Departure of the German cruise in the South Pacific Ocean

Cruise SO289 with German research vessel “Sonne” will conduct one of the longest GEOTRACES ocean sections, GP21, in the South Pacific Ocean. It will leave port in Valparaiso (Chile) on 18 February 2022 and arrive on 8 April 200 in Noumea (New Caledonie). The cruise is led by Eric Achterberg (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel). GEOTRACES principal investigators are Eric Achterberg, Andrea Koschinski and Martin Frank, who will lead studies covering a broad range of trace element and isotope (bio)geochemical questions. The planned cruise track follows WOCE line P6 and links to GEOTRACES sections GP13 and GP19. With its ambitious cruise track of more than 10000 km length, it closes a critically large part in the coverage of ocean tracers and essential micronutrients in the South Pacific. This information is crucial for understanding the conditions for life in the largest ocean, and for better representing this region in global models.

Wish to learn more? Follow the cruise blog: https://www.oceanblogs.org/geotraces/