Western North Atlantic Hydrography Expedition
US GO-SHIP A20 and A22 lines repeat hydrography: western North Atlantic
The 2-leg cruise (60 days-at-sea in total) will depart from Woods Hole in March 2021, following the A20 track of the previous CLIVAR 2012 occupation (nominally at ~52.5°W). Crossing the Gulf Stream, the Sargasso Sea, and towards the South American continental shelf close to French Guiana, the cruise will then head to the Virgin Islands for a brief stop, before proceeding with the A22 line (nominally ~66°W). From the Carribean Sea, the cruise will then head north, ending in Woods Hole in mid-May 2021. Approximately 200 full depth Rosette/CTD/LADCP/Fluorescence
Cover photo photo by Rachel Kahn
Chief scientists: Ryan Woosley and Viviane Menezes
Find out where the R/V Thomas G Thompson is on this interactive map from the University of Washington School of Oceanography. Click the pulsing dot for detailed information.
You can also follow this expedition on the US GO-SHIP blog, and on social media with #goship_a20_a22
North Atlantic Expedition Logs
A22 Weekly Update #4
A22 ends as we get home a little early!May 16, 2021 A22 Weekly Cruise update #4We could have done new stations with the time left — a plan B was indeed traced, zig-zagging the Deep Western Boundary Current at the end of the transect— but our final decision was to...
A22 Weekly Update #3
A22 Expedition in the home stretchMay 11, 2021 A22 Weekly Cruise update #3We have just finished our third week at sea. Four days ago, we crossed the eastern side of Bermuda, and now we are occupying the famous line-W, from Bermuda to Woods Hole. In these three weeks,...
May 10, 2021—Day 20
The last GO-BGC float of this expedition - Integrity (illustrated by Caitlyn Webster)May 10, 2021 Fourth and final GO-BGC float Integrity is launchedAt 2250 UTC (coordinated Universal Time) on May 9th, 2021, the twelfth float of the newly NSF funded GO-BGC Array...
May 6, 2021—Day 16
Three floats launched now, with one to goMay 6, 2021 AHEA is launched during calm conditionsAt 1015 UTC (coordinated Universal Time) on May 6rd, 2021, the eleventh float of the newly NSF funded GO-BGC Array program was launched over the side after CTD Station #58....
A22 Weekly Update #2
A22 Expedition leg hits the halfway pointMay 3, 2021 A22 Weekly Cruise update #2We are completing our second week at sea and are halfway through A22. Right now, we are on station 50! Time has passed in the blink of an eye, but it also feels like living forever on the...
May 3, 2021—Day 13
Dogie Diver got wet today but not before being illustrated by Caitlyn WebsterMay 3, 2021 Dogie Diver gets wet in the North AtlanticAt 1305 UTC (coordinated Universal Time) on May 3rd, 2021, the tenth float of the newly NSF funded GO-BGC Array program was launched over...
April 26 2021—Day 6
First two GO-BGC floats of A22 ready for launch! Comets decorated by Caitlyn Webster and Jesse Anderson; Dogie Diver decorated by Caitlyn WebsterApril 26, 2021 A22 starts heading northAt 0316 UTC (coordinated Universal Time) on April 25th, 2021, the ninth float of the...
A22 Weekly Update #1
A22 Expedition leg is underwayApril 26, 2021 A22 Weekly Cruise update #1Although this is our first week at sea, for many of us (12 scientists and 8 crew members), A22 started well before. On the weekend of April 3-4, we traveled to beautiful and sunny St. Thomas, U.S....
April 22, 2021—Day 2
April 22, 2021 As the A20 was underway in the North Atlantic, simultaneously, there was a bunch of people from all over the country scrambling to get to the end point of the 1st leg, which was St. Thomas island. The second leg (A22) of this expedition left dock on...
April 8, 2021—Day 24
The artwork by Elena Perez is amazing! The Flysch was launched todayApril 8, 2021 The Flysch is launched and we hope it will never find its namesake!At 1425 UTC (coordinated Universal Time) on April 8th, 2021, the eighth float of the newly NSF funded GO-BGC Array...
A20 Weekly Update #3
Efficiency at sea - practice makes perfectApril 7, 2021 A20 Weekly Cruise update #3This last week has been one of pleasant routine. We’ve become a well-oiled machine of preppingthe CTD rosette, deploying, recovering and sampling the rosette, and steaming to the...
April 6, 2021—Day 22
The artwork by Elena Perez is amazing! Weddell was launched todayApril 6, 2021 Weddell enters the North Atlantic watersAt 1400 UTC (coordinated Universal Time) on April 6th, 2021, the seventh float of the newly NSF funded GO-BGC Array program was launched over the...