FUMSECK : Facilities for Updating the Mediterranean Submesoscale - Ecosystem Coupling Knowledge

The FUMSECK (Facilities for Updating the Mediterranean Submesoscale - Ecosystem Coupling Knowledge) cruise aimed at performing technological tests of several instruments exploited for the study of the (sub)meso-scale processes and dynamics (from 0.1 to 100 km for a lifetime from several days to several weeks). Three categories of tests have been performed. The first category is the study of the MVP (Moving Vessel Profiler) tracked instruments behaviour, in particular the MSFFFII (Multi Sensor Free Fall Fish, so called "big fish"). We focused on the rotative behaviour of the big fish during its falling and raising, the connectics between the instrument and the MVP cable, between the platform and the boat depth sensor, and between the platform and the PC used to analyse the data, hence testing the whole data acquisition chain. The second category concerns the exploration of several methods to access the measurement of the current velocities vertical component, using different ADCP (Hull-mounted ADCP, Fixed-depth and profiling L-ADCP and Sentinel V (5 beams), Free-Fall ADCP), a prototype of a vertical velocity profiler, and a glider. Finally, we experimented the release of a sample of biodegradable coloured micro-particles at 15m-depth and within a 1 hectare surface, their tracking with drifting buoys, their extraction by pumping and their detection by cytometry. The goal of this experiment was its feasibility, in order to use these micro-particules as tracers for the understanding of the physical part of the ocean biological Carbon pump. Data acquired during the campain are : - Biological oceanography : * B08 Phytoplankton 7 days Continuous sampling for cytometer analysis. 15m-depth sampling for cytometer analysis (3 samples). 30.04.2019 * B90 Other biological/fisheries meas. 1 days GoPro images for the injection, the following and the sampling of coloured micro-particles. 30.04.2019 - Physical oceanography : * D05 Surface drifters/drifting buoys 3 deployments Injection, following, and sampling of coloured micro-particles at 15m-depth. Deployment and recovery of lagrangian drifters anchored at 15m for water mass following. 30.04.2019 * D71 Current profiler (eg ADCP) 7 days Continuous Vessel-Mounted ADCP. L-ADCP and Sentinel casts (5 and 6 stations). Free-Fall ADCP (6 stations). 30.04.2019 * D90 Other physical oceanographic meas. 7 days MVP (Moving Vessel Profiler) 30.04.2019 * D90 Other physical oceanographic meas. 6 stations VVP (Vertical Velocity Profiler) 30.04.2019 * H10 CTD stations 6 stations CTD casts 30.04.2019 * H71 Surface measurements underway (T,S) 7 days Continuous measurement 30.04.2019