METEOR (III) [1986-2026] M219

The last expedition of the METEOR will take the ship from Recife in Brazil to Emden, Germany. The voyage's focus is on taking measurements in the tropical Atlantic to provide data on key ocean circulation systems and their influence on the climate. The researchers will investigate sub-regions of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), including the western boundary current off the coast of South America. These currents transport heat over vast distances, thereby shaping the climate far beyond the Atlantic region.

During the voyage, the team will retrieve and redeploy several existing deep-sea moorings: four in the boundary current system at 11°S off Brazil; one at 23°W; one at 2°N, which is being prepared for a future study of tropical instability waves; and one north of the Cape Verdean island of São Vicente: the Cape Verde Ocean Observatory (CVOO). A new measuring buoy that can measure gas exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere and transmit the data in real time is also being deployed here.

Additionally, inverted bottom echo sounders with pressure sensors are being installed along the continental slope off Brazil to help determine the AMOC in the tropical Atlantic. The researchers are also carrying out extensive station work. Using a system combining conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) probes, current meters and optical sensors, they will record temperature, salinity, oxygen levels, currents, nutrients and particles. During transit, the ship’s continuously operating on-board systems collect underway data. These systems produce high-resolution datasets that capture both short-term fluctuations and long-term changes in the ocean.

The M219 expedition marks the end of the METEOR’s service after four decades of international Atlantic research. Its scientific legacy will be continued by the METEOR IV, which will be operated by GEOMAR.