Plattform Platform	Reise-Nr. Cruise-No.	Zeitraum Period	Projekt Project	Arbeitsgebiet Working area
Maria S. Merian	MSM36	18.02.2014 - 17.03.2014		Alboran Sea Gulf of Cadiz NE Atlantic (Limit 40?W)

Fahrtleiter Chief Scientist	Institut Institute	Auslaufhafen Port of departure	Einlaufhafen Port of return	Stationskarte Station map	Schiffsroute Trackchart
Hebbeln Dierk	Universitat Bremen, Zentrum fur Marine Umweltwissenschaften	Malaga	Las Palmas

Ziel der Reise / Objectives of Cruise:

The cruise MSM 36 started on the 18.02.14 in Malaga (Spain) and ended on the 17.03.14 in Las Palmas (Spain). It carried out multidisciplinary research on the long-term development of cold-water coral ecosystems in selected areas along the Moroccan continental margins in the Mediterranean Sea and in the Atlantic Ocean. The key instrument to be used during this expedition was the Bremen Deep Sea Drill Rig MeBo. With this instrument up to 70 m long sediment cores have been retrieved from cold-water coral mounds and adjacent settings in the two working areas. With the cores obtained, these three key hypotheses will be tested: (1) The Gibraltar-seesaw describing the last glacial maximum - Holocene development of cold-water corals along the Moroccan margins on both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar is a productivity-driven long-lasting feature spanning at least the last glacial-interglacial cycle. (2) The long-term development of the Moroccan cold-water coral mounds is characterised by a major change in growth pattern as proposed in mound development models and as proven for Challenger Mound off Ireland (from which the only long (>10 m) sedimentary record exists so far). (3) The initiations of the Moroccan cold-water coral mounds on each side of the Strait of Gibraltar are triggered by (the same?) major large-scale palaeo-environmental change(s). In the first working area, the Moroccan Mediterranean margin, a total of 5 MeBo cores reaching down to drilling depths of up to 70 m have been retrieved. These cores are accompanied by a total of 16 gravity cores. Both types of cores have been taken from coral mounds as well as from so-called off-mound sites. The latter are done to obtain undisturbed paleoceanographic records which will be link to the coral history to be reconstructed from the coral mound cores. In the second working area, the Moroccan Atlantic margin, a total of 6 MeBo cores reaching lengths down to drilling depths of up to 52 m have been retrieved. These cores are accompanied by a total of 6 gravity cores. In both working areas detailed hydro-acoustic surveys (multibeam echosounder, Parasound) have been conducted that formed the base for planning optimised coring operations with the MeBo and the gravity corer. Furthermore, CTD measurements have been done in both areas.

Messungen / Measurements