Research ship Atair starts: three-dimensional North Sea measurement!

Research ship Atair starts: three-dimensional North Sea measurement!

The research ship "Atair" has now broken up in Bremerhaven for an impressive three-and-a-half-week trip, which not only includes 3,500 nautical miles to Aberdeen in Scotland, but also pursues the goal of creating a comprehensive three-dimensional picture of the North Sea. This information provides the Federal Sea shipping and hydrographic office (BSH), which carries out the current measurements in cooperation with the Helmholtz Center Hereon. The data is crucial to analyze the physical-chemical state of the sea and to gain an overview of more than 20 environmental parameters, including temperature, salinity and oxygen content.

As reporting the BSH, the latest measurements are particularly exciting because they point the influence of large rivers such as Elbe and Rhine on the ecosystem of the North Sea. An increasing amount of fresh water from these rivers has reduced the salinity in the sea. This could have far -reaching effects on marine biodiversity and is a central aspect of ongoing research. These annual measurements have been introduced in recent years so that we can better understand and document the condition of the North Sea.

important measurement stations and technical requirements

During the expedition, a total of 111 measuring stations are approached to carry out various physical and chemical measurements. The ship "Atair", which was put into service in 2021 and is equipped with an LNG drive, offers space for 18 crew members and 15 scientists in modern laboratories. The BSH also plans to localize underwater obstacles in important sea areas. The focus is not on critical infrastructure such as data cables and pipelines, but experts still warn of the dangers of sabotage in the North Sea.

The data collected during this measurement is not only important for the scientists, but also flow into international climate reports. A remarkable part of the information collected is summarized in the ICES Report on Ocean Climate (IROC), which is to be published at the end of 2025. This report will analyze the changes in the oceans, especially with regard to climatic influences.

climate change and ocean research

The measurements of the North Sea are in the context of an increasingly urgent question: How will climate change affect the oceans? Many aspects of the ocean currents have still been insufficiently researched, although they are of enormous importance for global transport, food production and tourism. The findings from this and similar research trips could help to better understand future changes and to develop suitable measures.

The expedition of the "Atair" once again shows the commitment of German marine research and introduces a critical phase in which the knowledge of our oceans and its condition is of the utmost importance for future generations.