BIODEEP (EVK3-2000-00042) First year Scientific Report

WP 8 – ANNEX

Contribution from partner 1: CoNISMa - coordination

  • I Meeting report
  • II Meeting report
  • III Meeting report
  • IV Meeting report
  • Press release by Proteus
  • Web-site presentation
  • Cruise report (separate annex)

BIODEEP I MEETING

Report

Department of Geological Sciences and Geotechnologies, University of Milano-Bicocca

Piazza della Scienza, 4 – 20126 Milano. Italy

January 9th 23rd 2001.

A summary of each day of discussion follows; as many arguments were discussed several times during the whole meeting, they are here reported only when the main aspects were solved.

Friday 19th

Technology session

Participants: Corselli, Gasparoni, Calore, Gerber, Hoog

After a short presentation of MODUS characteristics and previous operations, the discussion focused on the following points:

  1. The necessity to define different procedures of operations at sea using MODUS and SCIPACK during the exploration and the sampling phases, in particular the distance between MODUS and SCIPACK in order to obtain the best depth control, the minor disturbance effect on the sea-water/brine interface and avoiding any risk for MODUS (it must not enter the brines).
  2. The need of inputs from the biologists to the technology groups on the expected performance of the couple MODUS-SCIPACK (sampling depth resolution, kind of instruments that can be carried by SCIPACK, total weight of the instruments to be carried by SCIPACK) and on all the technical information of the instruments to be used through SCIPACK during the Cruise.
  3. The possibility to define different positions for the video cameras (at different positions on MODUS, on the cable between MODUS and SCIPACK, directly on SCIPACK) depending on the need of each operation at sea.
  4. The possibility to use particular video cameras in order to better detect the sea-water/brine interface.
  5. The possibility to have the exact location of MODUS (and of SCIPACK) with respect to the ship (using a transponder).
  6. The need of information on other instruments that could be useful on MODUS and SCIPACK (compass, radar).
  7. Focus on the problems of the cable corrosion during its transition from the brines to the normal sea-water.
  8. First definition of the problems related to the cable elasticity - “jo-jo” effect - working at depth with MODUS.

Saturday 20th

Technology session

Participants: Corselli, Gasparoni, Calore, Gerber, Hoog, Bloch

The meeting started with some discussion on the points of the first day, and new aspects were pointed out. In particular:

  1. The most important target to be reached by the technologists working on MODUS and SCIPACK is to obtain the best stability of the couple MODUS-SCIPACK when reaching the sea-water/brine interface. To do that, some aspects have to be defined, related to:

- the length of the cable connecting SCIPACK to MODUS: this is to be defined for each specific operation, according to the specific objectives to be achieved (precise survey, sampling at the interface, sampling in the brines; cf. point 1 of the first day)

- the possibility to compensate the heave effect and the “jo-jo” effect of the cable working directly on the couple MODUS-SCIPACK.

  1. The problem of the effects of MODUS and SCIPACK on the sea-water/brine interface. Regarding this problem, some sketches were presented, resulting from previous operations of MODUS at sea, related to current speeds induced around MODUS due to the deployment and recovery: this effect can be simulated in the next months also for SCIPACK. To do that

- it was clear that a great effort has to be done from the technology group to obtain the best hydrodynamic shape for SCIPACK;

- it is necessary for the technology groups to have data on the density, temperature, salinity of the brines from published data even if sparse; these will be therefore made available through the Web-site of the Project;

From the shape of the SCIPACK and the results of the simulation it will be necessary to precisely schedule each operation at sea also regarding the velocity of deployment close to the DHABs, and the velocity of penetration of SCIPACK at the sea-water/brine interface.

  1. The necessity of input from the biology group on the material to be used for SCIPACK construction: this has to be resistant from corrosion within the brines and at the transition from brines to normal sea-water and must not have any effect of contamination for the microbiological purposes.
  2. The definition of the priorities in the operations at sea with MODUS (and SCIPACK).

Primary priorities were decided to be the accurate sampling, in all the selected DHABs, of the sea-water immediately overlying the brines and of the sea-water/brines interface, for microbiological analyses, and the sampling of the bottom sediments in both the anoxic and oxic environment in the DHABs area, after a preliminary survey with MODUS.

