In April 2008 the ANIMATE network Observatories became part of the EuroSITES European Ocean Observatory Network.
Data shown here and subsequent data are available through the EuroSITES website www.eurosites.info
The ANIMATE site will not be updated further.

	Site description
	Location:   59.7oN 39.7oW

CIS (Central Irminger Sea)

Physical: The site is located in the center of the Irminger Sea gyre in a region of minimum stratification, i.e. within the gyre, convection will reach its maximum depth (about 800 m). Presently, little is known about the interannual variability of deep mixing and water mass formation. The site is expected to be representative of the eastern part of the subpolar gyre. Since this is in the area of NAO (North Atlantic Oscillation) activity, impacts on the physical processes are expected and can be studied. Also, the station forms a dynamic height pair with site PAP in the Porcupine Abyssal Plain for monitoring the northeastward branch of the North Atlantic Current entering the polar seas.

CO2: The subpolar gyre is one of the global maxima of CO2 uptake of the ocean, and timeseries observations in this region are important for quantifying the sequestration and its variability. This is possible by combined measurements of physical variables and CO2 partial pressure.

Biological: The subpolar gyre is probably one of the ocean regions with a rather simple food chain, and the zooplankton community is dominated by a single species (Calanus Finmarchicus). There are interesting research questions about this important species and its relevance for the fisheries in the region (redfish), as well as physical/climatic forcing of these. Being in the middle of a gyre, away from boundaries, the hope is that the system is reasonably 1-D and mooring timeseries can be more easily interpreted.

Groups / P.I.s /labs /countries responsible / involved:

IFM-GEOMAR, Kiel, Germany (Johannes Karstensen (jkarstensen@ifm-geomar.de), D.Wallace, T.J. Mueller)
MRI, Reykjavik, Iceland (H.Valdimarsson, A.Gislason, J.Olafson)
SIO, La Jolla, CA, USA (U. Send)
ICCM, Telde de Gran Canaria, Spain (O.Ilinas, Maria Villagarcia)
NOC, Southampton, U.K. (R.Lampitt)

Status:

Operational since August 2002 Serviced annually Funded for 2002-2007 through EU projects ANIMATE and MERSEA, with physical (CTD,ADCP) sensors, pCO2, fluorescence, nutrients;

Societal value:

Improved understanding and forecasts of water mass formation in the thermohaline circulation system. Quantification of North Atlantic contribution to CO2 sequestration. Improved understanding of ecosystem response to climatic forcing, ultimately with appliation to fisheries.

Role in the integrated global observing system:

CIS will form a node in the dynamic height pairing network for the North Atlantic; it is an essential element of a North Atlantic CO2 monitoring system.

Compiled by J. Karstensen and T. J. Müller, IFM-GEOMAR, Kiel, Germany (February 2006)

Click here to view a pdf describing the sensors deployed.