Scheduled Cruises in 2004

Summary of a cruise on margins research (D.044)

Location and cruise identifier :    Java subduction zone, Indian Ocean - MERAMEX (SO176)

Research ship :   Sonne

Sails :    18th May, 2004 from ;    Cilacap, Java, INDONESIA

Docks :    1st June, 2004 to ;    Hongkong, CHINA

Duration :   

Principal Scientist/Investigator :   E. R. Flueh

Laboratory :   IfM-GEOMAR

Other investigators :   H. Kopp

E-mail contact for further information :   

Scientific objectives :    Cruise SO 176 "MERAMEX I" started on May 18, 2004, in Cilacap, Indonesia. All together 12 scientists embarked on RV SONNE in Cilacap, comprising the international group of scientists from Austria, Indonesia and Germany. All scientific equipment had been loaded when SONNE left Germany in early April, and was installed in the laboratories upon arrival of the scientists.

     The main purpose of this less than three day long cruise was to install an array of ocean bottom seismic stations to monitor the seismicity of the Java subduction zone. In addition, during transit, high resolution bathymetric data were to be collected. The seismological array consists of 14 stations, supplementing 120 stations installed temporarily on land. Both the onshore and the offshore arrays shall be recovered in September/October 2004 after about 4 months of operation. The marine stations were deployed between 1000 and 3500 m of water, with a spacing between 20 and 40 nm.

     Multibeam bathymetry was collected permanently with a swath width of 65°, except during the fist night, when high swell reduced the quality of the outer beams.

     SONNE met the pilot at Cilacap on 21. May, where scientists left the vessel. SONNE departed for her transit to Hongkong, where she arrived on May 30.