Plattform Platform	Reise-Nr. Cruise-No.	Zeitraum Period	Projekt Project	Arbeitsgebiet Working area
Maria S. Merian	MSM66	22.07.2017 - 28.08.2017		Baffin Bay

Fahrtleiter Chief Scientist	Institut Institute	Auslaufhafen Port of departure	Einlaufhafen Port of return	Stationskarte Station map	Schiffsroute Trackchart
Dorschel Boris	Alfred-Wegener-Institut fur Polar- und Meeresforschung	Nuuk (Greenland)	Reykjavik

Ziel der Reise / Objectives of Cruise:

Objectives Expedition MSM66 was proposed to conduct research in the northern and western Baffin Bay on the Lancaster Sound trough mouth fan (LSTMF) and on the shelf of Baffin Island. The objectives were to systematically search, map and sample glacigenic landforms in Baffin Bay to gather information on the maximum ice sheet extend during the last glacial and retreat histories and timing of retreats of ice sheets during Holocene. We particularly searched for and sampled grounding lines of ice shelves, terminal moraines, mega-scale glacial lineations and drumlins in glacier-troughs, shelf-troughs, fjords and on inter-trough banks. An additional objective was to study the potential of planktonic foraminifera to serve as proxies for past ocean circulation in north Baffin Bay, their behaviour under the unique oceanographic conditions in Baffin Bay and their pattern of calcite delivery to the sea floor. Narrative of the Cruise For Canadian water in Baffin Bay navigation restriction limited the access to certain areas depending on the ice class of the vessel. RV Maria S. Merian was only allowed to enter the area east of Baffin Island after the 10th of August. Before this date, research in the northeast Baffin Bay was conducted. The work programme of expedition MSM66 included hydroacoustic surveying, water column sampling, plankton sampling and geological sampling (geo-stations). After some final preparation, RV Maria S. Merian left Nuuk on the 22nd of July at 11:15 UTC (09:15 ship time) to commence expedition MSM66 – WESTBAFF. Soon after leaving Nuuk, the collection of hydroacoustic data started. This continued, except for the time of station work for the entire expedition until entering the Icelandic EEZ on the transit to Reykjavik. RV Maria S. Merian arrived in the first of seven working areas on the 23rd of July at 14:30 UTC. It was a site on the lower continental slope of Greenland, where elongated ridges and depression occur at the seafloor in water depth between 1100 m to 700 m. On 26th of July at 16:15 UT

Messungen / Measurements