- Departments
- Department of Biogeochemistry
- Biogeochemistry Group
- People
- Tim Ferdelman
- Research
- Former Projects
- The Sub-seafloor Ocean
- Meteor Expedition M76/1 Benguela Sub-seafloor Biosphere
Meteor Expedition M76/1 Benguela Sub-seafloor Biosphere
The MARUM-based M76/1 Meteor Expedition to the continental margin of Namibia had two principal goals. The main goal was to examine microbial mediated processes in sub-seafloor sediments using a powerful combination of microbiological, molecular and geochemical methods. The second goal was to test and deploy the newly developed seafloor drilling rig MeBo, and recover deep (up to 30 meter below surface) core samples for deep biosphere research. From April 12 to May 13, 2008 scientists from six institutes sampled and analyzed cores and pore waters from 15 sites ranging from organic rich, anoxic, sulfur rich shelf sediments to open ocean sediments in 5000 meter water depth in the Cape Basin. In addition to myself, Mike Formolo and Gail Lee Arnold particiapted in the expedition. I took over chief scientist duties halfway through the cruise from Matthias Zabel.
