The RAPID WATCH mooring array deployed along 26.5 N was serviced on board the RRS Discovery. Around 40 mooring operations were carried out during the recovery and re-deployment of the moorings that range from 15m long to 5000m long. The array has moorings from the coast of Africa to the Bahamas and has deployed on the moorings current meters, CTD sensors, bottom pressure recorders and inverted echo sounders. The purpose of the array is to measure and monitor the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) through the measurement of density profiles on either side of the Atlantic and direct current meter readings. The top of one mooring in the Mid-Atlantic went adrift during November, and its position was monitored using the Argos system. It was subsequently recovered during this voyage along with the rest of the mooring. The mooring had been subjected to long line fishing activity, something we hadn't seen in this area before. For further technical information, contact Rob Mclachlan (robert.mclachlan@noc.ac.uk).
(January 2011)