Plattform Platform	Reise-Nr. Cruise-No.	Zeitraum Period	Projekt Project	Arbeitsgebiet Working area
Heincke	HE422	02.05.2014 - 15.05.2014	NOAH	North Sea

Fahrtleiter Chief Scientist	Institut Institute	Auslaufhafen Port of departure	Einlaufhafen Port of return	Stationskarte Station map	Schiffsroute Trackchart
Ludmann Thomas	UNI HAMBURG	Bremerhaven	Bremerhaven

Ziel der Reise / Objectives of Cruise:

Objectives The cruise was carried out in the framework of the BMBF founded NOAH (North Sea - Observation and Assessment of Habitats) project. It was split into 2 legs (2.-9.5 and 9.-15.5.2014). The project is an integrated approach to evaluate utilization, status, performance and provision of services of seafloor habitats and ecosystems in the German Bight. To reach this goal 9 reference areas (4.5 x 4.5 nm) are selected to be studied in detail and later extrapolated to similar sediment provinces. Within each box intensive hydro-acoustic mapping (multibeam, subbottom profiler and ADCP) was carried out, accompanied by sediment and water sampling as well as video seafloor observation. Subbottom and multibeam profiling was conducted to study surface and subsurface sediment structures, allowing to deduce lateral sediment transport phenomena. Using the multibeam data, an angle versus range analysis is applied, a method of seafloor characterization which compares the actual backscatter response to expected acoustic response curves based on a mathematical model (the Jackson Model). Continuous ADCP measurements were conducted to determine current speed and direction in the water column by the means of the doppler effect. A video sled was towed over the seabed at selected tracks, especially where changes in backscatter of the multibeam occurred and sediment cores were taken, to get areal information on the sedimentary conditions and on benthic fauna at the reference stations. Measurements of benthic nutrient fluxes and oxygen uptake where carried out by ex-situ incubation of sediment cores from the center of the reference areas. Sediment porewater for nutrient analysis was sampled from sediment cores by rhizones. To investigate benthic-pelagic coupling, the water column was sampled for CTD profiles, organic and inorganic nutrients in the water column, water column respiration and planktonic productivity. Box corer or Van Veen grab samples were taken for organic and inorganic contaminants analysis as well as particle size distributions of the different sediment samples. At the central stations at certain water levels water samples were obtained by special devices for trace metal or metal species analysis. Lab based passive sampling devices for metals were used to acquire time integrated contamination levels of the surface water. Cruise Narrative The cruise started from Bremerhaven on May 2nd, 2014. Due to technical problems with the NMF crane of the R/V Heincke, we left Bremerhaven 5 ? hours later as planed, at 16:30 LT (UTC+2 hours) for the 1st leg. We head for the NOAH target area in the order F, H, I and G. Within each area we run a set of parallel overlapping multibeam (MBES) and SES2000 echosounder (SES) for habitat mapping. Additionally, the shipboard 600 kHz ADCP was used during the entire cruise. Five sampling stations, the four edges and the center, were chosen for each reference area. Here seabed samples (box corer, van Veen grab and MUC) and water samples (CTD and special water bottles) were taken for further analysis. At least one video sled transect was run in each area. During the entire cruise surface sea water and analyzed for metal contamination. On the 9th May we stopped at Heligoland for scientist exchange. Weather condition got worse with wind speeds up to 13 m/s, especially downgrading the quality of the multibeam data. However, we were able to complete our program for the remaining reference areas A, B, C, D and E. In the morning May the 14th we had to stop our field work due to bad weather conditions. Consequently we decided to go back to Bremerhaven, where we called at pier of the "Fischereihafen" at about 13:00 UTC, May 14th.

Messungen / Measurements