HCMR Activities in the Red Sea

C. Smith & Ε. Παπαθανασίου

HCMR in the Red Sea

• The Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) started activities in the Red Sea in March 2010.

• This was the result of a framework agreement between, SETE Facilities Management Saudia Ltd (Latsis Group), to cover 3 major long term missions up to 2012-13 with KAUST University in Saudi Arabia with the Greek Oceanographic Vessel “Aegaeo”, in the Red Sea

• This opened a great opportunity for cooperation at the scientific and political level,

• Participation in a wide range of activities at the national, bilateral and international level, with Greece being one of the first countries to cooperate scientifically in this little explored area through common research interests.

Aims1. High resolution mapping of the seabed in the Red Sea, 2. Characterisation of water masses, 3. High level environmental study of deep brine lakes4. The search for deep corals in the Red Sea and their relationships

with deep corals in the Eastern Mediterranean. 5. Direct cooperation with scientists from KAUST university, also

with the USA (Wood Hole Oceanographic Institute), China (Hong Kong University) and Egypt (American University of Cairo), also actively involved in scientific research in the area.

HCMR Personnel: 18 research and technical staff were involved in 2010-11

Utilising: Submarine ‘Thetis” and the robot vehicle “MAXROV”

Targets

Medium Term Targets and Directions: • 2010: Charter out the vessel for physical chemistry

and biological studies• 2011: Research collaboration between HCMR and

KAUST, Woods Hole and the University of Hong Kong (already have 3 publications and 1 in press)

• 2013-14: Increasing cooperation with new agreements for more research at different levels in the area.

• 2010 Mission: 63 days.

• Research in Saudi Arabian territorial waters, looking at many things for the first time

• The research results are particularly important for world level publication.

• New discovery: during HCMR MAXROV dives, we found a new brine lake at approximately 860 m depth.

KAUST Red Sea Expedition 2010

KAUST Red Sea Expedition 2010

• Leg - I (15th March – 1st April) – Mission

Collection of biological and oceanographic data to study Red Sea hydrography and microbial diversity

– Sampling locations10 perpendicular transects along the Saudi coast of the Red Sea

• Leg - II (6th – 17th April) – Mission

Collection of water and plankton samples from different depth layers to study brine pool biota

– Sampling locationsBrine pool systems: Atlantis II Deep (AIID) and Discovery Deep (DD)

• Leg - III (20th – 29th April) – Mission

Collection of sediment and benthos samples to study brine pool biota and geology

– Sampling locations1 transect from Jeddah to AIID, 2 transects at AIID and 1 at DD

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Thuwal Cold Seep I Thuwal Cold Seep II

ROV Video Capture of new Thuwal Cold Seeps

LEG 1: Large-Scale Hydrographic and Microbiological Studies 28 Days: Sep 15−Oct 13, 2011

R/V Aegaeo

LEG 2: Microbiological and Ichthyoplankton Studies at Brine Pool and Non-Brine Pool Sites 18 Days: Oct 16−Nov 03, 2011LEG 3: Mesopelagic Fish Study and

Brine Pool Acoustics 12 Days: Nov 06−18, 2011LEG 4: Cold Seeps Studies 7 Days: Nov 21−28, 2011

LEG 5: Coral, Fish, and Other Macrofauna Studies

16 Days: Nov 30−Dec 16, 2011

TOTAL: 71 days at sea

HCMR participated in all the different legs of the mission with 15 scientists and technicians (in 5 teams) on board the RV Aegaeo

KAUST Red Sea Expedition 2011 (3/9-23/12)

Hurghada Marine Station

Atlantis II and Discovery Deeps Area studied for oceanography and microbial ecology/genetics during Expeditions I (2008) and II (2010).

Southern half to be also covered for the Large-Scale Hydrographic Survey during Leg 1 of Expedition III (2011).

Northern half that was covered for the Large-Scale Hydrographic Survey during Expedition II (2010).

Overall area in which sampling stations for hydrographic, biological, microbiological, ichthyological, and brine pool studies will be undertaken during all legs of Expedition III (2011).

KAUST Red Sea Expedition III (2011)

Sampling Coverage during Expedition III

A. Rabigh-Thuwal-Jeddah Region

B. Dipole Study Box

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LEG 1: Large-Scale Hydrographic and Microbiological Studies

28 Days: Sep 15−Oct 13, 2011

Rosette/Niskins (Standard & Modified)

ISIIS Device

Multi-Corer

LEG 2: Microbiological and Ichthyoplankton Studies at Brine Pool and Non-Brine Pool Sites

18 Days: Oct 16−Nov 03, 2011

Brine Layers:IncreasingTemperatureand Salinity

ModifiedRosette/Niskin Multi-Bottle Assembly(High-Volume Sampling)*

DISCOVERY DEEP

ATLANTIS II DEEP

Niskin Bottleclosing mechanism

Seawaterinflow

Valve closes

LEG 2: Microbiological and Ichthyoplankton Studies at Brine Pool and Non-Brine Pool Sites

18 Days: Oct 16−Nov 03, 2011

A. Acoustic package

B. Underwater camera system

C. Lander deployment (?)

D. Net tows

All activities are ROV assisted.

LEG 3: Mesopelagic Fish Study and Brine Pool Acoustics12 Days: Nov 06−18, 2011

Mesopelagic fish (Atherinidae) swarming the submersible lights @ >500 m deep

Hamburg Plankton Net for meso-pelagic fish sampling

LEG 3: Mesopelagic Fish Study and Brine Pool Acoustics

12 Days: Nov 06−18, 2011

Thuwal Cold Seeps

Brine Pool outline superimposed on Cold Seeps area bathymetry

Cold Seep I

Cold Seep II

Location of the new Thuwal Cold Seeps system, relative to the Hot Brine Pools along

the mid-axial deeps of the Red Sea

LEG 4: Cold Seeps Studies7 Days: Nov 21−28, 2011

LEG 4: Cold Seeps Studies7 Days: Nov 21−28, 2011

LEG 5: Coral, Fish, and Other Macrofauna Studies

16 Days: Nov 30−Dec 16, 2011

Deep Corals, Fish and Other Macrofauna Survey by Submersible (<600 m deep) or ROV (<2,000 m deep)

Typical biological communities observed at depths 80-90 m.

LEG 5: Coral, Fish, and Other Macrofauna Studies

16 Days: Nov 30−Dec 16, 2011

And the cooperation continues...