CRUISE SUMMARY
This cruise was organised in the Arabian Sea under the JGOFS - INDIA programme. The objective was to determine and understand processes controlling time varying fluxes of carbon and associated biogenic elements in the Arabian Sea and to predict the biochemical processes to climatic changes.

ORV Sagar Kanya sailed off from Mormugao Harbour on 12.4.94 with 30 participants on board for observations and data collection. However, the ship returned to Mormugao harbour for collection of fresh water and resumed the cruise on 1.5.94. A total of 31 stations were occupied where CTD / Hydrocast were made. XBT probes were launched at 30 locations. Meteorological observations were made at every three hour intervals. Analysis of nutrient and other parameters such as Oxygen, alkalinity, pH, CO₂, DOC, etc., were made from 18 stations. Besides N₂O, humic materials were measured from 7 major stations ( JGOF ). At these stations, Chl, CHN and ¹⁵N production along with phytoplankton measurements were carried out. Out of these, ¹⁴C in situ incubations were made only at 5 stations. Zooplankton samples were collected from all the JGOFS stations. Sampling for microbial enumeration were made from 18 stations. Microbial production was measured from JGOF stations only. Samples were collected and preserved for enumeration of thraustrochytrids. From all stations, phytoplankton samples were made for direct detection of fungal parasite and taxonomy. Drifting sediment trap arrays were deployed at CTD station 1 for a duration of three days. At two other stations, sample cone traps were deployed. In the first case the depths of deployment were 100 - 300m. The drift of the ship was also measured during the three days.

Sampling for Radionuclides were made from JGOF stations upto a depth of 500m. Trace gases such as N₂O, CH₄ and CO₂ were sampled and analysed on board using GC system. This work was carried out by PRL scientists. NCL group concentrated on the O₂ production, respiration and the ETS activity from selected stations.

At the end of the cruise, the ship returned to Mormugao harbour on 12.5.1994.

PARTICIPANTS

Scientific Component
P.M.A Bhattathiri          Chief Scientist  NIO, Goa
N. Ramaih                  NIO, Goa
Lata Raghukumar            NIO, Goa
Mohan Raju                 NIO, Goa
Surekha G. Sawant          NIO, Goa
Manguesh G. Gauns          NIO, Goa
A. Rajendran               NIO, Goa
M. Dileep Kumar            NIO, Goa
S.N. De Souza              NIO, Goa
Sugandha Sardessai         NIO, Goa
Ch. Kesava Rao             NIO, Goa
V.V.S.S. Sarma             NIO, Goa
Freeda Dias                NIO, Goa
M.K. Antony                NIO, Goa
S. Prasanna Kumar          NIO, Goa
M.T. Babu                  NIO, Goa
A. Almeida                 NIO, Goa
V. Ramaswamy               NIO, Goa
Fernando Vijayan           NIO, Goa
B. Vijay Kumar             NIO, Goa
K.K.C. Nair                NIO, Regional Center Cochin
T.C. Gopalkrishnan         NIO, Regional Center Cochin
Aditi Pant                 NCL, Pune
Narayan Desai              NCL, Pune
M.M. Sarin                 PRL, Ahmedabad
Shyamlal                   PRL, Ahmedabad
R. Rangarajan              PRL, Ahmedabad
P.K. Patra                 PRL, Ahmedabad
T.K. Sunil                 PRL, Ahmedabad
Ganesh Chandawale          Shipbiard Trainee