Hands-on research experience for IUB students

IUB GeoAstro students will join an international research cruise onboard RV Polarstern

[ May 27, 2003]  From May 30 to June 20 six students have the opportunity to spend their 3rd semester laboratory course in Oceanography onboard the research icebreaker RV Polarstern. The Alfred Wegener Institute of Polar and Marine Research in Bremerhaven is providing this great opportunity. The students will help other working groups during the ongoing research activities in physical oceanography, marine geology and biological oceanography, learn how to use oceanographic equipment and watch engineers handling the VICTOR 6000. VICTOR 6000 is a deep sea Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) designed to make optical surveys and to carry out local assignments for imagery, implementing instrumentation and sampling water, sediments or rocks. VICTOR 6000 can dive as deep as 6000 meters.

The main study site for the 56 scientists onboard will be off Ireland, where deep-water coral ecosystems are located. Coral reefs are something usually associated with warm, tropical waters and exotic fish, but not with the cold, deep and dark waters of the North Atlantic. It is now known that these cold-water coral species produce reefs, which may rival their tropical cousins in terms of the species richness of associated marine life. In the Northeast Atlantic, the geographic distribution of deeper water coral ecosystems can be traced from the slopes and banks off the Iberian Peninsula as far north as the Scandinavian Shelf. The six IUB students and their instructor passed the intense medical examination. They are in good physical shape and hopefully withstand possible bad weather during the cruise.

Polarstern The most important tool in Germany's polar research program is the Polarstern, a research and supply vessel. Since she was first commissioned in 1982, the Polarstern has completed a total of 27 expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic. She was specially designed for working in the polar seas and is currently the most sophisticated polar research vessel in the world. For further information about the Polarstern visit more info »

Marine Scientists go to ground in the deep-sea On the 22nd of May, Polarstern, the research ice-breaker of the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), departs Bremerhaven on a twelve week deep-sea expedition in the northern North Atlantic and Arctic. For further information about the research cruise visit more info »