Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Biogeochemistry of the southern Ocean: interactions between NUtrients, dynamics, and ecosystem Structure  (BONUS-GoodHope)

Outline
BONUS proposes a multidisciplinary oceanographic research programme, at the intersection of GEOTRACES and Chokepoints/GoodHope projects. It will integrate and extend the observations undertaken by the GoodHope project, and moreover, focus on the subduction zone of the Mode Waters (SAMW) and on the African continental margin in order to improve our knowledge on i) the sources, sinks, distribution and internal cycling of micro- and macro nutrients and of selected geochemical tracers and isotopes (TEIs) along a transect across the African continental margin and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current from South Africa to the Zero Meridian; ii) the quantification of the intense mesoscale exchanges of mechanical energy, and heat and fresh-water fluxes south west of Africa, with an emphasis on the SAMW and the influence of the above elements on their composition, as well as the use of selected TEIs to quantify ventilation rates, and iii) the quantification of the dynamical and biogeochemical processes that control the exchange of elements between the ocean and the African continental margin using the above established distributions coupled to dynamical studies. In this very energetic region, physical, geochemical and biological interactions will be investigated through a close international collaboration between experimentation and modelling. BONUS will help to address these more specific objectives: 1- To describe the tracer characteristics of water masses of the Southern Ocean, more particularly SAMW/AAIW that inject cool low salinity water into and along the base of the main thermocline in the South Atlantic. 2- To quantify the impact of large and medium scales on transport, transformation and biogeochemistry of SAMW/AAIW and the dynamical, chemical and biological processes which constrain them. 3- To couple a multi-tracer approach, a dynamic approach, and analyses of meteorological parameters, in order to better understand and quantify water mass transport and ventilation in the southern hemisphere. 4- To investigate the biogeochemistry of major nutrients – assimilation, regeneration, and of trace metals – sources, sinks, distribution (vertical and horizontal gradients), speciation, transformation (abiotic and biotic processes), and their impact on food web dynamics 5- To evaluate the extent to which the African continental margin may represent a significant source and sink in oceanic macro, micro-nutrients and TEIs budgets. 6- To improve the parameterisation of primary production limitation (with an emphasis on the iron impact and on the coupling between nutrients and light) in coupled physical-biological models with a special focus on small and meso-scale processes (vertical pump), and phytoplankton size class competition.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
BONUS will give significant advances in relation to Theme 1 helping to acquire key data sets on the present dynamics, circulation and biogeochemistry of the SO (sources, sinks, transport of nutrients and TEI). BONUS will help to understand how polar ecosystems respond to physical and chemical forcing. Integration of BONUS results into biogeochemical-physical coupled models at different scales (1-D to 3-D) will help to improve our projections of future change (Theme 2). Within Theme 3, the focus on subduction and ventilation of SAMW/AAIW is of great importance because of their role in the transportation of nutrients to the global ocean.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
BONUS fits in the framework in the GEOTRACES and IMBER programs. Extending the 0° section towards South Africa, BONUS is closely linked to the GEOTRACES-IPY Antarctic Polarstern project proposing TEI studies on the zero meridian and in the Drake Passage. BONUS also has a clear link to the GoodHope/CLIVAR dynamical study.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
BONUS extends the zero meridian section towards South Africa, with two focused areas: i) the African continental margin for quantification of the extent to which they represent sources and sinks of TEI, and ii) SAMW/AAIW subduction zone, because of their role in the transportation of nutrients to the global ocean.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: 11/07 – 12/07            

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
BONUS will require a ship that has the capability to recover buoys and moorings and to support clean sampling and collect on board (clean cables, clean lab…)

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
BONUS will not leave any legacy of infrastructure

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Consortium
Own national polar operator
Another national polar operator
National agency

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Nationally, BONUS has been endorsed by both the French Committee for the IPY and the scientific committee PROOF. Internationally, BONUS- GoodHope, is a contribution to the GEOTRACES programme and the CASO IPY umbrella submitted by the CLIVAR/CliC/SCAR SO Panel.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
Expansion

BONUS is a component of GEOTRACES, with a strong collaboration with with the GEOTRACES EoI ZERO & DRAKE (Polarstern) and GooHope/CLIVAR. BONUS is part of the IPY Chokepoints effort and collaborations have been already established with CANOPO-ARGAU and the SOHIC Italian effort in addition to the IPY projects around Drake Passage and Australia SO Chokepoints.

How will the project be organised and managed?
March-May 2005: Meeting with national and international scientists for the preparation of the proposal to be submitted to the national French program “Oceanic Processes and Fluxes: PROOF” June. 2005: Final proposal including Science plan, implementation strategy and pluri-annual budget. Submission to the different Steering and Scientific Committees (PROOF, IMBER, EUROCEANS, GEOTRACES) 15 Jan. 2006: Application for Marion Dufresne (IPEV) and/or “Pourquoi Pas?” (IFREMER) for a field study in Nov-Dec. 2007. BONUS will be coordinated with the GEOTRACES-IPY Antarctic Polarstern cruise. Sept. 2006: Meeting with all partners for the preparation of the cruise End 2007: BONUS cruise Nov.-Dec. 2008: BONUS meeting. First results from BONUS cruise Nov.-Dec. 2009: BONUS final meeting, synthesis publication, dissemination of the data

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
In the framework of BONUS, several masters and Ph-D thesis will be performed; communications of our “marine scientist dairy” towards schools (using internet) will be established. Participation to summer school (e.g. within the coordination of the CASO programme) will be highly encouraged

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
For each parameter measured on board, meta data will be written before the cruises. A priori, two data centres will be solicited to collect and archive our data: the SISMER (Brest) for the dynamical data and the JGOFS-national centre (Villefranche/mer) for the biogeochemical data and a strong link will the GEOTRACES data base will be established

How is it proposed to fund the project?
In France, BONUS will be funded by national support (PROOF, PNEDC, IPEV or IFREMER). The letter of intent examined this fall by the PROOF Scientific Committee and the IPY French Committee was positively evaluated. Shiptime will be asked for French ship (IFREMER/IPEV). Strong collaborations exist with the GEOTRACES EoI ZERO & DRAKE, the Russian Shirshov Institute of Oceanography and South African researchers involved in GoodHope.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
The work proposed here will be integrated in the international GEOTRACES program. For IPY GEOTRACES several Expressions of Interest (EoI) have been coordinated: - GEOTRACES Umbrella EoI (Bob Anderson, USA) - GEOTRACES EoI Antarctic section of New Zealand by USA (Bob Anderson, USA) - BONUS Southern Ocean GEOTRACES, this EoI (Catherine Jeandel, France) - ZERO & DRAKE (Hein de Baar, The Netherlands) - GEOTRACES in the Arctic EoI (Michiel van der Loeff, Germany)

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Geraldine Sarthou
Technopole Brest Iroise


F-29280
France

Tel: 00 2 98 49 86 45
Mobile: no
Fax: 00 2 98 49 86 45
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation