the open sea — in the North East Atlantic Ocean. Visiting av vertebrate curator [December 03] Teachers from Greece, Portugal, France, Czech Republic, Scotland and Norway met in Bergen to work out a new Comenius network. Ingvar Byrkjedal, a vertebrate curator at Bergen Museum, shared some fascinating deep sea specimens with the teachers. RV Smolensk cruise May-June [December 03] From 23 May to 18 June 2003 scientists of Knipovich Polar Research Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanography (PINRO) took part in the International Trawl-Acoustic Survey on redfish in the Irminger Sea. This area includes the northern most of the three special MAR-ECO areas along the northern mid-Atlantic Ridge. Census of Marine Life is officially launched [October 03] Census of Marine Life is officially launched 23 October. (MAR-ECO and many other international projects come under the umbrella programme, CoML.) MAR-ECO paintings [October 03] Well-known Norwegian painter Ørnulf Opdahl has contributed four paintings to be exhibited in Washington at the CoML launching, 23 October. NRK TV spot [October 03] NRK, Norway's National Broadcasting Service, produced a short popular science documentary on MAR-ECO. It was part of the weekly popular science programme, Schrödinger's Cat. The documentary focused on the recent MAR-ECO cruise to the Charlie Gibbs Fracture Zone in the MIR manned submersibles. MAR-ECO technology [October 03] The choice of appropriate tools (technologies), procedures and strategies can make the difference between the success and failure of a research expedition. Associated Press story [September 03] The CoML and MAR-ECO scientist, Mike Vecchione was the cruis leader on the recent trip to the dephts of the Charlie- Gibbs Fracture Zone with the Russian MIR submersibles. The Associated Press interviewed him. German Radio Broadcast [10.09.03 ] A broadcast by German journalist Dagmar Rõhrich on the German radio station, West-Deutsche Rundfunk (WDR5) featured MAR-ECO leaders Odd Aksel Bergstad, Olav Rune Godø and Uwe Piatkowski. A Russian poster [September 03] A poster entitled "Russian participation in international research project on biota of Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR-ECO)" in Russian, prepared by V. Vinnichenk, V.N. Shibanov, A.M. Orlov, and S.A. Evseenko is currently on display at the "VII International congress on history of oceanography" in Kaliningrad. School Network meeting [September 03] Representatives from schools in 11 countries have been invited to a meeting in Bergen 3-7 November, 2003, to discuss preparations for submitting a Comenius 1 application to the EU. Icelandic cruise report [September 03] Information about a cruise to Bear Seamount, May 2003 has been updated. See the ship-to-shore pages for more information. Report from cruise to Bear Seamount [August 03] Information about a cruise to Bear Seamount, May 2003 has been updated. See the ship-to-shore pages for more information. Ship-to-shore web site in operation [June 03] Computer experts from the Institute of Marine Research in Norway have put together a communication tool that will enable information from the research cruises to be directly inputted to the web. Release of first MAR-ECO video [June 03] The photographer Michael Palmgren from Klockargårdens Film participated on the Russian-American expedition to the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone, where the Russian manned MIR submersibles descended to 4500 meter. MIR cruise [June 03] June 3-17 The Russian RV, the Akademic Mistislav Keldysh sailed across the Atlantic Ocean from Copenhagen, Denmark to St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. RV Árni Friðriksson cruise [June 03] The REDFISH/MAR-ECO cruise with RV Árni Friðriksson, will be conducted in the Irminger Sea and adjacent areas from June 3 to July 4 2003. Norwegian core group meeting in Bergen [May 03] 35 people attended the meeting. The aim of the meeting was to formulate and write MAR-ECO related proposals for submission to the Norwegian Research Council. The programme included proposal writing during working group sessions and discussions in plenary sessions. Second Bear Seamount cruise [May 03] The main goal of the May cruise was to explore the biodiversity of the seamount by collecting fish and cephalopods in bottom and mid-water trawls. The deepest trawls went to more than 2000m. In conjunction with the Census of Marine Life's goal to develop and implement new marine science technologies, researchers on the cruise also tested a new computer-based measuring system. New Norwegian research vessel, the G.O. Sars, launched [May 03] The newest Norwegian state-of-the-art research vessel was launched 7 May, 2003. OASIS cruise to Sedlo Seamount [March 2002] The OASIS project is a FP5 EU funded project on Sedlo Seamount north of the Azores. The project aims to study the seamount ecosystem by integrating physical, biogeochemical and biological research. One of the scopes of OASIS is to produce comprehensive and science-based management guidelines for seamounts in deep sea areas. Visit to the MAR-ECO participants in the Azores [March 03] MAR-ECO Public Outreach representatives Elinor Bartle (UiB) and Anne Gerd Lind, teacher from Svolvær Senior High School visited MAR-ECO participants in the Azores in March. The purpose was to visit Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, observe unique research setting, learn about multi-faceted PO programme. Renowned Norwegian artist, Ørnulf Opdahl joins project [March 2002] Renowned Norwegian artist, Ørnulf Opdahl has been invited to join the international marine research project, MAR-ECO. Together with MAR-ECO scientists, he will experience a new inspirational challenge in the savage landscapes and mysteries of the deep waters around the northern portion of the mid-Atlantic Ridge.