research at sea

Coring the seafloor: 23 January 2011

Sunday starts with a steam to a new position nearer to the Antarctic Peninsula where we have chosen a site to core the seafloor. Overnight we homed in on the chemical anomalies in the water column that tell us where the vent and seep sites are on the seafloor.

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Day 3 – Monday 17 January 2011 – Crossing Drake Passage

Monday and we are out in the Drake Passage: a strong head wind slowing us slightly. Drake Passage, between Cape Horn at the tip of Chile and the Antarctica Peninsular, is a choke point for the Antarctic Circumpolar Current that travels around the continent of Antarctica.…

We are here to carry out a 41 day expedition in the Southern Ocean to explore the newly discovered hydrothermal vents in this remote region. Our principal scientist or expedition leader is Paul Tyler from the University of Southampton who has vast amounts of experience of working in this hostile environment.

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A research cruise to the Celtic Sea sails on Wednesday 2 June 2010. The Celtic Sea is located in the North Atlantic Ocean between southern Ireland and southwest England (between approximately 48° and 51.5°N latitude and 5° and 12°W longitude). Professor Jonathan Sharples of the National Oceanography Centre is on the cruise and will be writing a diary.…

Scholars from five research institutions led by the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) in Southampton have analysed a rare 20kg bronze ram from an ancient Mediterranean warship. Known as the ‘Belgammel’ Ram, it is named after the site where it was discovered off the coast of Libya, near Tobruk.

Ancient oared warships, such as the triremes beloved…

Scientists onboard the RRS James Cook have found the world’s deepest hydrothermal vents 3.1 miles down (5,000 metres) in the Caribbean’s Cayman Trough.

The NOC scientists are writing a daily blog diary. Follow from the first day at…

A British scientific expedition has discovered the world’s deepest undersea volcanic vents, known as ‘black smokers’, 3.1 miles (5,000 metres) down in the Cayman Trough in the Caribbean.

Using a deep-diving vehicle remotely controlled from the Royal Research Ship James Cook, the scientists found slender spires made of copper and iron ores on the…

Last month the RRS James Clark Ross set sail in the direction of the Antarctic Peninsula and the Northern Weddell Sea to measure the production of Antarctic Bottom Water. Onboard ship is an international team of young scientists who are contributing to a blog diary about their work and experiences during the expedition.

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Scientists have discovered that, in moderate conditions, the release of dimethyl sulphide (DMS), from the ocean surface increases linearly with wind speed

The exchange of gases between the oceans and the atmosphere has an important influence on climate. Scientists have discovered that, in moderate conditions, the release of one such gas, dimethyl…