Also secondary priorities were defined, that means they will be performed during the first Cruise (Urania) only if there is time left (i.e. if weather conditions allow to operate), as they include the use of MODUS and SCIPACK, with modifications of their relative distance and other possible adaptations. These targets are:

-the exploration of the steep wall of the Bannock Basin (the so-called “cristal garden”)

-the exploration of the second brine interface in the Urania Basin;

-the exploration of the bottom of the Atalante and Discovery basins

  1. The need to know, from previous currentmeter analyses, the current speed conditions at depth in the areas of the DHABs.
  2. Cruise-related logistic aspects, in particular:

-Location of the instruments on board, in particular the space required for the technological ones. On deck: winch, winch HPU, MODUS+SCISKID, SCIPACK, MODUS PU; in the laboratory: MODUS Control Unit, SCICONTROL, material for working.

-People on-board for operation with the technological instruments: 3(4) for TFH/TUB, 2 for TEC.

-Transportation organisation: costs, time to reach the embarkment harbour, check of the volumes of all the instruments to be carried together.

  1. Need of two preliminary technical meeting of the technology group:

-in Milano, for tests of CTD interfacing with SCIPACK,

-in Berlin and/or in Venice for the integration of SCIPACK (and MODUS) with SCISKID.

  1. Need of a meeting, to be fixed about one month before the Cruise (Urania), to define all the aspects mentioned in point 6 and to schedule the different operations at sea.
  2. Discussion on the abstract to be sent for CORDIS
  3. Preparation of a brief presentation of MODUS/SCIPACK and all related aspects emerged from the first two days of discussion, to be presented to the other partners in the plenary session. This include: time required for each operation at sea with MODUS (3-6 hours), maximum sea-state for operation (2-3), maximum payload that can be attached to SCIPACK

Sunday 21st

Plenary session

Partecipants: Corselli, Giuliano, Gasparoni, Calore, Gerber, Hoog, De Lange, Thomson, Varnavas, Tselepidis, Brusa, Daffonchio, Bianchi, Tamburini, McGenity, Sass, Bolhuis, Bloch

The meeting started with a presentation of MODUS and SCIPACK, including:

-all the technical specifications - of MODUS, SCISKID, SCIPACK and the cable - that can be useful for coupling with other instruments provided by the biologists;

-the problems related to maximum payload

-the problems of SCIPACK stability at the interface

-the possibility to use a heave compensator on the MODUS winch

-the need of input from all the groups on the different questions emerged during the previous discussion (material, contamination, density parameters of the brines, mixing at the interface, kind of instruments to be carried by SCIPACK, etc.).

A discussion followed regarding all the aspects considered.

In the afternoon, a presentation of the existing published data of the chemical characteristics of the DHABs was made. This was followed by a discussion on how to simulate such environments, on the necessity of microbiologists to have samples of brines before the Cruise (Urania) in order to simulate the working conditions. Some proposals were then suggested on possible modifications of some instruments to be carried by SCIPACK, in order to obtain a better resolution and a minor contamination at the sea-water/brine interface.

Monday 22nd

The participants were soon divided in two groups, to better focus on the different aspects and related problems of the Project.

Parallel session A: biology and microbiology

Partecipants: Giuliano, Tselepidis, Brusa, Daffonchio, Brusetti, Bianchi, Tamburini, McGenity, Sass, Bolhuis

The aim of this meeting was to discuss the sampling strategy and the related problems as well as to better define the contract with the private partner (Proteus). The mean points that have been clarified and concluded with the common agreement of the partners are the followings:

  1. Number and names of the scientists that will participate to the first sampling Cruise (Urania) The following arrangement of the scientific members of the Urania Cruise has been agreed:

PartnerN. of participantsNames

CoNISMa4 (5)Daffonchio

Borin

Corselli

Maffioli

Malinverno

CNR3Giuliano (chief scientist)

D’Auria

Lopez-Lopez

CNRS DR 124Garcin

Marty

Tamburini

Dukan

RUG0-

UESSEX1Sass

IMBC2Tselepides

Polichronaki (?)

