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Elbe Supersite

Elbe-North Sea Supersite: Cuxhaven and Tesperhude fixed stations, RV Ludwig Prandtl, Mobile Underwater Observatories (MUO) NorthSea (Hereon + AWI), Stable Isotope Analysis for water samples and particulate matter, Elbe estuary-German Bight Monitor

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AQUARIUS_RI_Elbe Supersite-6
Plan
Cruise
AQUARIUS_RI_Elbe Supersite-5
AQUARIUS_RI_Elbe Supersite-2
AQUARIUS_RI_Elbe Supersite-1

Infrastructure Profile

Infrastructure Provider

Location

Elbe Estuary and adjacent North Sea coastal region

Organisation & Address

Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany

Infrastructure Webpage 

NA

Link to Infrastructure Schedules (if applicable)

NA

Normal Area of Operation

Elbe Estuary and adjacent North Sea, as well as shallow Baltic Sea region for the RV Ludwig Prandtl/ RV Coriolis.
 
7°E, 53°N
7°E, 55°N
13°E, 55°N
13°E, 53°N

Maximum Number of Days Available

The facilities are available upon request, and are currently operating. We have applied for 1 month for each component.

Overview

Breakdown of Equipment Available

1) Cuxhaven and Tesperhude Research Stations
2) Mobile Underwater Observatory
3) Elbe-GB EcoHealth Monitor
4) Isotope Mass Spectrometry Lab
5) RV Ludwig Prandtl/RV Coriolis (in 2025)

Services & Sensors Available

1) FerryBox and platform for instrument deployment
2) Underwater station for instrument deployment in German Bight
3) Model for Elbe estuary and German Bight (Pein et al. 2021)
4) Isotope Mass Spectrometry Lab : nitrogen and oxygen isotopes as well as inorganic nutrients
5) Shallow water vessel, with FerryBox and

Depth of Operation

1) Surface (5 m)
2) Depth of up to 20 m
3) Entire water column
4) Lab sample analysis
5) Surface and depth profiles in shallow water

Power Supply

NA

Dimensions & Weight

NA

Data Acquisition and Communication Systems

Data acquisition is available and established for some stations and the ship, but varies between the different components, depending on application

Scientific and Technical Specifications

General Information

Elbe-North Sea Site provides several components of observational and modeling services available in the Elbe Estuary and the German Bight. These are 1) Cuxhaven and Tesperhude fixed stations, 2) RV Ludwig Prandtl (and upcoming new vessel RV Coriolis), 3) the Mobile Underwater Observatories (MUO) in the North Sea (Hereon + AWI), 4) the Stable Isotope Analysis for water samples and particulate matter, and 5) the Elbe Estuary-German Bight EcoHealth Monitor (model).
 
• Biogeochemical observatories at the entrance (Tesperhude) and outflow (Cuxhaven) of Elbe estuary (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, chlorophyll and CDOM fluorescence, turbidity, nutrients) are provided to interested users, at 10 min to 1 hour interval.
• A shallow water research vessel is available to sample the same parameters along the Elbe estuary and in the shallow North and Baltic Sea regions. All stations & ships allow for discrete samples collection.
• North Sea MUOs provide access for underwater instrument deployment at variable locations, with optional sensor elevator for vertical profiling.
• In addition, a virtual model of the coupled physical-biogeochemical processes of the tidal Elbe, hosted by Hereon, Geesthacht, and integrated into the operational infrastructure (CMEMS AMM15, Tesperhude monitoring station) is provided for scientists and stakeholders. The model can predict organic carbon, chlorophyll and oxygen concentrations for the Elbe Estuary, and 3D and temporally (hourly) resolved state of eutrophication.
• Lab analyses of stable isotopes of nitrate using the denitrifier method (+ inorganic and organic nitrogen components NO3-, NH4+ & DON) with mass spectrometry is also offered as service.

Special Features

RV Ludwig Prandtl (shallow water, 31 m) operates in the North & Baltic Seas / new RV Coriolis will be available in 2025. Features include:
• Daily cruises, up to 8 scientists (Ludwig Prandtl); daily cruises up to 12 scientists (Coriolis)
• Dry lab & wet lab, weather station, ADCP, FerryBox, 2 A-frames,
• Folding crane, data communication & distribution
• Ship time for a scientific cruise (Proposal required)

Support offered to AQUARIUS users

We provide support as indicated in the project application with researchers, engineers and technicians who take case of the infrastructure. Our support of modelling projects includes the compilation of the relevant model framework on the local HPC cluster, support in the preparation of boundary conditions, support in the execution of model simulations, provision of HPC resources as well as support in post-processing and evaluation.

Infrastructure Availability and Contact Details

Year 2025

The Elbe-North Sea Site Infrastructure are currently operational year-round. Research vessels are typically not available in winter months, but could be available upon application. All components require application/contact to operators for availability check.

Year 2026

The Elbe-North Sea Site Infrastructure are currently operational year-round. Research vessels are typically not available in winter months, but could be available upon application. All components require application/contact to operators for availability check.

Year 2027

The Elbe-North Sea Site Infrastructure are currently operational year-round. Research vessels are typically not available in winter months, but could be available upon application. All components require application/contact to operators for availability check.

Contact email for applicants to discuss the initial feasibility of their work while they prepare their application

yoana.voynova[at]hereon.de

Certification and Clearance Requirements

Additional clearances/certification or documentation required for an area or type of activity

Based on previous experience with Transnational Access projects, we anticipate some processing time with the administrative/legal documents involved. In addition, permits may be required for use of the infrastructure depending on type of application.
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