NUI Galway Cruise Stations 2010

32 sample stations including CTD, Plankton Net (0-200 m), Plankton Net (0-600 m), Phytoplankton net (25 microns), Boxcore and ROV taken on board on the RV Celtic Explorer in September 2008 during the Bright Sparks Award survey. A large instrument package called a CTD is the standard workhorse of oceanographers for acquiring water column profiles. It is called a CTD because as a minimum it measures electrical conductivity, Temperature, and depth (pressure). The Plankton net is a funnel-shaped, fine-meshed net that is towed through the water. The net concentrates the Plankton from hundreds of gallons of water that pass through it. A simple net can be constructed to capture microscopic Plankton. A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) is an unoccupied underwater robot that is connected to a ship by a series of cables. These cables transmit command and control signals between the operator and the ROV, allowing remote navigation of the vehicle.