Plattform Platform	Reise-Nr. Cruise-No.	Zeitraum Period	Projekt Project	Arbeitsgebiet Working area
Maria S. Merian	MSM82-1	18.03.2019 - 24.04.2019		Rio Grand Plateau South Atlantic Ocean

Fahrtleiter Chief Scientist	Institut Institute	Auslaufhafen Port of departure	Einlaufhafen Port of return	Stationskarte Station map	Schiffsroute Trackchart
Geissler Wolfram	Alfred-Wegener-Institut fur Polar- und Meeresforschung	Montevideo	Montevideo

Ziel der Reise / Objectives of Cruise:

The R/V MARIA S. MERIAN expedition MSM82 to the Rio Grande Rise is a collaboration between the Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuernberg, the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) Bremerhaven and the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. The origin of the Rio Grande Rise (RGR) is debated. It could represent a continental sliver, or a large igneous province that was emplaced in the late Cretaceous after the opening of the South Atlantic Ocean. The relation of the RGR to the nearby Jean Charcot Seamount Chain (JCSC) is not understood. Cruise MSM82 dredge sampled rocks from the JCSC to investigate the ages of the seamounts and how they are connected geochemically to the deep Earth. Furthermore, we measured two seismic refraction profiles to image the crustal structure of the RGR where it is bisected by a long rift graben. We applied additional geophysical methods, including magnetics, gravity, bathymetry (Kongsberg EM 122), and sub-bottom profiling (ATLAS PARASOUND DS P70). We also acquired ADCP data along most of the track. Integration of petrological, geochronological, and geochemical results with the geophysical models will improve our understanding of the evolution of the Rio Grande Rise and other magmatic plateaus/large igneous provinces.

Messungen / Measurements