AMT4

The AMT4 cruise took place between 21 April and 27 May 1997, when the RRS James Clark Ross sailed from the Falkland Islands to the UK. The principal scientist was Tony Bale from the Plymouth Marine Laboratory.

The aims of the AMT4 cruise were similar to those of previous transects:

• to improve our understanding of the relationship between physical processes and biological production
• identify, define and quantify latitudinal changes in biogeochemical provinces
• determine phytoplankton characteristics and photosynthetic parameters
• identify nutrient regimes and their role in biogeochemical cycles
• characterise plankton community structure, including the accurate determination of carbon values
• relate the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in surface waters with the biological production
• acquire data for the calibration of remotely sensed observations
• secondary validation of remotely sensed products (eg. chlorophyll concentration)
• interpret basin-scale remote sensing observations
• develop models that enable the interpretation of satellite imagery in terms of total water column properties