Marine research in Greenland

At the end of July, the research vessel Maria S. Merian left the harbour of Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. The destination of the voyage: the fjord systems of Greenland and Iceland. On board is the Oldenburg expert for marine sensor systems Prof Dr Oliver Zielinski. Some impressions of the first week of research.

The trip report shows that the MS Merian is currently travelling in the Vaigat Channel, in the direction of Disko Bay: "The sea is very calm with light winds and the weather has changed from heavy fog in the morning to overcast skies in the afternoon," writes trip leader Prof. Dr Allan Cembella, algae researcher at the AWI.
A total of 18 scientists from four working groups from the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Bremerhaven, the Institute of Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) are on board the research vessel. They are investigating the effects of glacial meltwater on the composition and distribution of dissolved organic matter and key plankton species including dinoflagellate cysts in the sediment. Along the expedition route, the experts will take water samples to determine chemical and oceanographic parameters. In addition, biological samples will be taken from the photoactive layer. The scientists want to use the measurements to obtain information on the impact of global climate change on biodiversity and the adaptation of toxic plankton species.