Projects

GEOTRACES

The Ocean chemistry of bioactive trace elements and paleoclimate proxies

The cycling of key trace elements in the ocean is critical to the functioning of ocean ecosystems, to the carbon cycle, to contamination of the ocean, and to assessment of past climate change. This COST Action seeks to maximize the benefit from research on the marine chemistry of trace elements conducted in a large number of COST countries. National research cruises will use new analytical and modelling techniques to dramatically improve understanding of ocean trace-element cycles. This Action will unite these national efforts with Working Groups focused on: i) maximizing the research achieved on nationally-funded cruises through international collaboration; ii) intercalibration and standardisation of analytical measurements across the European research area; and, iii) data management and the production of global data products for a wide range of end-users. A fourth Working Group will co-ordinate significant training and outreach activities, though which the Action will generate an international community of young scientists who understand trace-element cycles sufficiently well to contribute to a wide range of future interdisciplinary studies. This Action will liaise closely with international programmes with similar interests, particularly the GEOTRACES programme, and will allow realisation of cross-national goals of that programme within the European research area.

Keywords: Ocean biogeochemistry, Climate paleoproxies, Marine data management, Trace element intercalibration

Principal investigator:

Damien Cardinal

Website

Dates:

2008 2012

Museum staff:

Damien Cardinal
Luc André
François Fripiat
Frédéric Planchon

External collaborators:

Belgium
Croatia
Cyprus
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Iceland
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom

Australia (University of Tasmania) is recognized as a formal partner in the Action by COST