In late-July, R/V TKK sailed back to her homeport and was berthed at Xiamen International Cruise Terminal for a 3-day on-board self-isolation and NAT or Ag tests. The major scientific expedition cruise for the process, mechanisms, and evolution of the biological pump carbon fixation in the western North Pacific by 2021 (NORC2022-306, or KK2202), was accomplished onboard R/V TKK.
This NSFC-funded expedition aimed to analyze the biogeochemical cycling of carbon, nitrogen, and iron as well as their coupling and decoupling, and to provide further insight into the structure, processes, efficiency, and mechanisms of the biological pump in the western North Pacific, which would be useful for assessing the potential of increasing carbon storage in this oceanic region.
Marine engineers and research team prepared for sampling the seabed sediment. Photo: Ruotong Jiang
During the nearly 50-day cruise, R/V TKK sailed around 6,663 nautical miles. Multiple over-the-side operations were implemented on the vessel, including TMC CTD casts, multi-net plankton samplings, ADCPs, in-situ LVPs, moving vessel profiling, and sediment samplings. With the joint efforts of the research team and marine technicians, 19 TMC CTD casts along with 14 sediment samplings were conducted onboard during the cruise. This inaugural attempt won a complete success.
TMC CTD casts. Photo: Ruotong Jianag
In addition to over-the-side operations, a final examination, a doctoral dissertation proposal, and a master’s thesis defense took place separately onboard the vessel. With the supervision of Professor Tianyu Chen, Pingping Zhang took her final examination on Advanced Marine Geology aboard the ship so the exam would no longer concern her on the voyage. Jiaxu Li, a doctoral student, had his doctoral dissertation proposal, and Professor Zhimian Cao, the chief scientist of the cruise, served as the head of the advisors. Besides, Yi Yang, a graduate student, completed his master’s thesis defense onborad, Professor Yihua Cai served as the defense committee chair.
Pingping Zhang sat her final exam. Photo: Ruotong Jiang
Jiaxu Li had his doctoral dissertation proposal. Photo: Ruotong Jiang
A photo of Yi Yang with the defense committee members. Photo: Ruotong Jiang
R/V TKK is truly the “XMU at Sea”, where students can combine textbooks with new frontiers in scientific research.
