Third KAUST Red Sea Expedition Underway
Saturday, October 8 2011
Thuwal, Saudi Arabia: Last month, about sixty marine scientists embarked on an 81-day research voyage from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) to further explore the Red Sea.
The third KAUST Red Sea Expedition (KRSE) set sail from the University on Thursday, September 15 for the first of five legs that will end on December 15. This project is a cutting-edge, multi-disciplinary research initiative aimed at advancing marine science and education in Saudi Arabia.
Previous expeditions took place in spring 2010 and fall 2008, both yielding a plethora of scientific data that will be further explored during the present expedition.
The expedition involves faculty and researchers from KAUST and some of the world's premier marine science institutions, including, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) , Massachusetts, USA; American University of Cairo (AUC), Egypt; Hellenic Center for Marine Research (HCMR), Greece; and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), China. The expedition also involves participants from Saudi Government agencies and universities.
“Because of its wide scope and the state-of-the-art technology involved in this expedition, it will be remembered as a milestone in marine research in the Red Sea,” explained Professor Xabier Irigoien, who is KAUST’s newly appointed Director of the Red Sea Research Center.
"The scale of KRSE 2011 is just tremendous, given the peculiarities of the research objectives involved and the challenges associated with achieving the sampling requirements to meet these," explains Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Suwailem, CMOR Core Lab Manager, "Our studies have become more diversified in scope, all geared towards advancing the marine science agenda of the University."
Advanced on-site interdisciplinary research
While at sea, aboard the 62-m long research vessel R/V Aegaeo of HCMR, researchers in the expedition will perform various measurements and sampling for many studies, including large-scale oceanography, brine pool and deep–sea microbiology, colds seeps and associated biota, as well as deep and mid-water fauna.
The latest, cutting-edge marine science technology will be crucial to the success of the expedition's sampling strategy. Some of the equipment being used will include autonomous self-recording oceanographic instruments (gliders), automated imaging and counting of small organisms in the water column (ISIIS device), and underwater observing systems (submersible and remotely operated vehicles).
"The multidisciplinary scope of KRSE 2011 demands for high workloads at sea," says Dr. Al-Suwailem. "It would be impossible to accommodate all sampling requirements simultaneously in a single vessel outing because of the diverse nature and objectives of the studies. This explains why we have five legs, with each leg catering only to studies with similar or interrelated sampling needs."
From the sea to the lab
KAUST scientists and researchers involved in KRSE 2011 are mostly from the Red Sea Research Center. "The variety of sampling activities to be performed at sea provides a snapshot of how much work is involved in the expedition," noted Al-Suwailem. "In the backdrop of this all, there are also many teams in the University that are absolutely crucial to the project."
"For example, the Water Desalination and Reuse Center will be involved in the analysis of seawater samples from Leg One to characterize the ambient water qualities that are most relevant to desalination technology, while an expert from the Physical Sciences and Engineering Division will be investigating the aerosol measurements during all legs of the expedition," said Al-Suwailem.
Additionally, the Analytical Core Lab and the Advanced Nanotechnology, Imaging and Characterization Core Lab will play crucial roles in the analyses of samples collected during the expedition.
"Just the thought of being involved in a collective effort to ensure the success of the KRSE 2011 is very inspiring," adds Al-Suwailem. "But of course the ultimate goal is to reach significant scientific milestones as a result of the expeditions."
About KRSE 2011
KRSE 2011 is a major project of KAUST to advance its marine research, education, as well as to enable collaborations with local and international institutions. Organizing of this expedition is a collective effort with contributions from KAUST Global Collaborative Research, faculty, research staff and collaborators, in and out of the Kingdom. Planning and preparations for the expedition were handled by the CMOR Core Lab.
Expedition breakdown
Leg One (September 15 - October 13): At 28 days long, this leg takes up nearly one third of the expedition. Researchers will take part in a large-scale hydrographic sampling study of the Saudi Red Sea area. Covering this requires sampling at over 100 stations. This study will be carried out by WHOI in collaboration with the University.
Leg Two (October 16 - November 3): This leg will focus on an ichthyyoplankton survey and further microbiological studies by KAUST and AUC. These state-of-the-art studies will look closely at hot brine pools and analyze the differences between brine pool and non-brine deep sites. KAUST and AUC will also investigate the Red Sea microbiome as part of the sampling scope during this leg.
Leg Three (November 6 – 18): This leg specifically aims to shed light on the mesopelagic (mid-water) fishes in the Red Sea and to conduct direct observations of the brine pools through the deployment of acoustic and camera mooring assembly, all works by KAUST.
Leg Four (November 21 - 28): During this leg the team will give further investigation to one of the KRSE 2010 discoveries. During last year's expedition KAUST, in partnership with HCMR, discovered a cold brine seep system not far from the Thuwal coast – this unusual deep-sea habitat teems with microbes and various animals in and around a shallow brine pool. This leg also will also see researchers characterize the features of this deep-sea habitat through the collaboration of KAUST, HCMR, and HKUST.
Leg Five (November 30 - December 16): KAUST, with the involvement of HCMR researchers, will look for the possible occurrence of deepwater corals beyond the reach of sunlight and will collect samples of the deep fauna for detailed examination.