It’s full steam ahead for the Atlantic Zone Off-Shelf Monitoring Program (AZOMP) and Atmosphere, Deep Ocean, Carbon Cycling and Sediment (ADOCCS) research cruise taking part on the French oceanographic vessel, L’Atalante. This research cruise combines long-term monitoring of the Labrador Sea (AZOMP) with research investigating the role of biological, chemical and physical processes in the global carbon cycle, from the atmosphere to deep ocean (ADOCCS).
Long-term monitoring along the AZOMP transect is led by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and has been ongoing since 1995. The Labrador Sea is a globally-important oceanographic region because it is one of few regions in the ocean where surface waters become heavier and sink, causing the formation of deep water. This is important for global ocean circulation, as well as for the transport of atmospheric gases ( such as carbon dioxide) from the surface to deep ocean.
It's also locally important, as the Labrador Sea influences the Labrador Current, which shapes much of the environmental conditions along the Atlantic Canadian continental shelf. This region is also known to be highly productive, home to dense seasonal phytoplankton blooms, and supports a diverse food web. To study the Labrador Sea, scientists aboard this research cruise will collect physical, chemical, and biological data through various observation techniques and experiments. These include the monitoring of salinity, carbonate chemistry, oxygen, nutrients, primary productivity, zooplankton and much more.
To really delve into processes influencing the Labrador Sea’s role in the carbon cycle, the ADOCCS portion of the research cruise is led by Transforming Climate Action (TCA) scientists, part of a project called UNCERTAIN SEA. Within this group, scientists are working on reducing our uncertainty surrounding the role the ocean has in the global carbon cycle through physical, chemical, and biological processes. TCA researchers on board are sampling all compartments of the ocean environment in the Labrador Sea, including the atmosphere, shallow water, and deep water, and the organisms within.
This year, the research cruise includes the annual AZOMP transect (800 km), as well as a targeted sampling of a phytoplankton bloom, which the researchers will observe and target through remote sensing (using satellite measurements). Working together as a team, DFO and TCA scientists will continue to develop a strong time series of data to examine changes in the Labrador Sea, especially valuable in the era of global climate change. In addition, they hope to unveil the intricacies of carbon cycling in this important hydrographic region, focusing on quantifying the processes moving carbon from the atmosphere and surface ocean to the deep. Stay tuned for updates on the research cruise and highlights from the research conducted on board!
About Charlotte Matthews
Charlotte Matthews is a Ph.D. student at the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland. As part of the Transforming Climate Action (TCA) program, she studies how mesopelagic fish and zooplankton contribute to the biological carbon pump—a key process in how the ocean stores carbon. Originally from British Columbia, Canada, Charlotte has explored marine ecosystems from seagrass beds on the Pacific coast to the deep waters of the North Atlantic. She’s passionate about investigating how the ocean functions—and how it might help us understand and respond to climate change.
