Our preliminary results from the MoorSPICE cruise in the Solomon and Bismarck Seas show that there is indeed active N2 fixation in the mesopelagic layer. Here in Pia's lab we are exploring which diazotrophs were there. Meanwhile, our colleagues from ICBM in Germany (Thorsten Dittmar group) are working on the DOM composition of our samples.
Stations sampled during the MoorSPICE cruise in March 2014.
Soon we'll be able to combine all the pieces from this puzzle :)
For now, besides the N2 fixation activity, very fruitful conversations with our physical oceanographer colleagues (Sophie Cravatte and Janet Sprintall) have lead us to find a very impressive thing: low oxygen waters from the Eastern Tropical South Pacific DO REACH THE SOLOMON SEA!!
These low oxygen waters are commonly stopped by the Solomon Islands:
Low oxygen waters on density level sigma = 26 kg/m3
And sometimes, these waters can "leak" via Indespensible Strait (Solomon Islands), allowing us to detect them within the core of the Solomon Sea:
Concentrations of oxygen at different density levels in the water column. Note the low oxygen zone at density 25-26 kg/m3. This water comes from more than 13000 Km away!! Isn't that amazing?
Stay tuned :)
