FRAM - FRontiers in Arctic marine Monitoring
Array of moorings and permanent sampling sites across the Fram Strait. Installed to capture the exchange of Atlantic and Arctic waters, and to study the temporal development of an Arctic marine ecosystem. Enables year-round multidisciplinary long-term observations, partially with near real-time data access.

Infrastructure Location
Study Area
Location | Fram Strait | ||
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Distance from Land | 150 km | ||
Max Depth | 5500 m | ||
Oceanographic features of area | Two main currents control the water mass exchange through Fram Strait. Arctic surface waters flow southward in the East Greenland Current along Fram Straits western border. Along the eastern margin Atlantic Waters flow northward in the West Spitsbergen Current. These major currents are seperated by a transition zone of denser upper-layer waters. Results of recent modelling studies emphasise the importance of the Fram Strait for heat inflow to and freshwater export from the Arctic Ocean. Related to the seabottom topography recirculation patterns exist which introduce cooled Atlantic Water to the East Greenland Current, preparing it for deep water formation in the Greenland Sea. Moreover water mass exchange and variation in the Fram Strait influences the formation of Norwegian Sea Overflow Water, contributing to the global ocean ventilation. | ||
Relevant publications isi journals | Bauerfeind, E. , Nöthig, E.-M., Pauls, B., Kraft A. and Beszczynska-Möller A. (2014) Variability in pteropod sedimentation and corresponding aragonite flux at the Arctic deep-sea long-term observatory HAUSGARTEN in the eastern Fram Strait from 2000 to 2009, Journal of Marine Systems (in press) Lalande, C. , Bauerfeind, E. , Nöthig, E. M. and Beszczynska-Möller, A. (2013) Impact of a warm anomaly on export fluxes of biogenic matter in the eastern Fram Strait, Progress In Oceanography, 109 , pp. 70-77. Meyer, K. , Bergmann, M. and Soltwedel, T. (2013) Interannual variation in the epibenthic megafauna at the shallowest station of the HAUSGARTEN observatory (79°N, 6°E), Biogeosciences, 10 , pp. 3479-3492. Beszczynska-Möller, A., Fahrbach, E., Schauer, U. and Hansen, E. (2012) Variability in Atlantic water temperature and transport at the entrance to the Arctic Ocean, 1997–2010. ICES Journal of Marine Science, doi: 10.1093/icesjms/fss056. Bergmann, M. , Soltwedel, T. and Klages, M. (2011) The interannual variability of megafaunal assemblages in the Arctic deep sea: preliminary results from the HAUSGARTEN observatory (79°N), Deep Sea Research I, 58 , pp. 711-723. Kraft, A. , Bauerfeind, E. and Nöthig, E. M. (2011) Amphipod abundance in sediment trap samples at the long-term observatory HAUSGARTEN (Fram Strait, ~79°N/4°E). Variability in species community patterns, Marine Biodiversity, 41 , pp. 353-364. Rabe, B. , Dodd, P. , Hansen, E. , Falck, E. , Schauer, U. , Mackensen, A. , Beszczynska-Möller, A. , Kattner, G. , Rohling, E. and Cox, K. (2013) Liquid export of Arctic freshwater components through the Fram Strait 1998 – 2011, Ocean Science, 9 , pp. 91-109. Bauerfeind, E. , Nöthig, E. M. , Beszczynska, A. , Fahl, K. , Kaleschke, L. , Kreker, K. , Klages, M. , Soltwedel, T. , Lorenzen, C. and Wegner, J. (2009) Variations in vertical particle flux in the Eastern Fram Strait (79°N/4°E) during 2000-2005. Results from the Deep-Sea Long-Term observatory HAUSGARTEN, Deep- Sea Research I, 56 , pp. 1471-1487. Hoste, E. , Vanhove, S. , Schewe, I. , Soltwedel, T. and Vanreusel, A. (2007) Spatial and temporal variations in deep-sea meiofauna assemblages in the Marginal Ice Zone of the Arctic Ocean, Deep-Sea Research I, 54 (1), pp. 109-129. Soltwedel, T. , Bauerfeind, E. , Bergmann, M. , Budaeva, N. , Hoste, E. , Jaeckisch, N. , Juterzenka, K. v. , Matthießen, J. , Mokievsky, V. , Nöthig, E. M. , Quéric, N. , Sablotny, B. , Sauter, E. , Schewe, I. , Urban-Malinga, B. , Wegner, J. , Wlodarska-Kowalczuk, M. and Klages, M. (2005) HAUSGARTEN: multidisciplinary investigations at a deep-sea, long-term observatory in the Arctic Ocean, Oceanography, 18 (3), pp. 46-61. |
