Fluorimeters are Key Tools in Iron Fertilisation Experiment

Both Chelsea Technologies Group (UK) FASTtracka Mark I and FASTtracka II fluorimeters are being deployed as part of the world’s largest iron enrichment experiment ‘LOHAFEX’ (LOHA being Hindi for Iron, FEX, Fertilisation Experiment) currently taking place in the Southern Ocean by an international team of scientists on board the RV Polarstern. The FASTtracka Mark I is a proven tool in assessing photosynthetic efficiency and growth of

phytoplankton in previous Iron Enrichment programmes such as ‘SOIREE’, also conducted in the Southern Ocean in 1999, and the earlier ‘IronEx’ programme in the Equatorial Pacific.

A team of scientists from the National Institute of Oceanography of Goa, India are on board operating two FASTtracka II units, one of which is being profiled and the other towed using a Scanfish Towed Undulating Vehicle, making use of the unique ability of the FASTtracka II to obtain high quality data from towed platforms.