Plattform Platform	Reise-Nr. Cruise-No.	Zeitraum Period	Projekt Project	Arbeitsgebiet Working area
Maria S. Merian	MSM39	07.06.2014 - 25.06.2014		NW Atlantic (Limit 40?W)

Fahrtleiter Chief Scientist	Institut Institute	Auslaufhafen Port of departure	Einlaufhafen Port of return	Stationskarte Station map	Schiffsroute Trackchart
Mulitza Stefan	Universitat Bremen, Zentrum fur Marine Umweltwissenschaften	St. John`s	St. John`s

Ziel der Reise / Objectives of Cruise:

OBJECTIVES Since Labrador Sea Water (in its two modes, upper and deep) contributes to the deep branch of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), any changes in the formation of LSW will likely have an impact on the strength of the AMOC. The main goals of expedition MSM-39 were to study the modern deep water spreading along the western boundary from the Labrador Sea to the Laurentian Fan and to obtain sediment cores to investigate the history of subtropical/subpolar gyre interactions, deep-water formation and the relation of both to the AMOC on longer time scales. NARRATIVE MARIA S. MERIAN departed from St. John's, Canada on the afternoon of June 7. After leaving the three-mile zone, all continuous measurements were started and a test of the CTD/rosette system was carried out at a shallow site (GeoB18501) on the western Grand Banks. We arrived in our first working area on the southwestern flank of the Grand Banks in the early afternoon of June 8 where we immediately started with a combined CTD/lADCP/parasound transect, perpendicular to the slope. At two stations (GeoB18502 and GeoB18509), we additionally deployed the multinet. The transect ended on June 10. Parasound allowed to identify three stations (GeoB18514 to GeoB18516) for sediment sampling with multicorer and gravity corer in 4015 m, 3625 m and 2504 m and a shallow station (GeoB18517) in 1460 m water depth. Gravity coring was successful on all four stations and provided sediment cores between 9.23 m and 10.95 m length. Work on the southwestern flank of the Grand Banks was finished in the early afternoon of June 11. We arrived on the southeastern Grand Banks margin in the afternoon of June 12 and proceeded with a CTD/lADCP-transect until about midnight on June 13. In total four suitable coring locations (GeoB18529 to GeoB18532) were selected at 3989 m, 1888 m, 1749 m and 1119 m water depth and subsequently sampled with multicorer and gravity corer. In the afternoon of June 14, Maria S. Merian started to head north to the western Newfoundland Basin. In this area, we deployed a 12 m- and a 15 m-long gravity corer at two stations (GeoB18533 and GeoB18534) in 3905 m and 3862 m water depth where we gained 10.70 m and 13.94 m of sediment. After crossing the Flemish Cap, we started with a CTD/lADCP-transect in northern direction to Orphan Knoll (Stations GeoB18535 to GeoB18548). Multinet casts were performed on stations GeoB18539 and GeoB18545. Four coring locations (GeoB18549 to GeoB18552) were identified with Parasound during CTD/lADCP transect C. These stations were successfully sampled on our way back to the Flemish Cap between June 19 and June 20. At the northernmost station (GeoB18549) at Orphan Knoll, two gravity cores with more than 13 m length were retrieved On June 21 we arrived at the eastern flank of the Flemish Cap where we started a Pasound survey downslope in easterly direction. Three relatively shallow stations (GeoB18553 to GeoB18555) were sampled between 1484 m and 987 m water depth and provided sediment cores with length between 8.87 m and 5.35 m length. On the subsequent site survey to the Northwest into the central Orphan Basin we identified and sampled two stations (GeoB18556 and GeoB18557) in 2924 m and 3056 m water depth with multicorer and gravity corer. Site survey was continued to the west towards the margin of the Orphan Basin, where we performed another sediment station (GeoB18558) that provided a 9.30 m-long sediment core. On the last coring station of this transect (GeoB18559), the 12 m long gravity corer only penetrated the upper meters and the core tube was slightly bent during coring. The core liner with a 1.15 m long sediment core, however, was retrieved without disturbance. We concluded sampling in the afternoon of July 24. Maria S. Merian reached the harbor of St. John's in the morning of July 25.

Messungen / Measurements