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Relevant publications proceedings published in the context of conference | Soltwedel, T. , Schauer, U. , Boebel, O. , Nöthig, E. M. , Bracher, A. , Metfies, K. , Schewe, I. , Klages, M. and Boetius, A. (2013) FRAM - FRontiers in Arctic marine Monitoring: Permanent Observations in a Gateway to the Arctic Ocean, OCEANS - Bergen, 2013 MTS/IEEE, doi:10.1109/OCEANS-Bergen.2013.6608008. |
Scientific Researchers
Name | |
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Catherine Lalande | <Please login to view> |
Melanie Bergmann | <Please login to view> |
Christiane Hasemann | <Please login to view> |
Eduard Bauerfeind | <Please login to view> |
Ingo Schewe | <Please login to view> |
Thomas Soltwedel | <Please login to view> |
Technicians
Name | |
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Burkhard Sablotny | <Please login to view> |
Normen Lochthofen | <Please login to view> |
Sascha Lehmenhecker | <Please login to view> |
Thorben Wulff | <Please login to view> |
Ulrich Hoge | <Please login to view> |
Tim Küber | <Please login to view> |
Status / Maintenance
System Status | Operational | Planned Frequency | 12 month(s) |
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Platform Required | Deep Sea Research Vessel, Icebreaker | People Involved | 20 |
Duration of Operations | 14 day(s) | Cleaning | Yes |
Replacments | Yes | Download Data | Yes |
Data Information
Final data output format | ASCII | Data Quality Check | Yes |
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Type of quality check on real-time/near-real time data | Manual | Real Time – Data availability target | |
Type of Quality check on delayed mode data | Manual | Delayed Mode – Data availability target | months |
Own data management | Yes | Type of use of data | Research |
Data Management Link | www.pangaea.de/search?q=project:AWI_PhyOce+OR+project:Hausgarten&maxlat=80&minlon=-15&maxlon=12&minlat=78 | ||
GEOSS URN | |||
GEOSS Link |
TNA
Surface and Midwater
Hosting: Oceanographic and sediment-trap moorings can host additional autonomous systems. Annual ship operations are used for sensor installation, maintenance and data download (real-time communication projected).
Measurements and sampling: CTD, water sampling, plankton hauls, detection of zooplankton by optical systems like LOKI (Lightframe On-sight key-species Investigation).
Data: pH, CO2, Chl-a, salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, fluorescence. Derived data (see WP10 (SA) for related services): nutrient budgets, currents, plankton productivity, POC export, plankton diversity, ground truthing for remote sensing.
Seafloor
Hosting: Additional sensor packages and experiments can be mounted on moored lander systems.
Measurements, sampling and observation: Microprofiler and SCOC measurements; Sediment sampling with multiple and box corer; ROV-based sampling upon request; seafloor imaging (camera systems).
Data: Salinity, temperature, currents, oxygen, particle flux, CO2; derived data products (see WP10 (SA) for related services): benthic biomass and diversity, respiration, nutrient fluxes, seafloor images.
