BUSCADOR RECOLECTA

CHIANTI-2_LEG4 Cruise (29SG20150818) carried out on the Research Vessel Sarmiento de Gamboa in 2015, The CHIANTI Leg 4 Cruise aimed at understanding the geological processes resulting in geohazards in the Tyrrhenian Sea and their relationship with the deeper tectonic structure. Particulary, the cruise investigated basin-scale sediment dynamics and active geologic processes at the origin of geohazards and their sedimentary record

MEGAN Cruise (29SG20150921) carried out on the Research Vessel Sarmiento de Gamboa in 2015, As the main observational tool of the MEGAN project, the main cruise (21 September-11 October onboard “B/O Sarmiento de Gamboa”) will provide data and samples to analyse the core objectives of the project, namely the characterization of rich coastal areas in the region and investigate its connections, as well as the transport of rich coastal waters to Alboran Sea. The results of cruise registers and samples analyses will improve the present numerical models and serve as a basis to propose new prediction tools. In order to accomplish a adequate sampling, the Cruise will include :Launch and monitoring of several drift buoys from Trafalgar to Alboran Sea, (ii) Characterization of the coastal Trafalgar Cape area including a whole tidal/daily cycles observation (“Trafalgar phases” both in neap and spring tides conditions), (iii) ADCP registers of currents fields in the area to reveal main patterns, fluxes, coast to channel transports, dynamics of the Atlantic Jet entering the Mediterranean and tidal related pulses mainly, (iv) A particular study of transports through the Strait by means of Sectional Transect in the narrowest section (N-S continuous registers during 24 h both in neap and spring times, called “Transversal Section phase”), (v) a Lagrangian monitoring of water properties on the jet performed with CTD casts coupled to drift buoys paths and (vi) Daily cycles studies in coastal habitats (Trafalgar, Camarinal, NW Alboran upwelling region) and on the center of the anticiclonic gyre in Western Alboran. Project I will analyse biogeochemical samples (inorganic nutrients, pigment composition and abundance, organic compounds related to plankton activity, characterization of planktonic community (from pico to mesoplankton) and plastics distribution and estimated fluxes to Mediterranean.) as well as complementary survey on apical predators (seabirds and cetacean by direct observation) Project II will mainly analyse currents by ADCP, behaviour of drift buoys, analyses on termosalinograph data, satellite and present models relation, turbulence profiles in the area and meteorological data analyses. They are also responsible of the core of hydrodynamical models tools, widely used to in situ permanent design of sampling

BOCATS Cruise (29SG20160617) carried out on the Research Vessel Sarmiento de Gamboa in 2016, Recent evaluations of the absorption of CO2 in the North Atlantic showed that the natural component of the carbon cycle had been affected by the variability of the thermohaline circulation (MOC). The first goal of the BOCATS project is to extend the time series of the MOC and the observation of the ventilation of the water masses for a better quantification of its effect on the variations in the carbon cycle in the North Atlantic over decades of time scales. The estimation of this variability is essential to evaluate future climate change scenarios. The second goal of BOCATS is to quantify the effect of the increase of atmospheric CO2 in the production and dissolution of CaCO3. The universally accepted hypothesis of the steady state CaCO3 cycle has been questioned due to the acidification observed in the deep waters of the North Atlantic and its negative potential impact on calcareous organisms. The objectives of the BOCATS project are addressed in two main activities: i) Maintain the decentralized circulation observation cycle and the carbon cycle with the ninth completion of the A25 hydrography / geochemistry section between Portugal and Greenland that began in 1997, ii The evaluation in the subpolar turn of the carbon cycle variability, separating the natural and anthropogenic components, including the organic matter, sediments and other biogenic elements. The main observational contribution of BOCATS was a cruise to be carried out in June and July 2016. The high-quality observations foreseen in the subpolar turn contributed to the early detection of the alteration of the carbon cycle and the precise speed of the storage rates of CO2 and acidification, relating these changes with the variability of the MOC

AL-IDRISSI Cruise (29SG20160911) carried out on the Research Vessel Sarmiento de Gamboa in 2016, OBS deployment cruise for monitoring the seismicity of Southern Alboran, High resolution mapping of Al-Idrissi fault segments using multibeam probe and TOPAS

