Marine Scientific research ship, RRS Sir David Attenborough, is undertaking scientific trials off the Outer Hebrides.
Scientists on board are conducting a pre-
The 129 metre-
Surveys were carried out as the ship tracked northwards from the west side of Barra to Ness. She anchored off Stornoway, staying clear of the MS Silver Moon cruise liner, for a couple of hours this morning (Saturday) before transferring to anchorage in Broadbay.
Over the winter, the ship completed polar science trials – the first time its science capability has been put to the test in the cold and rough Southern Ocean. Over the summer, scientists will be on board conducting further trials before heading back to Antarctica later this year.
Erebus, the ship’s workboat, is also being put through its paces with new equipment and upgraded electronics for its acoustic sensors, being tested.
Scientists use the workboat to get closer into more confined places, such as shallow water in fjords, allowing researchers to reach and survey new areas.
Coring equipment which can collect seabed sediment samples up to 17 metres long is also being trialled. Sediment cores are critical in helping scientists understand more about the climate and ocean over the past thousands of years.
Plankton samples are also been collected.
Hydrotreated vegetable oil -
The vessel underwent maintenance works in Rosyth earlier this month.
RRS Sir David Attenborough is scheduled to return to the yard in the autumn for additional works before heading tot he Southern Ocean for winter.
Designed to support science in extreme environments, the RRS Sir David Attenborough is one of the most advanced polar vessels in the world.
The £200 million ship made its first voyage to Antarctica in November 2021, after visiting Greenwich, London ahead of the COP26 climate conference.
RRS Sir David Attenborough scientific expedition off Western Isles
29 July 2023
