Research topics within Water column

1. WORKSHOP ON CABLE-BASED OCEAN OBSERVATORIES 11-12 JUNE 2007, RADISSON SAS HOTEL NORGE, BERGEN Research topics within Water column Participants: Inge Morten Skaar Arne Johannessen Olav Rune Godø Dag L. Aksnes Lars G. Golmen Peter M. Haugan Ingunn Nilssen Stein Kaartvedt Svein Østerhus Arved Staby

2. Heading1 • The main objective and delivery from the workshop is a catalogue on ideas and possibilities regarding international research and technology. Each participant is invited to suggest research topics within his or her own scientific field.

3. Research ideas – water column • Water column advection and mixing makes it possible to transfer insight from one location to another • Need focus on establishment of research techniques to exploit future data sets • Development of competence: long time scale to educate in new methods and to provide knowledge basis to exploit new technological opportunities • Can be done during limited time periods and in different locations to get experience also with handling of data • Generic, not site-specific process understanding can be gained in many places, can build upon existing knowledge • Midwater (mesopelagic) ecosystems and vertical migration may be more easily studied in semi-enclosed water bodies • Near surface ecosystems better to study from below than from research vessels • Advantages of measurements from fixed points (advection) • Improved resolution is possible from instruments in the water column or at seafloor

4. Research ideas – water column • Test sites should be in locations where variability is encountered (or equipment be moved) • We have unique facilities in fjords • Section across slope from Andenes would cover: • Heat flux, salinity, density, role of mesoscale eddies • Advection of biomass of several important stocks, nutrients, recruitment and Calanus transport towards the Barents Sea • Runde Environmental Centre is considering cable facilities for biodiversity, seabirds, herring, cod, along slope transports (similar to Andenes) and shallow cable • Faroe-Shetland area would provide good opportunities to combine measurements of the state of the physical climate system and biological resources • Process linked to sea ice and light conditions including day length, Polar front systems at high latitudes • Measure the changing physical and biological state of the Arctic Ocean • Locations where process studies could be combined with time series monitoring (including real time pollution monitoring) could maximize use of resources • Multidisciplinary studies should be encouraged, possibly also towards fluxes from below seafloor

5. Research ideas – water column • Cable transects would open possibility to revisit Norwegian Coastal Current including its optical properties; need for robust profiling instrumentation • Monitoring of near seafloor natural variability and possible disturbances (CO2 leaks) • Marine Protected Areas will need research to define monitoring needs (e.g. Lurefjorden biosphere concept) • Mechanisms for seasonal migration of Calanus and effects on the productivity of the Nordic Seas • Include environmental stress factors like CO2 • Should include hydrography, currents, active and passive acoustic monitoring everywhere • Combination with satellite altimetry, ocean colour and other emerging remote sensing data • Methods for data handling and analysis required particularly for large data flows (acoustic, optical, and video)

6. Research ideas – water column

7. General points (in addition to research topics) • Requirements to build up organisation for installation and running the facility • New petroleum developments may provide opportunities for linking up and adding additional measurements • Outreach opportunities through new science centre facilities (Vitensenter)