Werner, Reinhard and Wagner, Hans-Joachim, eds. and Shipboard Scientific Party (2014) RV SONNE Fahrtbericht / Cruise Report SO234/1 “SPACES” : Science or the Assessment of Complex Earth System Processes, 22.06. – 06.07.2014, Walvis Bay / Namibia - Durban / South Africa. . GEOMAR Report, N. Ser. 017 . GEOMAR Helmholtz Zentrum für Ozeanforschung, Kiel, Germany, 44 pp. DOI 10.3289/GEOMAR_REP_NS_17_2014.

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Abstract

SO-234/1 was a training and capacity building cruise for students from southern Africa and
Germany in the framework of the BMBF-funded SPACES program (Science for the Assessment of Complex Earth System Processes), a cooperative research project initiated by the relevant ministries in Namibia, South Africa, Angola and Germany. Scientifically, SO-234/1 continued geological studies regarding the temporal and geochemical evolution of the Walvis Ridge (Southeast Atlantic) conducted on the precursor SO-233 expedition, and was broadened by biological studies by University of Tübingen scientists, which aimed to get a better understanding of the adaptations of visual systems in mesopelagic animals to bioluminescence. The educational aspects on SO-234/1 comprised fully integration of the
students into all scientific work on board and various lectures and courses given by the senior
scientists during transit times.
The working area of SO-234/1 included several seamounts, such as the Ewing Seamount, and
a section of the southeastern margin of the Walvis Ridge. Due to the fair weather conditions
and the excellent support from the master and crew, SO-234/1 completed 18 sampling stations within only four working days. Rock sampling has been conducted using chain bag dredges. The seven SO-234/1 dredge hauls recovered in situ rocks from up to 3,500 m water depth, among them fairly fresh lava fragments and volcaniclastic rocks suitable for volcanological, geochemical, and geochronological analyses. Additionally, a TV-grab station has been conducted at Ewing Seamount but the grab failed to return hard rocks. The group of biologists conducted ten trawls at depths between 400 and 1,000 m using a rectangular midwater Tucker Trawl with an opening of 16 square meters. All trawls were successful and brought numerous animals from the junction of the meso- and bathypelagic habitats including, apart from fishes, several cephalopods, crustaceans, deep-sea jellyfish, ctenophors and many salp colonies.

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