| Summary: | Progress Code: completed Statement: The values provided in temporal and spatial coverage are approximate only: Taken from the 2008-2009 Progress Report: Difficulties affecting project: We have had ongoing technical issue with the FRRF. The instrument has been returned to British manufacturer (Chelsea) for the past 2 years. The instrument was fully tested on board before departure but still developed technical problems shortly after leaving. With the help of an AAD technician, the instrument was able to fully operate. Taken from the 2009-2010 Progress Report: Field work: We participated in V1 of the Aurora Australis in spring 2009. The focus of the work this season was collecting continuous primary production measurements using a fast repetition rate fluorometer (FRRF). We have developed a deck incubator system which allows us to measure surface primary production continuously. Previous applications of this equipment have either required CTD deployments for vertical primary production measurements or lab based measurements of photosynthetic stress. Seawater from 6 metres depth was continuously supplied to the FRRF incubator located on the helideck. The seawater was directed to FRRF measuring chamber where chlorophyll a fluorescence emitted by phytoplankton was measured every minute. Chlorophyll a concentration was determined by filtering 1 L of seawater through 47 mm diameter Whatman GF/F filters, which were immediately added with 10 ml of methanol and stored in 4 degree Celsius refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours. Samples were taken every 4 hours. Seawater was also collected and preserved in Lugol's iodine and brought back to University of Tasmania where species identification will be carried out. Measurement of phytoplankton parameters and chlorophyll a concentration were carried out on both south and northbound transects. Once a day the data from the FRRF was uploaded to computer and the lenses of the FRRF were cleaned. Laboratory activity/analysis: Chlorophyll determinations using a Turner 10AU Fluormeter and ...
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