FIELDWORK: MIT Chemical Oceanography, Trace Metal Group
We engage in oceanographic field work on a regular basis, and sometimes branch out into other areas (ice cores, rivers, and estuaries).
Recent cruise work:
R/V Kilo Moana, Australia -> Fiji, Mar.-Apr. 2007
CMORE: Ed Boyle sailed with Nitrogen Fixation marine biologists (e.g. Jon Zehr, Joe Montoya, John Waterbury) to see if iron influences the nitrogen cycle in the southwest Pacific.
R/V Knorr, Peru -> Mexico, Oct. 2005
Seth John collected samples for Zn stable isotopes ratios in the Peruvian upwelling region in a cruise led by Jim Moffett at WHOI.
R/V Endeavor, Narragansett RI -> Barbados, Jul. 8 - July 27, 2005
"Lead and Iron Variability in the Ocean", an NSF-sponsored project to determine the penetration of anthropogenic lead into the ocean, and to improve our understanding of the iron distribution in the ocean. In this cruise we focused on the western boundary southward penetration of upper North Atlantic Deep Water from the Labrador Sea in three zonal sections at 33°N, 24°N, and 16°N. Ed Boyle, Seth John, Alison Engwall, Josh Feldman, and Matthew Horn from URI.
R/V Melville, Honolulu -> San Diego, Oct. 15-Nov. 8, 2004
"SAFe": Sampling and Analysis of Iron in Seawater, a national (NSF) and international effort to determine how to reliably sample and measure iron in seawater by a variety of field and laboratory techniques. Ed Boyle and Bridget Bergquist
R/V Kilo Moana, Seattle -> Dutch Harbor, Alaska, June 18-Aug. 5, 2003
In collaboration with Jim Moffett and Mak Saito (WHOI), graduate student Seth John collected plankton and water samples for the analysis of stable zinc isotope ratios. He also investigated the availability of colloidal Fe for marine phytoplankton.
R/V Kilo Moana, Honolulu -> Honolulu, Sept. - Oct. 2002
"MANTRA": Marine Nitrogen Transformation, an NSF-funded "Biocomplexity" program that seeks to elucidate the role of iron in limiting nitrogen fixation in the ocean. Ed Boyle and Seth John, and a large cast of biological oceanographers.
R/V Kaimikai-O-Kanaloa, Honolulu -> Honolulu, Sept. - Oct. 2002
"MANTRA": Marine Nitrogen Transformation, an NSF-funded "Biocomplexity" program that seeks to elucidate the role of iron in limiting nitrogen fixation in the ocean. Bridget Bergquist, and a large cast of biological oceanographers.
R/V Endeavor, Barbados -> Rio de Janeiro, Feb.-Mar. 2002
"Lead and Iron Variability in the Ocean", an NSF-sponsored project to determine the penetration of anthropogenic lead into the ocean, and to improve our understanding of the iron distribution in the ocean. Ed Boyle, Bridget Bergquist, Matt Reuer, Rick Kayser, Ana Lima, Jim Moffett (WHOI), and others.
Other Recent Field Work:
Amazon River Iron Isotope Sampling, Brazil, Mar. 2002
Bridget Bergquist and Ana Lima flew to various locations on the Amazon (Manaus and Macapa) to sample the main river and its large tributary, the Rio Negro, to determine the stable isotope composition of colloidal iron in the river and estuary.
MITESS: Moored Trace Metal Sampler Deployments
We deploy an automated trace element sampling device on moorings near Bermuda (BTM) and Hawaii (MOSEAN). These moorings are serviced twice a year (Bermuda) and three times a year (Hawaii). Three days of scrubbing scuzz, replacing batteries and other fun stuff. And people don't believe us when we complain about having to go to Bermuda or Hawaii yet again...
This web page was last revised on May 1, 2006