TUBS0-

TFH-FBVIII – TUB – TEC5names to be defined

  1. Number of samples that will be collected from the water column, the interface, the brines and the bottom sediment as well as the sampling instruments.

The total number of sampling is referred in the main text of the Project.

Depending on the possibility to use the big volume high pressure bottles (HPS) instead of the smaller ones, the partner CNRS DR12 will provide a 2l volume of each pressurised sample to the other biologists (the number of the operations therefore decreases but the number of samples is still the same). The sediments will be collected preferably by using a multicorer (8 cores). The cores collected out of the basins’ brines will be taken after a preliminary survey of the bottom carried out by MODUS (and SCIPACK).

  1. Partners who will provide each of the necessary instruments for monitoring and sampling as well as their positioning on board.

The following instruments will be provided by the different partners:

-Rosette + Niskin bottles (CoNISMa – Messina)

-2 Anaerobic glove boxes (CoNISMa – Messina and Milano)

-Gas supply bottles of N2 (oxygen-free) and N2/H2/CO2 for anaerobically maintained chambers and containers (CoNISMa – Messina)

-Autoclave (CoNISMa – Messina)

-Centrifuge (CoNISMa – Messina)

-Thermostat (45°C) (CNRS DR12)

-Ultrasonic bath (CoNISMa - Messina)

-Filtration system with vacuum pump (CoNISMa – Messina)

-Oven (37°C – 60°C) (CoNISMa – Milano)

-Multicorer (University of Bologna?)

-Box-core (University of Bologna?)

-HPSS (CNRS DR 12) + thermostat/autoclave container

-Microcentrifuge (UESSEX)

- CTD?

According to the Captain of the R/V and with the CNR researcher of the preceding Urania Cruise, some instruments will be charged on board in Genova.

The positioning of all the instruments on board will be defined during the specific meeting for the Cruise organisation (date to be defined).

  1. Insurance and transporting of the instruments.

The instruments that will be used only in the ship laboratories will be insured by the SOPROMAR whereas those that will be put at sea for sampling need to be insured by another private insurance that will be checked in the next few days.

  1. Internal agreement between Proteus and the other members of the Consortium for exchanging the results and the research products (bacterial strains, genes, metabolites etc.).

The partners officially agreed to provide to Proteus all bacterial strains isolated during the experimental procedures from the BIODEEP samples. They also recognised officially Proteus as the unique responsible of the exploitation of BIODEEP results (see annex). The royalties, in case of patenting or industrial purchase of some products of interest, will be given from Proteus to all the other members of the Consortium in the percent of 20 (exploitation) and 35 (patenting) and will be equally divided among them.

Parallel session B: geology and geochemistry

Participants: Corselli, De Lange, Thomson, Varnavas

The aim of this session was to define the sampling strategies to be used during the Urania Cruise and the splitting among the partners of the different samples collected. In particular the following points were discussed:

  1. Focus on all the potential difficulties and problems related to sampling a so particular environment and the possibility to obtain data from previous observations on current situation at depth.

Due to the peculiarity of the DHABs, before the sampling phase a survey will be done using the new technology of MODUS developed in the first months of the Project. The use of such instrument will require the estimate of the expected current situation in the selected areas around the basins, to avoid any damaging: these can be obtained from previous hydrological casts deployment in the same areas.

Each sampling operation will be carried out taking care of producing the minimum disturbance, in particular in the area of sediment traps location.

  1. The possibility to adapt special instruments on SCIPACK in order to better define the sampling area in the bottom sediments around the brines.

The discussion of this point revealed the necessity of a strict interaction in the first months of the Project between the technological group and the scientific co-ordination to exchange all the new information on the needs and results.

  1. Discussion on the results to be obtained from the sediment traps analyses useful for microbiologists.
  2. The importance to collect brine samples during the Pelagia Cruise to provide the microbiologists the best way to treat this particular material.
  3. The strategy of samples distribution and storage for geochemical analyses from the Urania Cruise. During this Cruise geochemists won’t be on board, due to the capability of the ship. So the microbiologists will provide them the samples to be analysed to characterise the environment. Such samples must be stored in plastic and glass vials in order to avoid any contamination.

