Image of the month: August 2020
Understanding the Baltic Sea through Time Series
Our image of the month shows work on the research vessel Alkor in the Bornholm Basin in the central Baltic Sea. Departing from Kiel scientist have been carrying out measurements in the open Baltic Sea since 1986. These long-term measurement series are therefore one of the best available integrative data series in the pelagic system‘—the free water system— of the marginal sea. For the data series, the researchers use very different measurement techniques, such as hydrographical methods, plankton/necton sampling, hydroacoustics and pelagic trawl fisheries including intensive fish sampling. The GEOMAR scientists are working together with scientists from the University of Southern Denmark, for example: On the left Silvia Kollerova from the University of Denmark is filtering plankton samples for further processing in the wet lab on board. Meanwhile, Felix Mittermayer from GEOMAR is preparing a CTD probe for use. It helps to create water profiles by determining oxygen content, temperature and salinity. The good weather that accompanied the entire 16-day journey was unusual.
If you would like to look back on the Baltic Sea cruise, you can do so at www.oceanblogs.org/baltic-rvalkor/ . Here, scientists or students report on the voyages, the sampling and the time at sea.
