Voyage Number
IN2017_T01
Voyage Dates
Voyage Location
Chief Scientist
Dr Andrew Bowie
Institution
University of Tasmania
Voyage summary
Transit voyage from Hobart to Sydney to relocate the vessel in preparation for IN2016_V05. During the transit, a number of research, outreach and training projects will be undertaken, including a project to quantify the importance of iron-rich aerosols from the Australian landmass for marine biogeochemistry and ocean ecosystem health.
This project will sample and conduct experiments on atmospheric particles containing terrestrial dust and bushfire smoke that are transported from Australia to its surrounding oceans. These data will contribute to larger integrated ship and land based observations for trace elements and nutrients in oceans around Australia in order to determine the geochemical nature, solubility and biological availability of atmospherically delivered trace elements.
The voyage will include education and outreach projects, as well as a number of scientific projects including:
- Characterisation of the macro-mechanical behaviour of offshore sediments (Dr Ryan Beemer, University of Western Australia): Research into the properties of sediment samples collected from Norther Australian waters.
- Shipwreck survey for SS Macumba (David Steinberg, Northern Territory Government): Seafloor survey to locate the wreck of the WWII freighter SS Macumba.
- Spatial and Temporal Variability in the Distribution and Abundance of Seabirds (Dr Eric Woehler, BirdLife Australia): Project to study the spatial and temporal distribution of seabirds and marine animals in the oceans around Australia (multi-year project).
Voyage impact
The voyage collected data that will provide better understanding of the delivery of trace elements and nutrients from atmospheric aerosols into the oceans southeast of Australia. A program was also commenced to investigate the role of atmospheric transport in providing vital mineral and nutrients for marine ecosystem health and fertility in ocean basins surrounding Australia.
The shipwreck SS Macumba, a merchant ship sunk by Japanese air attack during World War II, was successfully located using RV Investigator's advanced multibeam sonar systems. Location of the shipwreck was reported to the Northern Territory and Australian Governments, and the data collected about the vessel's posotion and collection will be used to further investigate and ensure appropriate management of the site.
A wide range of seabird and marine animal observations were made during the voyage. This data will contribute to the wider project dataset, and provide important information about the spatial and temporal distributions of these animals.
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