"Experiment 6" completed sampling at 14 stations due to the approaching typhoon, adjusting voyage stations
Diary of the First Flight of Experiment 6
Science and Technology Daily "Experiment 6" Ship September 8th (Reporter Dai Xiaopei) On the 8th, the third day of the "Experiment 6" ship maiden voyage.
As of 24:00 that day, the scientific expedition team had completed sampling at 14 comprehensive scientific expedition stations, and obtained a large number of seawater samples and sediment samples, as well as hydrological and meteorological data of the mesoscale warm vortex meridional section in the northern part of the South China Sea.
Due to the typhoon "Conson" is moving to the northwest, in order to avoid the typhoon, the "experiment 6" ship adjusted its original plan to continue to the south, and began to drive northeast on the afternoon of the 8th.
After completing the scientific research operations at 14 stations in the north-south direction, the "Experiment 6" ship scientific research team has successfully captured a mesoscale warm vortex in the South China Sea.
Mao Huabin, an associate researcher of the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and the leader of the "Experiment 6" ship scientific research team, told the reporter of Science and Technology Daily: "This clockwise rotating warm vortex takes on a spindle shape. Its center is located at 17.8 degrees north latitude and 114.6 degrees east longitude, which is more The remote sensing data is presented in the southeast. The radius of the warm vortex is about 100 kilometers, and the maximum subsurface flow velocity can reach 60 cm/s. Data analysis of the chlorophyll value shows that the central area of the warm vortex exhibits low primary productivity, which means that Contains less plankton."
In addition to deepening the understanding of the warm vortex, the biochemistry group has also gained a lot.
Huang Sijun, a researcher at the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, told the reporter of Science and Technology Daily: “We obtained a total of 111 water layer samples at 14 stations, and carried out phytoplankton community structure, nutrients, chlorophyll, micro-biodiversity, organic Investigations and field experiments on the source and sink patterns of particulate matter and carbon."
On the afternoon of the 8th, the wind force at the center of Typhoon "Conson" approaching the "Experiment 6" ship reached level 8, and the typhoon "Santo" was also moving northwest. Therefore, the "Experiment 6" ship urgently adjusted its voyage position.
At midnight on the 8th, the scientific expedition team will carry out cross-sectional observations in the east-west direction. It is expected to complete the last station in the west at midnight on the 9th, and then sail northeast to shelter from the wind near the Pearl River Estuary.
"The temporary adjustment of the voyage station is to avoid wind on the one hand, and to increase new scientific research targets on the other. We plan to wait for the typhoon to pass, and make repeated cross-sectional observations, compare the state of the ocean before and after the typhoon, and study the effects of the upper marine ecosystem on the typhoon. Response characteristics. This is a rare opportunity!" said researcher Du Yan, deputy director of the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and chief scientist of the "Experiment 6" ship.
Since the biochemistry group needs to process the collected samples immediately, the members of the scientific expedition group spend almost 24 hours in the laboratory for sample processing and analysis. As the typhoon approaches, they need to speed up the progress. The crew has all entered an emergency state. They first fixed the movable parts on the ship and closed the waterproof door to ensure the safety of scientific research personnel and equipment.