Day 20 (04Jul)

Location: 65° 50' N - 4° 5' E

Weather: Sunny

Wind: 21 nds

Hello everyone!

We are in the last week of our journey, and we still have a large portion of the work of the mission to complete. We are currently in a critical site in the Vøring Plateau, where we have three coring sites and will take multiple cores of different types at each site. The weather is beautiful here off the coast of Norway, and the forecast for the time we will spend here looks very pleasant! The sea is calm and brilliant with the sunlight reflecting off of it. It is strange for most of us to have full sunlight throughout the night. This should make the 4-8am shift a bit easier for Catalina, Gertrud, and Hélder.

Sunbathing in the Artic

We will continue with some of the information that was presented in lectures during transit time (since we are resuming work we will not have more lectures until the next transit period). PhD student Charline Marzin presented a series of two talks about climate modeling. Climate modeling is absolutely necessary to understand what changes we might expect to see in our climate in the future, and also what implications these changes may have. Also, modeling allows us to identify factors that are not changing in the way we would expect.

Through identification of phenomena that are not well understood researchers can identify areas for future research.

When building a climate model, researchers must find a balance between the level of resolution of the model, the time extent of the model, and the computing time required to run the model. Climate conditions are affected by many factors, and are thus very complicated. The greatest source of uncertainty, however lies in future factors that we cannot predict, such as economic factors, emission levels, human population, etc.

In the second talk Charline focused on the findings of the most recent IPCC* report and her own research. This IPCC report found it to be very likely (In the past IPCC report it was just "likely") that recent rapid climate change is due to increased greenhouse gas (and especially CO2) emissions.

Charline working on a Calypso core

Charline is using climate modeling to better understand monsoons, and specifically what changes may take place in the monsoon cycle due to rapid climate change. PhD students Laure Resplandy and Stefano Bonelli also presented information about their modeling projects. Stefano works on coupled climate-ice sheet modeling, in order to simulate the topography of past major ice sheets in both Northern and Southern hemispheres. This implies consistency between the simulated climate and ice sheets, including the main feedbacks between these components.

Laure is modeling the distribution and transport patterns of areas of high productivity in the ocean at a high resolution. Her topic is particularly interesting because it involves both physics and biology.

Hearing all of these talks involving modeling gave us an idea of the importance of modeling and the breadth of the field.

Thank you again for following along on our journey!

Sincerely,

Catalina-Hélder-Gertrud-Jean-Angela-Carlo

* IPCC : Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Day 18 (2 Jul)

Location: 64º32'N - 05º56'W

Weather: sunny

Wind: 14 knots

Dear Teacher Colleagues,

Today, as we prepared to cross over the Arctic Circle, we are nearing the end of a long transit period between the Charlie Gibbs fault and the Vöring Plateau. This provides us with more time to learn more about the specific scientific projects that are being conducted in concert with the goals of this mission. Both the chief scientists and the graduate students have provided us with very interesting lectures.

A complete rainbow during transit between the Charlie Gibbs fault and the Vöring Plateau

A chief scientist or a PhD student presented first; and then a masters student. These lectures help us to more clearly understand the goal of the AMOCINT Project. The masters students presentations include research covering other areas of oceanographic, biological and geological research. These presentations are also a good opportunity for the students to practice presenting their research.

First, co-chief scientist Kikki (Helga) Kleiven presented information about the overall goals of the AMOCINT project (which focus on reconstructing past deep ocean circulation patterns during interglacial periods to better understand how patterns may change in the future), general information about oceanography, ocean sediments, circulation patterns, and rapid climate change.

Two days ago, chief scientist Catherine Kissel explained the importance of the past vectorial variation of magnetic field as stratigraphic tool. The paleomagnetism record can be used to determine leads and lags in the climate record, and accurately correlate climate records from sediments and ice cores. The Earth's magnetic field generated in the core can be measured on the surface. The magnetic field is global and independent of climate, and can be measured in different materials. The study of paleomagnetism in lava flows leads to the reconstruction of past magnetism, and the magnetism of sediments gives information about their sources and environmental changes.

