CTD (Conductivity Temperature Depth) Instrument

Members of the AMT Cruise on deck with CTD

The annual AMT voyage undertakes biological, chemical and physical oceanographic research in the Atlantic Ocean

The transect crosses several ecosystems from sub-polar to tropical, euphotic shelf seas to oligotrophic mid-ocean gyres

AMT samples over a 100° latitude, including the rarely visited South Atlantic Gyre

Consistent observations are made on the biogeochemical properties of plankton ecosystems

Data sets include: CTD Profiles and water sample measurements of nutrients, pigments, dissolved gases and particulate carbon and nitrogen

Over 223 scientists from 18 countries have generated more than 220 refereed publications and contributed to over 70 PhD Theses

AMT cruise data will help provide warning of any fundamental change in Atlantic ecosystem function, resulting in improved forecasts of the ocean's future state and related socio-economic impacts.

The Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) is a multidisciplinary programme which undertakes biological, chemical and physical oceanographic research during an annual voyage between the UK and destinations in the South Atlantic. The programme was established in 1995 and since then has included 22 research cruises involving 223 scientists from 18 countries. AMT has proved to be a long-term multidisciplinary ocean observation programme, which is a platform for national and international scientific collaboration, a training arena for the next generation of oceanographers and an ideal facility for validation of novel technology.

“AMT has value as far more than a national facility. It is unrivalled in the world, and that's why so many international scientists participate in its cruises.”
(Prof Prentice, U. Macquarie, Sydney & Imperial College).

“AMT is a very valuable national and international facility and its value increases as the length of its time series grows. It has the power, over time, to give clues of long term changes in the ocean that are likely to result from climate change.”
(Prof Moore, Dalhousie, Canada).

“The AMT programme has been crucial for the training of many European young researchers at the postgraduate and postdoctoral level.”
(Dr Marañon, U. Vigo, Spain)

“AMT provides access to a breadth and continuity of atmospheric and marine environments for sampling that is almost without equal.”
(Prof. Jickells, UEA)

Click here to download the report from the latest AMT cruise (no 22). It includes a captain's diary, scientific reports and event log (pdf)