NOC Scheduled for 31 Science Expeditions in 2023

The National Oceanography Center (NOC), home to RRS James Cook and RRS Discovery, is managing 31 global research missions in 2023.

This will include missions to the Bay of Biscay where NOC’s Marine Autonomous Robotic Systems team will be trialling its fleet of AUV’s and gliders to test autonomous ocean research capabilities, an expedition to quantify deep sea ecosystem resilience in the Pacific, and a research mission to Norway to study the role nitrogen plays in Arctic biogeochemistry.

Previous expeditions include the DY158 expedition which took place earlier this year and circumnavigated the A76a megaberg and last year where the team sailed out to the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica with renowned autonomous underwater vehicle, Boaty McBoatface.

The DY158 expedition to the Southern Ocean with British Antarctic Survey (BAS), saw the NOC supply 22 NOC crew plus 6 NOC technicians to provide underwater sensor technology and facilitate data gathering, whilst BAS provided the scientific expertise to understand the long-term variability in krill biomass and the influences from climate variability, fishing pressure and predation.

“We ensure that the vessels are capable of performing the science operations required for all research missions, alongside certifying the required equipment and operating state of the art technology safely, efficiently and optimally," said Jon Short, Senior Project Manager at the National Oceanography Center. "NOC’s involvement in circumnavigating the A76a iceberg highlights the key role the National Oceanography Center's technicians, alongside the captain and crew on board the RRS Discovery, play in providing data to support important scientific research expeditions.”
Image courtesy NOC