The AR7E-2026 project aims to generate new knowledge about the links between ocean circulation, climate, carbon cycling and marine ecosystems.
An international research team has taken the Marine Institute’s RV Celtic Explorer on a mission to track chemical and biological changes in the ocean.
The RV Celtic Explorer will be used by the team in the AR7E-2026 project, which will carry out hydrographic (meaning measurements and interpretations of the physical properties of the sea) and biological observations in the sea used for scientific analysis, known as a transect, from Ireland to Cape Farewell on the southern coast of Greenland.
This project aims to build on hydrographic transects that have provided measurements of weather quality across the Atlantic Ocean for decades.
Extending these long-term observations, the AR7E-2026 project aims to generate new insights into the connections between ocean circulation, climate, carbon cycling and the marine environment.
“The AR7E-2026 expedition demonstrates the importance of international cooperation and continuous ocean monitoring in addressing global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss and marine health,” said Michael Gillooly, director of oceans, climate and information services at the Marine Institute.
“We are delighted to see the RV Celtic Explorer supporting this world-class research effort, generating valuable scientific evidence that will deepen our understanding of the North Atlantic and sustainable ocean management nationally and globally.”
AR7E-2026 is led by Dr Yvonne Firing from the National Oceanography Centre, and includes a team of scientists from institutions based in the UK, Norway, Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland and Greece.
The project is the first survey of Marine Institute research vessels to receive funding through the Aquarius project, a four-year Horizon Europe-funded program led by the Marine Institute that aims to provide access to research infrastructure to support projects focused on marine and freshwater sustainability.
The Marine Institute noted that the expedition is “timely” as it provides scientific information from areas beyond national jurisdiction, meaning large ocean regions outside the economic zone of any country.
“As the international community begins to implement the landmark UN High Seas Convention on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, high-level observations in these waters will play a very important role in understanding, conserving and sustainably managing marine biodiversity,” said the organization. “This study provides the scientific evidence needed to support international cooperation in protecting the world’s oceans.”
The journey begins after the world’s oceans recorded their hottest June on record, with average sea temperatures reaching below 21°C in the world’s warmest and coldest oceans.
In other climate news, yesterday (23 July) EU environment ministers met in Dublin for an “informal” session to discuss climate and environmental challenges affecting the bloc.
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