With the "sun" into the deep sea

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has christened it: The deep-sea research vessel "Sonne". Its home institute is the Institute of Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) at the University of Oldenburg. Marine researcher Prof Dr Oliver Zielinski talks about the ship, the research work on board - and seasickness.

QUESTION: The ICBM is the home institute of the "Sonne", the institute logo is prominently displayed on the funnel. What does that mean for ICBM and the university?

ZIELINSKI: Above all, it means worldwide visibility. The "Sonne" is our ambassador - and the ambassador for German marine research as a whole. It will be used by many international research groups, call at numerous harbours and will always be open to the public.
As the home institute, we naturally also feel responsible for the quality of the scientific data that the sensors permanently installed on board provide. We also want to make this data visible: for example, the University of Oldenburg's website will allow people to find out where the "sun" is at any time and what conditions prevail there.

QUESTION: What topics will the ICBM scientists be focusing on on the "Sonne"?

ZIELINSKI: We are researching various issues with global relevance, and the "Sonne" will now also enable us to do this more in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Colleagues from the "Roseobacter" Collaborative Research Centre are planning an expedition to the southern Pacific to investigate the role of these versatile and globally occurring bacteria in the global material cycle of the oceans. Others are focussing on the influence of the sea surface on the exchange of substances between the atmosphere and the ocean. The study of coral reefs and sponges in comparison with tropical and temperate ecosystems is also one of the ICBM's research areas - to name just a selection of topics.

QUESTION: How can one imagine the course of such an expedition?

ZIELINSKI: First of all, an expedition begins with the application for ship time about one and a half to two and a half years before the actual departure. The logistics and obtaining the necessary research permits also take some time. When the journey begins, the scientists fly to the respective berth. Large research vessels such as the "Sonne" are given to different scientific groups in cruise sections. In concrete terms, this means that the ship is available for a campaign for a period of typically three to six weeks. The "Sonne" has 40 berths for scientists, 24 of which are single cabins. All cabins have a bathroom and are otherwise very well equipped - even if scientists on board spend most of their time in the laboratory or on deck. In order to optimise the use of such an outstanding and expensive research infrastructure, work is carried out in shifts day and night. Sleep is often neglected.

QUESTION: The ship will be officially handed over to the scientific community in its home port of Wilhelmshaven in mid-November. What is on the programme until then?

ZIELINSKI: The handover to the scientific community also marks the start of the transfer to the Pacific and the implementation of some very challenging missions. In order to be sure that the ship and the systems on board are up to these tasks, there will be a phase of scientific and technical testing with several voyages beforehand. Over the next few months, ICBM scientists will also be involved in testing the winches, sampling systems, laboratories and flow measurement systems on board under real conditions. One of these sections - the return from Lisbon to Bremerhaven at the beginning of October - will be led by the ICBM.

QUESTION: Which other German marine research institutions will be using the "Sonne"?

ZIELINSKI: This ship - like the other large and medium-sized research vessels of the Federal Republic of Germany - is available for all German marine research. The prerequisite is, of course, that the utilisation application is successfully assessed. However, I think that the special characteristics of the ship will be particularly appreciated by the deep-sea groups of MARUM (Bremen), GEOMAR (Kiel) and the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR, Hanover).

QUESTION: Will the joint use of the ship bring the Institutes closer together?

ZIELINSKI: Yes, definitely. Complex scientific questions cannot be answered single-handedly. This is only possible if different disciplines from different Institutes pull together. The joint work on board welds us together. It helps to establish networks that are beneficial to German marine research as a whole - also in international comparison. As the ICBM at the University of Oldenburg, we are already cooperating very closely with the other marine research institutes. I expect that this will become even stronger with the "Sun", and I am already observing this to some extent.

QUESTION: Even marine researchers are - unfortunately - not automatically seaworthy. Do you have an insider tip for seasickness?

ZIELINSKI: If I had the perfect solution, I wouldn't have to worry about financing my research (laughs). I try to take care of myself for the first day or two, not to go into the journey overtired or otherwise stressed and to get plenty of fresh air. After that, I'm "rocked in" and can enjoy every wave. But everyone is different...