2020 maintenance for the ALBATROSS oceanographic mooring line were successfully completed by the EMSO Western Ligurian team!

© CNRS

Usually scheduled during spring time, the maintenance of the ALBATROSS mooring line, was this year, exceptionally postponed to September as direct consequence for covid-19 pandemic. Scientists from the Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (Marseille) and the Technical Division of INSU (La Seyne) took place on board of THETHYS 2 for the operations. The cruise campaign included two phases: a recovery of the line, performed on 14-16th September, and a full re-deployment carried out ten days later, on 24-26th September, after the instruments were carefully cleaned, checked and re-powered in Marseille and La Seyne laboratories. At sea, the meteorological conditions were greatly variable but the team made it through thanks to the full support of the local fleet.

ALBATROSS mooring line, together with the DYFAMED, LION and EMSO-Nice constitute the EMSO Ligurian Sea Regional Facility which aims to study the hydrogeological changes and biogeochemical properties in the Mediterranean in relation to climate forcings and anthropogenic impacts.

ALBATROSS mooring line includes a series of CTD, optodes, and current meters distributed along the line between 500 and 2400 meter depth. The maintenance takes place every year in order to sustain real-time data acquisition at the site (data sets available through DOI).