Modality of Access
remote (if specific sensors or equipment can be deployed without large effort);
partially remote (in case of integration of a remotely operating instrument of a user into the infrastructure, for an instrument that will need to be deployed, exchanged or retrieved in person from the site);
in person (in case of ship-based measurements, sampling or observations associated with the observatory site)
Avaliable for TNA | Yes | ||
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Prefered time period for TNA | summer months | ||
TNA Support offered | Besides logistical, technological and scientific support for all installations including annual access via POLARSTERN, gliders, floats and AUV are available and might be accessible upon request. All vehicles and moorings can host a variety of sensors and communication systems, e.g. hydrophone, radiometer, PAR-sensor, modem, and small autonomous instruments/experiments. Adaptations of additional payload in close cooperation with TNA provider possible upon request. | ||
Services Available | Data and sensor inter-comparison and validation (oceanographical sensors), including various derived data products for ecosystem assessment and remote sensing groundtruthing. | ||
Potential Additional Uses | |||
Data Ports | - | ||
Availability of External Power | no | ||
Instrument installation methodology | Intruments can be installed on moorings and benthic landers. |
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Data History | Most of the data since 1997 are freely available under the open access regulations of the PANGAEA data-base. |
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Instrument installation methodology | Yearly maintenance of deployed sensors and instruments during the arctic summer season. | ||
Observatory maintenance estimated or planned schedules | |||
Data policy and access | PANGAEA is a member of the ICSU World Data System. The policy of data management and archiving follows the ICSU World Data System Data Policy and the OECD Principles and Guidelines for Access to Research Data from Public Funding. Authors submitting data to the Pangaea data library for archiving aggree that all data are provided under a creative commons license. Most of the data are freely available and can be used under the terms of the license mentioned on the data set description. A few password protected data sets are under moratorium from ongoing projects. The description of each data set is always visible and includes the principle investigator (PI) who may be asked for access. |
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Additional comments | |||
Modality of access | In-Person Partially Remote Remote |
Hardware Services
Type | Model | Use | Problems | Solution adopted |
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Ocean Floor Observation System | ISITEC OFOS | Towed camera system for sea floor imagery. | Deep water requiring large ship for recovery. HD Video transmission. |
Fibre optic cable |
Deep-Sea benthic landers | GEOMAR type | Base for deep sea long and short term experiments. Mounting of various sensors, cameras, traps, etc. |
Needs to withstand deep-sea conditions. Deep water requiring large ship for recovery. |
High pressure housing |
Sediment-Trap Moorings | Full ocean depth with subsurface buoy. Sediment traps in 500, 1000 and 2300 m waterdepths. | Biological Oceanography, flux measurements. | Needs to withstand deep-sea conditions. Deep water requiring large ship for recovery. |
High pressure housing |
Oceanographic Moorings | Full ocean depth with subsurface buoy | Physical Oceanaography | Needs to withstand deep-sea conditions. Deep water requiring large ship for recovery. |
High pressure housing |
Software Services
Sensor type/model | Software for the pre-processing | Software for the post post-processing | Software for the production of graphical output |
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SBE37-SMP | Seasoft© V2 Hyperterminal |
Matlab | Matlab 4D-client Ocean Data View |
Kiel-type sediment trap | Hyperterminal | Excel | Excel 4D-client Ocean Data View |
Sediment Oxygen Profiler | Hyperterminal | Excel | Excel 4D-client |
RCM11 | Aanderaa data Reading Program 5059 Hyperterminal |
Matlab | Matlab 4D-client Ocean Data View |
Sensors
Deployed | 01/07/2013 | Planned | 30/05/2014 |
