In March 2026, the HOPE-12 oceanographic mission was carried out jointly as part of the HOPE and HOPE-VV projects in the South Pacific. This ambitious campaign had three main objectives:
- Reading physical moorings (ADCP and VV-LINE) The second year of data has been successfully recovered. All the data is now being processed, thanks to the involvement of Anne Petrenko and Kevin Robache, a HOPE-VV postdoctoral fellow.
- Relief, refit and redeployment of the Export Line This fixed 700 m biogeochemical line, equipped with 28 sensors and 8 particle traps, is used for biogeochemical, isotopic, omics and optical (gel traps) analyses of marine snow and associated environmental conditions. Two full years of data have been collected, with high-frequency sampling of marine snow (every two days), a treasure trove of data. This line operates in tandem with the HOPE intelligent buoy, ensuring continuity of observations in the euphotic layer.
- Deployment of a new biogeochemical line (IODA-line) In collaboration with Dominique Lefèvre (Biogeochemistry team) and Carl Gojak (DT-INSU), this line equipped with an IODA (In situ Oxygen Dynamic Auto-sampler) now operates alongside the flow cytometer on board the buoy, in collaboration with Lotty Thyssen (Biogeochemistry team). The aim is to combine the study of metabolic flows and planktonic biodiversity at high frequency.
A demanding mission, made possible thanks to the expertise and commitment of engineers from the DT-INSU, the IMAGO unit, the MIO's ERC HOPE team based in Nouméa, and the crew of the Antea vessel (FOF). See the family photo!
The adventure continues for another year. A big thank you to all of you for this great collective dynamic!