A PhD students Charline Marzin, along with two other PhD students, Stefano Bonelli and Laure Resplandy, also presented a series of two talks about ocean and climate modeling, as well as the recent IPCC report. We will discuss these topics further in the next email.

We crossed the polar circle last night!!!

Thank you for your continued interest!

Sincerely,

Helder-Gertrud-Jean-Catalina-Angela-Carlo

Dia 17 (1Jul)

Coordenadas: 66˚10’ N 0˚3’ E

Olá a todos!!!

Hoje voltámos a ter um dia com um Sol resplandecente. Obviamente as temperaturas foram igualmente mais agradáveis. É incrível a forma como o tempo muda de um dia para o outro. Não deixa de ser curioso que, sendo esta missão oceanográfica dedicada ao estudo das alterações climáticas, possamos constatar quão variável é o estado do tempo no curto prazo.

Durante a manhã tivemos a oportunidade de ver a equipa da Universidade de Kiel (Alemanha) a realizar a amostragem de alguns testemunhos de sedimentos cortando-os em fatias de 1 cm. Os sedimentos eram depois colocados em frascos, devidamente catalogados, para mais tarde serem submetidos a análises isotópicas (δ¹⁸O e δ¹³C).

Amostragem de um testemunho de sedimentos Calypso

A seguir ao almoço efectuámos uma visita à sala das máquinas onde se localizam os dois motores eléctricos, com uma potência de 3000 kW cada, que, para além da propulsão até uma velocidade máxima de cerca de 16 nós, permitem que o navio se mantenha na mesma posição durante a realização das operações de carotagem. Pudemos ainda ver o conjunto dos três geradores a diesel que têm uma capacidade de produção de 8250 kW de energia eléctrica.

Motor eléctrico do Marion Dufresne

Motor eléctrico do Marion Dufresne

No entanto, o que mais me impressionou, foi o sistema de dessalinização de água do mar que tem uma capacidade para tratar cerca de 20 toneladas de água por dia, permitindo que não haja falta de água a bordo. Assim, podemos tomar vários duches por dia de forma a vermo-nos livres da lama com que nos sujamos quando trabalhamos com os testemunhos de sedimentos no convés.

Durante a tarde assistimos ainda a uma segunda palestra sobre as propriedades magnéticas dos sedimentos. À noite festejámos antecipadamente a passagem do Círculo Polar Árctico, pois amanhã, ao chegarmos ao planalto de Vøring, voltaremos a realizar perfurações e ao trabalho por quartos no convés (…). Espero que em breve possamos assistir ao fenómeno do Sol da meia-noite.

Dia 16 (30Jun)

Coordenadas: 63˚12’ N 10˚29’ W

Olá a todos!!!

Hoje o mar esteve muito agitado. Creio mesmo que foi o dia em que o navio mais balançou desde o início do cruzeiro. As temperaturas voltaram a diminuir para valores abaixo dos 10 ˚C.

Vagas no alto-mar a caminho do Círculo Polar Ártico

A manhã foi dedicada essencialmente ao descanso (deu para dormir até um pouco mais tarde do que o costume) e ao exercício físico. Voltámos a jogar badmington e também ténis de mesa. Acreditem que com o navio a balançar é bem complicado praticar desporto.

Jogando badmington a bordo do Marion Dufresne

A seguir ao almoço voltámos a assistir a uma palestra sobre modelação climática. Deu-se ainda início aos preparativos da cerimónia de passagem do Círculo Polar Árctico.

Após o jantar, para quebrar a rotina, houve uma sessão de cinema na sala de conferências em que temos assistido às palestras.

Day 16 (30Jun)

Location: 62° 11' N - 13° 48' W

Temperature: 10°C

Wind: 31.8 Knots - 335°/North

Hello fellow teachers, Thank you for continuing on our journey with us!

Today we are on the second day of a 5 days transit up north. Right now we are somewhere between Iceland and the Faeroe Islands. The next site we are going to core are the Voeringer Plateau. Until now we have taken 8 Calypso cores, 6 Casqs and only one Multicore, some failed unfortunately.