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Instrument/Sensor Type | Kiel-type sediment trap | Parameter(s) | |
Platform | Other : Benthic Lander | Manufacturer | KUM |
Instrument/Sensor documentation (URL) | |||
Sensor Type / Model | K/MT236 | Power Supply | |
Approximate Depth / Height | 2500 | Sampling interval | |
Calibration Samples Available | Yes | Frequency of Calibration Samples | |
Intercalibration Available | Yes | Intercalibration Platform | |
Intercalibration Frequency | |||
Problems | |||
Solution Adopted | |||
Datasheet URL | |||
Comments |
Deployed | 01/07/2013 | Planned | |
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Instrument/Sensor Type | sediment oxygen profiler | Parameter(s) | DOXY |
Platform | Other : Benthic Lander | Manufacturer | MPI |
Instrument/Sensor documentation (URL) | |||
Sensor Type / Model | Power Supply | ||
Approximate Depth / Height | 2500 | Sampling interval | |
Calibration Samples Available | Yes | Frequency of Calibration Samples | yearly |
Intercalibration Available | Yes | Intercalibration Platform | |
Intercalibration Frequency | |||
Problems | |||
Solution Adopted | |||
Datasheet URL | |||
Comments |
Deployed | 01/07/2013 | Planned | 30/05/2014 |
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Instrument/Sensor Type | RCM11 + 5 optodes | Parameter(s) | COND, Currents, DOXY, TEMP |
Platform | Other : Benthic Lander | Manufacturer | AAnderaa |
Instrument/Sensor documentation (URL) | |||
Sensor Type / Model | Power Supply | ||
Approximate Depth / Height | 2500 | Sampling interval | 3600 second(s) |
Calibration Samples Available | Yes | Frequency of Calibration Samples | yearly |
Intercalibration Available | Yes | Intercalibration Platform | |
Intercalibration Frequency | |||
Problems | |||
Solution Adopted | |||
Datasheet URL | |||
Comments |
Deployed | 01/07/2013 | Planned | 30/05/2014 |
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Instrument/Sensor Type | Kiel-type sediment trap | Parameter(s) | Particle Flux |
Platform | Mooring | Manufacturer | KUM |
Instrument/Sensor documentation (URL) | |||
Sensor Type / Model | K/MT234 | Power Supply | |
Approximate Depth / Height | 200, 1200, 2300 | Sampling interval | |
Calibration Samples Available | Yes | Frequency of Calibration Samples | |
Intercalibration Available | Yes | Intercalibration Platform | |
Intercalibration Frequency | |||
Problems | |||
Solution Adopted | |||
Datasheet URL | |||
Comments |
Deployed | 01/07/2013 | Planned | 30/05/2014 |
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Instrument/Sensor Type | SeaGuard Optode | Parameter(s) | DOXY |
Platform | Mooring | Manufacturer | AAnderaa |
Instrument/Sensor documentation (URL) | |||
Sensor Type / Model | Power Supply | ||
Approximate Depth / Height | 1200 | Sampling interval | 3600 second(s) |
Calibration Samples Available | Yes | Frequency of Calibration Samples | yearly |
Intercalibration Available | Yes | Intercalibration Platform | |
Intercalibration Frequency | |||
Problems | |||
Solution Adopted | |||
Datasheet URL | |||
Comments |
Deployed | 01/07/2013 | Planned | 30/05/2014 |
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Instrument/Sensor Type | SBE37-SMP | Parameter(s) | COND, PRES, TEMP |
Platform | Mooring | Manufacturer | Sea-Bird Electronics |
Instrument/Sensor documentation (URL) | |||
Sensor Type / Model | Power Supply | ||
Approximate Depth / Height | 50, 2500 | Sampling interval | 3600 second(s) |
Calibration Samples Available | Yes | Frequency of Calibration Samples | yearly |
Intercalibration Available | Yes | Intercalibration Platform | |
Intercalibration Frequency | |||
Problems | |||
Solution Adopted | |||
Datasheet URL | |||
Comments |
Deployed | 01/07/2013 | Planned | 30/05/2014 |
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Instrument/Sensor Type | Doppler current meter RCM11 | Parameter(s) | COND, Currents, DOXY, PRES, TEMP, TURB |
Platform | Mooring | Manufacturer | AAnderaa |
Instrument/Sensor documentation (URL) | |||
Sensor Type / Model | Power Supply | ||
Approximate Depth / Height | 50, 250, 1500, 2300 | Sampling interval | 3600 second(s) |
Calibration Samples Available | Yes | Frequency of Calibration Samples | yearly |
Intercalibration Available | Yes | Intercalibration Platform | |
Intercalibration Frequency | |||
Problems | |||
Solution Adopted | |||
Datasheet URL | |||
Comments |