MEDWAVES Cruise (29SG20160921) carried out on the Research Vessel Sarmiento de Gamboa in 2016, MEDiterranean out flow WAter and Vulnerable EcosystemS (MEDWAVES). Background and Aims MEDWAVES: The Strait of Gibraltar (SG) and the surrounding areas, Gulf of Cadiz (GoC) in the Atlantic, and Alboran sea (AS) in the Mediterranean, are key areas to understand the distribution and connectivity of marine communities (Patarnello et al. 2007), as the SG and the encounter of water masses at the Almeria Oran front represent an oceanographic transition area, connecting the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea (Lacombe & Richez 1982). The Mediterranean water flows out from Gibraltar (MOW), extends towards the East of the Atlantic, building a warm and salty water mass which propagates in North West direction from Portugal originating the “Mediterranean Water“ (MW) in the Atlantic. This warm and salty water mass becomes characteristic of the North Atlantic in mid waters (around 1100 m) (Candela 2001). The occurrence of cold-water coral (CWC) communities in the NE Atlantic has been related to the pathway of the MOW, whereby this current system would have an historical influence on the migration of coral larvae and (re)colonization of the Atlantic in the post-glacial era (De Mol et al. 2005, Henry et al. 2014). The MEDWAVES (MEDiterranean out flow WAter and Vulnerable EcosystemS) cruise target areas under the potential influence of the MOW within the Mediterranean and Atlantic realms. These include seamounts where CWC have been reported but that are still poorly known, and which may act as essential “stepping stones” connecting fauna of seamounts in the Mediterranean with those of the continental shelf of Portugal, the Azores and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. During MEDWAVES sampling will be conducted through two of the case studies of ATLAS: Case study 7 (Gulf of Cadiz-Strait of Gibraltar-Alboran Sea) and Case study 8 (Azores). The main goals of the cruise are: (1) to characterize physically and biogeochemically the MOW Path and understand its interaction with the general Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) stream, from the Alboran Sea to the Azores, through the Gulf of Cadiz, and the Ormonde Seamount (see map), exploring the relationship between the oceanographic settings of these target areas and the ecosystems therein (ATLAS WP1 and WP3) and (2) to characterize communities associated to the transition area, and sample for population genetic analysis aiming at understanding the way the populations located in the target areas contribute or have contributed to connectivity between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean (ATLAS WP3 and WP4). Results gathered during the cruise will also contribute later to feed other ATLAS WPs. The activities planned to achieve these aims are presented in the brief description of the work program of the different research teams participating in ATLAS (Work program of the research teams)

DREAMER-1 Cruise (29SG20170313) carried out on the Research Vessel Sarmiento de Gamboa in 2017, The European hake, Merluccius merluccius L., is one of the most important economical fisheries in the North-East Atlantic that also plays a key role in the marine ecosystem. After the implementation by the EU of various recovery plans for both stocks, the spawning biomass has recently recuperated, after more than two decades under the security limits. However, recruitment remains highly variable, and in the case of the Southern stock (SS) still decreasing. The overall objective of the project is to analyze the causes that determine hake recruitment with special attention to the demographic and environmental causes and focusing in particular in the seasonal differences in the spawning pattern (SS hake shows two spawning peaks, in late winter and late spring-summer), larval distribution, trophic dynamics of larvae, seasonal differences in recruitment and connectivity patterns between stocks. To achieve these objectives the project will carry out two research surveys, in March and June 2017 within the main hake spawning area, between Cape Finisterre and Eo estuary. The main goals of the surveys are to determine the distributional pattern of hake larvae and the factors determining the observed pattern (climatic, oceanographic and foraging) and collecting biological samples in several life stages: from larvae to young of the year recruits. March survey (DRE0317) was divided in two legs. The first one aimed to characterize environmental conditions and larval abundance along 18 transects orthogonal to the coast, covering the whole research area, and summing 114 fixed stations. Each transect was drawn every 8 nautical miles, while the stations within transect was separated every 4 nm. In each station it was performed an oblique Bongo (60 cm, 500 m mesh size), a vertical pairovet (60 and 150 m) and a CTD profile to estimate hake larval abundance, ichthyoplankton community, micro and mesozooplankton and oceanographic parameters, respectively. In addition during this leg an ODI (Ocean Drifter Iridium) buoy with a 50 m drogue was released. The second leg aimed to catch hake postlarvae using IKMT and MIK nets and young of the year recruits using bottom trawl fishing gears (BACA and GOV). An image from every hake larvae collected was recorded and each larva was individually frozen at -80ºC. All other plankton material was preserved in either formalin or in 96º EtOH. A full biological sampling was conducted for juveniles, including measuring size and weight, and removal of otoliths, gonads, stomach and a muscle tissue piece, as well an estimation of the size frequency. A large number of recruits were additionally frozen for later analysis in the laboratory