In order for an oceanographic campaign to be successful many people must collaborate on many levels. Research of this type requires a tremendous amount of planning and manpower. For instance, the AMOCINT project is spearheaded by four groups. Each group focuses on one or more specific geographic areas, but for the most part they conduct similar and/or complementary analyses on the sediments. The group from the University of Kiel is currently focusing on the vicinity of the Açores, The two French groups from the University of Bordeaux and the L.S.C.E. of Gif-sur-Yvette are focusing on the areas of the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone, Gardar strait and the Vöringer plateau.

The Bjerknes Center of Climate from Norway is covering the sites outside West Africa, the Faeroe Islands and also the Vöringer plateau.

Although the group from Portugal (from the INETI (Instituto Nacional de Engenharia, Tecnologia e Inovação) Departamento de Geologia Marinha) is not present on this leg of the cruise, they will take cores around the Portuguese margin on a cruise starting in July. Each group is involved in decisions affecting the mission, however, it should also be noted that the overall goal of the campaign is the same.

We all also must collaborate on smaller levels as well. For instance, we are all organized into watches, or shifts. Gertrud, Hélder, and Catalina are on the 4-8 shift, afternoon and evening, and Angela and Jean have the 8-12 shifts, morning and evening. In order to process the samples properly in the time allotted everyone must do their part and be present for their shift. Our shift groups were organized to allow people from diverse background to work together and get to know each other. Each shift group includes people from different institutions, professions, nationalities, and with different cultural norms, work styles, and languages. This is an example of why it is important for our students to work well together in groups despite differences they might have.

The research effort also involves many people with backgrounds and skill sets other than oceanography. There are many aspects that go into designing and operating coring equipment and a research vessel, as well as planning an oceanographic mission. The crew is largely from France and Madagascar, and is also very diverse, and made-up of men and women from many different ages and backgrounds.

Although what we do on a day-to-day basis before, during, and after the cruise is very different, we are all working towards a common goal. There are many people on the ship from different cultural backgrounds and who speak different languages. Just some of the languages you will hear on a daily basis during this campaign are French, English, Norwegian, and German, but there are many others!

This provides a fantastic learning opportunity. When we discuss the collaborative nature of science with our students, an oceanographic campaign provides a great example!

Thank you again for your continued interest!

Sincerely,
Hélder-Catalina-Gertrud-Jean-Angela-Carlo

Dia 15 (29Jun)

Coordenadas: 60˚42’ N 18˚28’ W

Olá a todos!!!

Hoje atravessámos o paralelo 60… O mar e o vento mantiveram-se calmos ao longo da maior parte do dia. O Sol voltou a brilhar e as temperaturas estiveram um pouco mais agradáveis.

Sendo Domingo a comida foi especial. Como já vos disse as refeições a bordo do Marion Dufresne são uma maravilha. Ao pequeno-almoço tivemos direito a comer uns pãezinhos com passas ainda mornos… Uhm… que delícia! Ainda da parte da manhã, para manter a forma, jogámos badmington, ténis de mesa e andámos um pouco de bicicleta. O almoço incluiu como costume uma entrada e um prato. A entrada foi um Feuillté d’escargots e a refeição principal foi Sanglier des Ardennes com Pommes Paillassons e um Fagot de Haricots Verts acompanhada com um belo Chardonnay branco. Seguiu-se um Plateau de fromages e um Banc d’Opéra como sobremesa. Estava tudo delicioso!!!

Feuillté d’escargots

Sanglier des Ardennes com Pommes Paillassons

Banc d’Opéra

De tarde, como estamos em “trânsito” entre estações, e não temos testemunhos de sedimentos para tratar e analisar, assistimos a uma palestra sobre o campo magnético terrestre e as propriedades magnéticas dos sedimentos.

O resto da tarde foi dedicado à lavagem de roupa e descanso. O jantar também estava muito bom. Seguiu-se mais uma celebração de um aniversário. O momento alto do dia foi quando por volta das 23 horas surgiu um belo arco-íris no céu.

Arco-íris ... às 23 horas

Sim… o Sol ainda brilhava, isto apesar de ainda não termos chegado ao Círculo Polar Ártico. Mal posso esperar para ver o Sol da meia-noite…

Pôr do Sol