RSS Discovery Cruise 296, 14-23 Jul 2005. Cork, Eire to Lisbon, Portugal. PAP observatory development

Discovery cruise 296 was one of a sequence of cruises to the repeat study site on the Porcupine Abyssal Plain, the so called “PAP observatory” at 49°N, 16.5°W. This study site has a water depth of 4800m and has been studied since 1989 from the perspective of the upper water column biogeochemistry, the downward flux of particulate matter and the ecology andbiogeochemistry of the underlying seabed. The site is 300km to the northeast of the location of the JGOFS NABE site that was the focus of an international experiment in 1989. Since 2003 it has formed part of the ANIMATE network of observatories in the Northeast Atlantic. This cruise followed immediately from D295T during which similar work was carried out. This report therefore covers the activity which was common to both cruises as well as that which was only carried out on D296 (Benthic studies).