PES Cruise (29SG20170531) carried out on the Research Vessel Sarmiento de Gamboa in 2017, PES Research Project: Pockmarks and fluid escape structures in the Esporão of Extremadura From 31 May to 5 June a team of IPMA researchers participated and coordinated the PES oceanographic campaign, carried out on board the Sarmiento de Gamboa Research Ship. The campaign was integrated into the PES research project: Pockmarks and fluid escape structures in the Esporão of Extremadura: implications for regional geology, biology and oil systems, with funding from the Foundation for Science and Technology (PTDC / GEO-FIQ / 5162/2014). This cruise departed in Vigo on 31 May and returned to Lisbon on 5 June. In addition to the IPMA researchers (Vitor Magalhaes, Teresa Drago, Ana Isabel Rodrigues and Joana Raimundo), there were also technicians and researchers from the Mission Structure for the Extension of the Continental Platform (EMEPC), University of Aveiro and Instituto Superior Técnico. During this campaign, 270 nautical miles of multi-beam bathymetry, 45 nautical miles of multichannel reflection seismic (with two different systems and complementary resolutions), 21 sampling stations and 1 dive with the Luso ROV (EMEPC) were acquired. New occurrences of pockmarks have been identified in the Esporão of Extremadura, and the data collected will allow characterizing the activity of these structures. This campaign also allowed the successful testing of the AUV Medusa sea, developed under the MEDUSA DEEP SEA (medusadeepsea.com) project of which the IPMA is part, and which culminated with a dive at 1219 m depth thus giving a important step in the design of exploring and mapping the deep sea with Portuguese technology

DREAMER-2 Cruise (29SG20170617) carried out on the Research Vessel Sarmiento de Gamboa in 2017, The European hake, Merluccius merluccius L., is one of the most important economical fisheries in the North-East Atlantic that also plays a key role in the marine ecosystem. After the implementation by the EU of various recovery plans for both stocks, the spawning biomass has recently recuperated, after more than two decades under the security limits. However, recruitment remains highly variable, and in the case of the Southern stock (SS) still decreasing. The overall objective of the project is to analyze the causes that determine hake recruitment with special attention to the demographic and environmental causes and focusing in particular in the seasonal differences in the spawning pattern (SS hake shows two spawning peaks, in late winter and late spring-summer), larval distribution, trophic dynamics of larvae, seasonal differences in recruitment and connectivity patterns between stocks. To achieve these objectives the project will carry out two research surveys, in March and June 2017 within the main hake spawning area, between Cape Finisterre and Eo estuary. The main goals of the surveys are to determine the distributional pattern of hake larvae and the factors determining the observed pattern (climatic, oceanographic and foraging) and collecting biological samples in several life stages: from larvae to young of the year recruits. March survey (DRE0317) was divided in two legs. The first one aimed to characterize environmental conditions and larval abundance along 18 transects orthogonal to the coast, covering the whole research area, and summing 114 fixed stations. Each transect was drawn every 8 nautical miles, while the stations within transect was separated every 4 nm. In each station it was performed an oblique Bongo (60 cm, 500 m mesh size), a vertical pairovet (60 and 150 m) and a CTD profile to estimate hake larval abundance, ichthyoplankton community, micro and mesozooplankton and oceanographic parameters, respectively. In addition during this leg an ODI (Ocean Drifter Iridium) buoy with a 50 m drogue was released. The second leg aimed to catch hake postlarvae using IKMT and MIK nets and young of the year recruits using bottom trawl fishing gears (BACA and GOV). An image from every hake larvae collected was recorded and each larva was individually frozen at -80ºC. All other plankton material was preserved in either formalin or in 96º EtOH. A full biological sampling was conducted for juveniles, including measuring size and weight, and removal of otoliths, gonads, stomach and a muscle tissue piece, as well an estimation of the size frequency. A large number of recruits were additionally frozen for later analysis in the laboratory

FLUXES-1 Cruise (29SG20170711) carried out on the Research Vessel Sarmiento de Gamboa in 2017, Main goal: to quantify the lateral fluxes of organic matter through a sampling box of stations to estimate the role of POCs and DOC as sources and sinks of carbon in the region of study, compared to primary production, and the gravitational and active fluxes. Duration: 31 days (including navigation to/from Las Palmas) Activities: 38 stations, separated each other 50 nautical miles. An XBT will be dropped between each two stations to gain resolution for the inverse box-model

NSM-2017 Cruise (29SG20170819) carried out on the Research Vessel Sarmiento de Gamboa in 2017, It is intended to continue with the work undertaken in the previous cruises carried out in 2015 and 2016 in relation to knowledge of the wreck: - Wreck extension. - State of conservation of materials. - Dispersal of the remains of the Spanish ship. - Continue with the archaeological "mapping". - Advance in the interpretation and analysis of the wreck. - Extraction of the following elements, based on historical-cultural, museographic, conservation, archival and legal motivations: a.- Bronze culverin of the 16th century. Approximate weight: between 2,500 / 3,000 Kg. B.- A "bronze cannon" or "howitzer". Couple of the extracted in 2015. c.- Elements of the spoiled silverware (silver of Chafalonia) that appears in the documentation of the AGI. d.- We will also extract some elements that were filmed in 2015 and whose function we do not know. e.- Depending on the circumstances of the cruise, it is possible that the second culverin of the Mercedes will be extracted