Friedhelm Schroeder

FerryBox systems for monitoring coastal waters

Abstract A new operational tool which uses ferryboats as the carrier system for automated monitoring equipment has been developed. Such systems can be operated with lower costs than automatic buoys and have better performance with regard to biofouling. Currently the system is being tested in a EU project in which eight ferry routes are used for comparison of different European “FerryBoxes” in different European waters. The “German FerryBox” consists of a fully automated flow-through system with sensors and automatic analysers for the measurement of physical, biological and chemical parameters (T, salinity, turbidity, pH, oxygen, chlorophyll-a, nutrients). It provides automatic cleaning cycles and position-controlled sampling (GPS). Data are transferred to shore and the system can be remotely operated via mobile phone. The system has been installed on the ferry Cuxhaven (DE)-Harwich (UK) and has been in operation since November 2001. Results from the experiences of the first year demonstrate the function- ality and applicability of the ferry system.

COSYNA, an integrated coastal observation system for Northern and Arctic Seas

The development of an integrated coastal observing system for the German Bight and Arctic Coastal Seas (COSYNA) is one of the focal issues of German marine research in the next decade. A major challenge of COSYNA is to tightly merge data from a dense observational network and modeling via data assimilation. The integrated system will focus on daily-to-weekly processes providing objective measures of uncertainty in the state estimates and forecasts. The creation of a centrally managed, operational, large-scale monitoring and modeling system is expected to strengthen und bundle expertise within Helmholtz Association centres, members of the German marine research consortium and the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency. The layout of COSYNA is based on the knowledge and open scientific questions of the German North Sea research carried out in the last two decades. COSYNA will intensively use platforms-of-opportunities like North Sea ferries, freights ship and offshore research platforms and wind mills. This participation to externally financed infrastructure of power and broadband communication and maintenance logistics will enable a cost effective construction of the system and maintain its operational mode over a long-term period. Adding to the running governmental monitoring, COSYNA seeks to pinpoint the German role in the international development of marine monitoring and long-term observational strategies in cooperation and agreement with the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency.

FerryBox - application of continuous water quality observations along transects in the North Sea

In order to distinguish between anthropogenic and natural changes in an ecosystem, the environmental parameters and the driving forces need to be monitored in different temporal and spatial scales. The limitation of conventional monitoring methods particularly with regard to temporal and spatial resolution is often a serious hindrance to a better understanding of marine ecosystems and the underlying biogeochemical processes. The use of unattended automatic observing systems onboard of ships of opportunity offers a cost-effective and reliable possibility to obtain regular observations of near-surface parameters with a high spatial coverage and temporal resolution.

Chemische und biologische Prozesse bezüglich des Sauerstoff- und Nährstofthaushaltes beim Übergang der Elbe in den Tidebereich

Die chemisch-biologischen Prozesse in der Elbe beeinflussen sowohl den Sauerstoffhaushalt (Bergemann et al. 1996) als auch die Konzentration der Nahrstoffe (N, P, Si) und deren Bindungsformen (z.B. gelost, partikular). Sie haben daher entscheidenden Einflus auf das Transportverhalten und werden fur die Modellierung sowohl der Gewassergute als auch des Transports von Nahrstoffen in einem Flussystem benotigt.