17.11.2014 Open end
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Research Onboard the SONNE

Research with the SONNE includes all oceanography and geoscience research disciplines; its main deployment locations are the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is available for research approximately 340 days a year and once a year suggestions for scientific expeditions can be submitted to the German Research Vessels Portal; these are then examined and if necessary, included in expedition planning.

Research vessel SONNE is one of the most advanced research vessels in the world. In 2014, German marine science embarked on a new era with the new research vessel SONNE. With a length of 116 meters and a beam of 21 meters, the SONNE is significantly larger than its predecessor and also raises the bar when it comes to technology: Thanks to innovative engineering and equipment and improved methods, the researchers working on SONNE can gain insights into previously uncharted ocean depths.

Some of the vessel's equipment includes state-of-the-art echo sounders and scientific winches with cables with a length of up to twelve kilometers, which make it possible to take measurements in oceanic trenches. In addition, researchers can use multiple underwater vehicles simultaneously to capture images of the ocean floor by stages and bring back invaluable samples, which scientists can then analyze on board in one of the vessel's 17 laboratories.

For further information concerning the cruise schedule of RV SONNE, please click here.

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