1. Update on SSB cruise series
After a break in June, the SSB cruise series on RRS Discovery resumed in early July with a mostly-pelagic cruise led by Mark Moore (DY 033), followed by the current, mostly-benthic cruise led by Henry Ruhl (DY 034). Excellent progress has been made to date on DY034, with the four main benthic sites already sampled and two SmartBuoy systems successfully recovered. RRS Discovery is due to return to Southampton on 2 September, at the end of what is probably the most intensive and ambitious field campaign ever funded by NERC. It has already delivered a wealth of information, and there is much more to come when data and samples are all fully analysed. Congratulations to all cruise leaders and participants!
2. RRS Discovery in London, 8-10 October 2015
As part of NERC’s 50th anniversary programme, RRS Discovery will be in London (moored alongside HMS Belfast, near Tower Bridge) 8-10 October for both public visits and invitation-only events. Onboard science displays cover a very wide range of activities. These will include a SSB exhibit on plankton and the carbon cycle, led by Jonathan Sharples, also on-deck display of a Smart Buoy and other sampling gear. A much wider range of SSB exhibits was offered, but unfortunately there wasn’t space to include them.
3. Invitation to SSB Annual Science Meeting: Plymouth Marine Laboratory, 24-25 November 2015
All researchers who are directly involved in the SSB programme (either through research grant awards, research studentships, SSB cruise participation or SSB programme management) are invited to the 2015 ASM, to be held at PML, Plymouth on Tuesday 24 (from 09.30) and Wednesday 25 November (until ~16.00). The purpose of the meeting is to review progress made, particularly through the cruise programme. Whilst it is not expected that all data and samples will be analysed by then, this will be a key meeting in assessing initial results, strengthening links between WPs, and establishing whether or not SSB’s main components, and the programme as a whole, are ‘on track’ to meet overall objectives.
Online registration and further information for the ASM will be available in mid/late September via SSB pages on the NERC website, including a link to Plymouth hotels near PML.
Note that:
- Most participants are expected to make their own accommodation arrangements (the exception is for WP leaders, Executive Board members and Advisory Panel members, for whom a group booking will be made)
- For those involved in the programme (as defined above), reasonable costs for travel and accommodation will be met, expecting that 2 nights’ accommodation, and possibly three, will be required.
- The agenda for the meeting will primarily be developed by the WP leaders and myself, identifying the main topics to be presented for discussion.
- There will be the opportunity for WP-specific meetings to be held on Monday 23 November, also Thursday 26 November and Friday 27 November; to be arranged by WP leaders. Any extra costs for such meetings will need to be met from existing budgets.
4. Shelf sea science session at Ocean Sciences meeting; New Orleans, 21-26 February 2016
Abstracts are invited for session #9277 (EC017) “Physical and biogeochemical processes and the support of shelf sea primary productivity and carbon cycling” at the 2016 Ocean Sciences meeting, jointly organised by AGU, ASLO and TOS, and to be held in New Orleans.
The session will be co-chaired by Jonathan Sharples, Richard Sanders and Katja Fennel (Dalhousie), and the deadline for abstracts is 23 September.
- Main conference page: https://osm.agu.org/2016/
- Session information, https://agu.confex.com/agu/os16/preliminaryview.cgi/Session9277
Unfortunately it is not currently anticipated that there will be any additional SSB support for participation in this meeting, other than via existing awards.
Dr Phil Williamson
SSB Project Manager
