Plattform Platform	Reise-Nr. Cruise-No.	Zeitraum Period	Projekt Project	Arbeitsgebiet Working area
Pelagia	PE350	08.03.2012 - 05.04.2012	JEDDAH TRANSECT	Red Sea

Fahrtleiter Chief Scientist	Institut Institute	Auslaufhafen Port of departure	Einlaufhafen Port of return	Stationskarte Station map	Schiffsroute Trackchart
Schmidt Mark	Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR)	Jiddah	Jiddah

Ziel der Reise / Objectives of Cruise:

The multidisciplinary research cruise 64PE350 was conducted in the central part of the Red Sea to strengthen our understanding of volcanism and tectonics and related hydrothermal processes in this young rifting system. Therefore we extended our intense multibeam mapping campaign, which had started during the PO408 cruise in 2011, by mainly focusing on the hydrothermally active "Multi Deep" area. Detailed geological mapping was performed by selective rock sampling (dredging, coring) in areas of special interest (i.e. fresh basalt flows, or zones with signals of recent volcanic activities). Moreover, a geochemical sampling campaign (i.e. gravity coring, Niskin water sampling) was conducted in brine-filled Red Sea deeps where variable hydrothermal activity is expected. The geochemical characteristics of sediment (pore water and mineral composition) and brine will help to identify sources and sinks relative to hydrothermal activity (e.g. hydrocarbon inflow, heavy metal concentrations in brine and sediment, etc.). Transport and degradation processes (biogeochemical cycles) at the brine-seawater interfaces were investigated by high-resolution water sampling and subsequent onboard membrane inlet mass spectrometry, gas chromatography, and major and trace element sampling. Biomarker studies are being performed by sampling/ filtering water column and brine to decipher allochthonous from autochthonous organic matter input to the Red Sea Deeps. Moreover, microbiological studies will be performed on selected brine and sediment samples. Hydrocarbon seepage at the pockmark area was investigated by hydroacoustic and geophysical methods (water column imaging, sparker reflection seismics). Additionally, sediment cores were retrieved from selected pockmark structures to investigate gas/ fluid seepage activities during Holocene. The recently described subsea salt glacier phenomenon was investigated by seismic reflection studies and comparative multibeam profiling (salt glacier flow velocities will be calculated).

Messungen / Measurements