At any one time scientists and technicians from the UK marine community can be at sea on numerous vessels. This page provides information on the current research expeditions being undertaken by our two Royal Research Ships Discovery and James Cook. Here you can discover where our ships are and what they are aiming to achieve.
Updates from the ships’ Plans of Intended Movement (PIM)
| RRS Discovery | RRS James Cook |
|---|---|
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DTG: 120822 0810 Zone: UTC+1 Exped: DY153 Subj: PIM
Pos: 54 11 N 011 51 W Co: DP Spd: 0kts WX: Lt and variable. Partly cloudy, fine and clear. Slight seas and low swell.
Science at Rockall Trough (E Canyon) EPSI Fish operations in progress until 14th AM ISPS exercise carried out yesterday – bomb threat and search BA training this morning
ETA Killybegs pilot station 15th 0730h
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DTG: 120822 0730 Zone: UTC Exped: JC237 Subj: PIM
Pos: 48 39.1N 010 01.0W Co: DP Autopos Spd: DP Autopos WX: Lt Airs, calm seas.
Status: Conducting ROV ops.
Intentions: CTD/coring/ROV/AUV operations to PSO requirements
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This map shows the positions of the NOC operated vessels RRS Discovery and RRS James Cook. While every effort is made to keep this map up to date sometimes position updates are not possible.
Latest Expeditions
RRS James Cook
| Cruise | Principal scientist & institution | Location | Duration in days (begins) | Aim |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JC237 |
Principal Investigator |
Whittard Canyon |
32 days August - September 2022 |
Whittard Canyon Fixed Point Observatory Rationale The Whittard Canyon system on the Celtic Margin is a key area to achieve an understanding of the interaction between (UK) coastal & shelf waters and the open ocean (Amaro et al., 2016). The heterogeneous terrain of submarine canyons has a strong influence on oceanographic processes, focusses the transport of sediments, organic matter and nutrients, can create a series of potential geohazards and tends to support an increased diversity in habitats and species. Part of the Whittard Canyon system was declared an MCZ [v1] in 2013, protecting, amongst others, both healthy and heavily impacted cold-water coral reefs from further human impacts.[v2] Objective Whittard Canyon has been studied in a series of single projects, focussing on separate aspects of the system (sediment transport dynamics, benthic biology, and biogeochemistry). However, to obtain a coherent picture of the sedimentary and oceanographic processes and their long-term effect on the canyon ecosystems, a coordinated programme of repeated observations is urgently needed (Amaro et al., 2016). Approach We propose a skeleton programme of repeated observations. We will install a (series of) mooring(s) equipped with current meters, ADCPs, sediment traps and turbidity sensors to measure current regimes, water mass structure and particle flux. We plan regular surveys (5yr cycle) to expand on existing survey effort. These surveys will include AUV-based acoustic mapping for seabed morphology and trawl marks, ROV and AUV-based photography or video for benthic habitats and glider observations for water column characteristics (T, S, O2, turbidity). Impact The submarine canyon data will be integrated with the work carried out in the international networks International Network for Submarine Canyon Investigation and Scientific Exchange (INCISE) (submarine canyons), S4Slide (landslides) and will support ongoing & new collaborations with UK and international Universities and research centres (e.g. Plymouth University, Heriot-Watt University, National University of Ireland, Galway, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research). The observations in the Canyons MCZ will influence marine management & conservation policy through collaborations with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs & Joint Nature Conservation Committee, while the geohazards insights will have direct relevance for the Natural Hazards Partnership, for example. Ship-time & Marine Equipment Application Form (SME) Reference: 17/434 |
RRS Discovery
| Cruise | Principal scientist & institution | Location | Duration in days (begins) | Aim |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DY153 |
Principal Investigator & Chief Scientist |
Rockall Trough |
40 days August – September 2022 |
BLT Recipes - Bottom Boundary Layer Turbulence and Abyssal Recipes A long-standing problem in physical oceanography has been balancing the sinking of cold dense waters at high latitude with deep-ocean upwelling at lower latitudes. BLT Recipes seeks to test an emergent new paradigm of ocean mixing, whereby deep-ocean upwelling is primarily driven by bottom boundary layer turbulence instead of by breaking internal waves in the ocean interior. The project will do this by:
On DY153, we will continue to map the tracer evolution across the RT, repeat the dye experiment, recover the U.S. moorings, and occupy approximately 100 CTD / LADCP / microstructure stations. Ship-time & Marine Equipment Application Form (SME) Reference: 17/648 |