Plenary session

At the end of each separate session each point was reported in the plenary session.

The necessity of a rapid exchange among the partners of the already existing information and on the newly achieved ones was pointed out.

The possibility of performing a gravity core in one of the DHABs was proposed; a discussion followed on how to manage with the samples and on which kind of analyses to perform on them.

Some questions were enlightened on some technical aspects related to the operations at sea with different instruments (ensurance, CTD cable length and kind, filtration apparatus, number of N2 bottles allowed on-board and their location in the labs and in containers, number of tubes and control valves necessary, availability of plastic liners for sub-coring, and way of cleaning them…): these questions will be asked to the technical staff of R/V Urania and the answers will be sent to all the partners by e-mail, together with a map of the Urania labs.

Tuesday 23rd

Plenary session

Participants: Corselli, Giuliano, De Lange, Thomson, Tselepidis, Brusa, Daffonchio, Bianchi, Tamburini, McGenity, Sass, Bolhuis

In this last day of the meeting all the aspects related to the budget of each partner were discussed.

The CoNISMa administration system allows a very fast burocracy, so that the money coming from the EU Community will be soon available to all partners, that will be previously informed by e-mail.

The next meeting was planned to be probably in Messina, but the date is still to be defined, and will be communicated to all partners in advane and discussed; it has to be done before the middle of August (i.e. before the beginning of the first Cruise: 17th August - 5th September 2001).

A final list concerning all the information to be put in the Web-site of the project was defined:

  1. List of the participant groups with their acronyms, logo, brief description of the Institute and of the personnel involved, e-mail addresses of each of them.
  2. Description of the DHABs: location maps and characteristics, in particular with the existing data on the chemical composition of each basins’ brines (and related bibliographies).
  3. Short description of MODUS.
  4. Short description of the HPSS.

BIODEEP II MEETING

Report

Technische Universität Berlin Institut für Schiffs- und Meerestechnik - FG Meerestechnik

Sekr. SG 17 Salzufer 17-19 10587 Berlin. Germany

March 12th -13 th 2001

Participants

Daniele Calore - Tecnomare

Francesco Gasparoni - Tecnomare

Hans Gerber - TFH Berlin

Sven Hoog - TUB Berlin

Peter Longerich - TUB Berlin

Jürgen Müller

Monday, March 12th 2001

  • Arrival of TEC personnel
  • Tour through test facilities and labs
  • Explanation of thruster test and its results
  • General discussion – agenda and pending topics

Tuesday, March 13th 2001

Modus control

  • Preliminary agreement reached on the integration of MODUS navigation sensors into the instrumented vessel foreseen for BIODEEP project (S-Box);, for this purpose TEC provides a GEOSTAR-CPU card for tests including manual, cable and software tools
  • Navigation payload to be added to the BIODEEP payload in S-Box includes: Gyro 65x80x28 – LITEF – 3 units; Accelerometer 3, altimeter, pressure sensor, load cell,
  • Heading and pitch & roll sensors already foreseen in S-Box, as well as a power switch board and a status monitoring board (voltage, current, internal temperature, internal pressure, water intrusion.
  • KUM Box – diameter 150 mm, external length of the tube 650 mm or more
  • TEC - Eurocard 2 in parallel - total length est. 300 mm
  • Hole for sealing test and nitrogen, information from TEC might be used for all KUM boxes
  • If Jürgens evaluation of the proposed hard- and software is positive a joint activity will start

BIODEEP - General matters

  • Still Uunknown: Interfaces: data, power, mechanical of sensors
  • Still Uunknown: mass, geometry of sensors
  • T-Box, E-Box, N-Box, D-Box, now introducing S-Box (in SCISKID) and B-Box (in SCIPACK)
  • SCISKIDS-Box and B-box: shall make use of size KUM 150 mm internal diameter pressure boxes
  • Umbilical plus termination to be defined
  • starting date unknown
  • fax to Corselli – sent Tuesday 13.03.01

WP TFH/TUB