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CIS (Central Irminger Sea) Location:   59.7^oN 39.6^oW

Scientific rationale

Physical: The site is located in the center of the Irminger Sea gyre based on dynamic height contours and thus in a region of minimum stratification: convection is expected to reach maximum depth here, and the interannual variability of deep mixing and water mass formation, is not known at present. The site is expected to be representative of of the eastern part of the subpolar gyre. Since this is in the area of NAO (North Atlantic Oscillation) activity, impacts on the physical processes are expected and can be studied. Also, the station forms a dynamic height pair with PAP for monitoring the northeastward branch of the North Atlantic Current entering the polar seas.

CO₂: The subpolar gyre is one of the global maxima of CO₂ uptake of the ocean, and timeseries observations in this region are important for quantifying the sequestration and its variability. This is possible by combined measurements of physical variables and CO₂ partial pressure.

Biological: The subpolar gyre is probably one of the ocean regions with a rather simple food chain, and the zooplankton community is dominated by a single species (Calanus Finmarchicus). There are interesting research questions about this important species and its relevance for the fisheries in the region (redfish), as well as physical/climatic forcing of these. Being in the middle of a gyre, away from boundaries, the hope is that the system is reasonably 1-D and mooring timeseries can be more easily interpreted.

Partner Institutions:

IfM Kiel (U.Send, Thomas J. Mueller, D.Wallace),

MRI Reykjavik (H.Valdimarsson, A.Gislason, J.Olafson)

ICCM Telde de Gran Canaria (O. llinas, Maria Villagarcia)

SOC (R.Lampitt)

Status:

Funded for 2001-2004 via EU project ANIMATE, with physical (CTD,ADCP) sensors, CO₂, fluorescence, nutrients; satellite telemetry under development.First deployment scheduled for POSEIDON cruise 293/2, August 2002.

Societal value:

Improved understanding and forecasts of water mass formation in the thermohaline circulation system. Quantification of North Atlantic contribution to CO₂ sequestration. Improved understanding of ecosystem response to climatic forcing, ultimately with appliation to fisheries.

Role in the integrated global observing system: CIS will form a node in the dynamic height pairing network for the N.Atlantic, and be an essential element of a N.Atlantic CO₂ monitoring system.