1. Cutting edge Science and Research from a Glider Base in the North Atlantic by Toby Sherwin, Mark Inall, Estelle Dumont and Dima Aleynik Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS) GROOM Trieste 2013

2. SAMS Local test sites Loch Linnhe (200m) Ardmucknish Bay (30m) Loch Etive (140m) 10 km North Atlantic launch point

3. ONGOING WORK The Ellett Line (Gliders providing better monitoring and novel science) GROOM Trieste 2013

4. The Rockall Trough and Ellett Line ENAW – Eastern North Atlantic Water WTOW – Wyville Thomson Ridge Overflow Water LSW – Labrador Sea Water AABW – Antarctic Bottom Water ? ?

5. 60 years of θ and S in the Rockall Trough from: Sherwin, Read, Holliday and Johnson (2012) ICES Journal of Marine Science ; doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsr185 OWS surface readings RRS full depth readings (HADSST surface temps) Glider readings + winter top 4 m ● winter top 800 m GROOM Trieste 2013

6. Glider observations Mission 1: winter 2009/2010 Rockall Trough Mission 2: summer 2011 Scotland to Iceland Next Mission: autumn 2013 Mission 1 Mission 2

7. Glider surface and full depth θ and S winter 2009/10 GROOM Trieste 2013 Top 12 m saltier and slightly warmer than top 800 m Top 12 m fresher and much warmer than top 800m Stratified Mixed

8. GROOM Trieste 2013 Ellett Line (Rockall Trough) Summary Particular monitoring results from a glider: First winter upper 1000 m θ and S since 2006 Overturning took place from mid-November to mid-January Salinity gradient reversed at the start of the overturning (Mesoscale motions follow next...) Long term implications: Better long term analysis and understanding of annual (and seasonal) variability Opportunities for international collaboration (see later...)

9. EXCITING STUFF from the Ellett Line GROOM Trieste 2013

10. Observations of θ, S, σ t and velocity binned into 0.25° longitude cells Nov / Dec 2009

11. Glider drift (to 1000 m) and equivalent altimeter geostrophic currents GROOM Trieste 2013

12. Rockall Shelf Paper being prepared in collaboration with Dima Alyenik (SAMS) GROOM Trieste 2013 AVISO surface height anomaly Nov / Dec 2009 Slope current reversal?

13. GROOM Trieste 2013

14. Interim Research Results Rockall Trough has slow moving meso-scale eddies Typical eddy currents in upper 1000 m up to 25 cm/s Reversals of the northward flow in the eastern Trough These currents are driven by eddies deep waters of the Trough (LSW and AABW) *Glider data show that deep water eddies can be tracked using synthesised altimeter data* Further work: Are WTOW eddies (from north) also in the mix? How well do altimeter and glider drift currents compare? Complete paper

15. OTHER NAGB ACTIVITIES GROOM Trieste 2013

16. Nature, 9 May, 2013 SAMS Glider section OSNAP (US / Canada / Holland / Germany / UK): $44m NAB G OSNAP

17. GROOM Trieste 2013 UK FASTNEt shelf edge study: a)Malin Shelf edge exchange b)Faroe-Shetland Channel (with MSS, Aberdeen) c)NACLIM partner collaboration with Ellett Line a) b) c)

18. Planned development of The North Atlantic Glider Base at SAMS in association with NERC’s Marine Autonomous and Robotic Systems facility (MARS), headed by NOC (Southampton and Liverpool) A dedicated test facility for visitors: A covered glider building with Iridium / GPS repeaters, ballasting tank, WiFi etc + access to sheltered deep water In house operational and research activities: Operating 5 – 6 gliders 1.5 PIs, 2 postdocs + 1-2 PhDs 1.5 technicians and 6 trained pilots Fully structured web interface (SAMS’ web interface to be extended and incorporated by MARS) Data feeds on to BODC, GTS etc Publication of research papers GROOM Trieste 2013 Shortly Coming to SAMS

19. GROOM Trieste 2013 Conclusions The Ellett Line glider programme is starting to show real scientific benefit A much better understanding of mesoscale activity in the Rockall Trough is emerging SAMS is extending its glider activity into other collaborative programmes