Posts tagged as “ForscherInnen in Aktion”
Mein Name ist Lea, ich bin Master-Studentin an der Universität Oldenburg und bin das erste Mal auf einem Forschungsschiff unterwegs. Ich versuche euch heute das Forschen und Leben auf der R/V Falkor durch einige meiner ersten Eindrücke zu vermitteln.
![An Bord des Forschungsschiffes SONNE: Abfüllen von Wasserproben an der CTD. Auf dem Bild: Jutta Niggemann. Foto: Beatriz Noriega Ortega (beide Forschungsgruppe für Marine Geochemie, ICBM)](http://icbm-auf-see.uni-oldenburg.de/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Jutta-an-CTD.jpg)
The focal point of our research on board are bacteria in seawater and sediment. These bacteria are so small that they can only be seen under a microscope. But we are also interested in something that can’t even be seen with a microscope: dissolved compounds that are found in amazing variety in seawater. We want to understand where these compounds come from and how they are used by bacteria.
![Helge-Ansgar Giebel bedient das Durchflußzytometer, ein Gerät zur Bestimmung der Bakterienzellzahlen.](http://icbm-auf-see.uni-oldenburg.de/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Helge-misst-Bakterielle-Zellzahlen_P5281322.jpg)
The smallest forms of life in the ocean, bacteria, are the central focus of our research on board. Bacteria are single celled life forms; they are so small that we cannot see them without a microscope. Nevertheless, we want to know how many bacteria there are in the ocean; how are they counted?
![Die niegelnagelneue CTD des ICBM wird ins Wasser gelassen. Mit tatkräftiger Unterstützung der Deck-Crew des Forschungsschiffs SONNE.](http://icbm-auf-see.uni-oldenburg.de/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/CTD-ins-Wasser.jpg)
The brand-new CTD from ICBM – Germany’s largest CTD - is being used for the first time during this research cruise with the Sonne. In addition to valuable data, the CTD brings 24 large bottles of seawater from different depths on deck. Not ‘just’ water, but up to 480 liters with every cast.
![](http://icbm-auf-see.uni-oldenburg.de/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Working-in-fume-hood-BM.jpg)
We have been on board Sonne already for 15 days; it feels like we have been here since forever. We know where everything is and we are so used to our working space. But it was not always like this...
![Kulturgefäße mit sauerstofffreiem Medium. Bislang unbekannte Bakterien, die ohne Sauerstoff leben können, sollen sich unter sauerstofffreien Bedingungen vermehren, damit wir sie später genau untersuchen können.](http://icbm-auf-see.uni-oldenburg.de/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Kulturflaschen-Lars-klein.jpg)
The microorganisms in the ocean enjoy the sun and warmth of the equator, just as we scientists do when we are not working. Here in the equatorial upwelling zone, microorganisms grow well because of the extra nutrients that are brought to the ocean’s surface by upwelling (upwards movement) of water from the deep ocean. As a consequence, in certain depths of the water column, oxygen is consumed faster than it is supplied via circulation