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There are several research infrastructures or other data services running in Europe that cover a multitude of marine-related sciences, providing specific datasets coming from observations collected with different methods. These infrastructures constitute a diverse world, each looking at a piece of the big picture, sometimes hindering collaboration and data sharing. Blue-Cloud aims to overcome fragmentation and build a bridge between thematic science clusters - such as marine, climate, food and agriculture sciences - and EOSC, creating a data federation and providing a common access to a so-called thematic EOSC for marine data. By connecting leading marine data management infrastructures with horizontal e-infrastructures, the project aims to maximise the exploitation of data resources available from different sources. The Blue-Cloud framework consists of two major technical components: (1) a Blue-Cloud Data Discovery and Access service, already presented in a previous EOSC in practice story, to serve federated discovery and access to blue data infrastructures, and (2) a Blue-Cloud Virtual Research Environment (VRE) to provide computing platforms and analytical services facilitating the collaboration between researchers, which is detailed hereafter. The Blue-Cloud VRE is powered by the D4Science Infrastructure. [M. Assante et al. (2019) Enacting open science by D4Science. Future Gener. Comput. Syst. 101: 555-563 10.1016/j.future.2019.05.063 ] The full list of EOSC in practice stories is available here

Momarsat 2022 cruise report: summary of dives and operations, and position of moorings and observation infrastructures and sampling locations

This bundled publication contains data sets on 1) Polyp size and sex: biometric data of polyps from Dendrophyllia ramea, as well as the sex of each analysed polyp; 2) Oocyte per mesentery: number of oocytes per analysed mesentery; 3) Oocytes per polyp: these data have been used to calculate fecundity; 4) Oocyte developmental stages: oocyte sizes and developmental stage are included; 5. Spermatic cysts: spermatic cysts sizes and developmental stage are included. A total of three polyps per each coral colony have been analysed by histological methods and a total of three coral colonies have been analysed for each sampling month: February 2018, May 2017, July 2018 and October 2017. Samples have been collected in the protected area of Punta La Mona (Granada, Alborán Sea, western Mediterranean) between 30 and 37 meters depth by scuba diving.

Results from six firn cores obtained during a 426 km long northern Greenland traverse in 2015 between the NEEM and the EGRIP deep drilling stations situated on the Western and Eastern side of the Greenland ice sheet, respectively. The cores (9 to 14 m long) are analysed for chemical impurities by means of Continuous Flow Analysis (CFA); Insoluble dust, ammonium, calcium, acid, conductivity and peroxide. The data was dated by means of annual layer counting of mainly peroxide supplemented by calcium seasonal cycles and spans 18 to 53 years (±3 yrs) depending on local snow accumulation that decreases from west to east. Insoluble dust, ammonium, and calcium concentrations in the 6 firn cores overlap, and also the seasonal cycles are similar in timing and magnitude across sites, while peroxide (H2O2) and conductivity both have spatial variations. H2O2 is driven by the accumulation pattern and conductivity is likely influenced by sea salt. Data is published as part of Kjær et al. 2022, Climate of the past, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-2021-99

We present an age model for the 651 m deep Skytrain Ice Rise ice core (79°44.5'S, 78°32.7'W). The top 2000 years have previously been dated using age markers interpolated through annual layer counting. Below this, we align the Skytrain core to the AICC2012 age model using tie points in the ice and air phase, and apply the Paleochrono program to obtain the best fit to the tie points and glaciological constraints. In the gas phase, ties are made using methane and, in critical sections, δ18Oair; in the ice phase ties are through 10Be across the Laschamps Event, and through ice chemistry related to long-range dust transport and deposition. This strategy provides a good outcome to about 108 ka (~605 m). Beyond that there are signs of flow disturbance, with a section of ice probably repeated. Nonetheless values of CH4 and δ18Oair confirm that part of the last interglacial (LIG), from about 117-126 ka (617-628 m), is present and in chronological order. Below this there are clear signs of stratigraphic disturbance, with rapid oscillation of values in both the ice and gas phase at the base of the LIG section. Based on methane values, the warmest part of the LIG and the coldest part of the penultimate glacial are missing from our record. Ice below 631 m appears to be of age >150 ka.

The tropical Angolan upwelling system is a highly productive ecosystem with a distinct seasonal cycle in surface temperature and primary production. The lowest sea surface temperature, strongest cross-shore temperature gradient, and maximum productivity occur in austral winter when seasonally prevailing upwelling favorable winds are weakest. A multi cruise dataset of microstructure profiles collected between 2013 and 2022 in the tropical Angolan upwelling system was used to analyze the importance of mixing for cooling of the mixed layer. The data were collected during six cruises on board of the R/V Meteor. The results show that cooling due to turbulent heat fluxes at the base of the mixed layer is an important cooling term. This turbulent cooling, that is strongest in shallow shelf regions, is capable of explaining the observed negative cross-shore temperature gradient.

This study aimed at isolating microorganisms associated with the mesopelagic jellyfish Periphylla periphylla collected in Irminger Sea at a depth of 325 m in July 2020. Three different solid cultivation media; Hastings, Marine agar and Wickerham media were used for the isolation of the associated microorganisms. A total of 43 bacteria were isolated from the inner and outer surfaces of the umbrella of P. periphylla, but unfortunately, no fungal strain was isolated. Isolates were further identified by Sanger sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, and based on phylogenetic distinctiveness (differences in closest relative species according to the nucleotide BLAST), 16 bacteria belonging to 8 different genera were selected and subjected to an OSMAC cultivation regime approach using liquid and solid marine broth and glucose– yeast–malt media. After 7 days of cultivation, cultures were extracted with ethyl acetate and assessed for antimicrobial activity against fish and human pathogens. Based on antimicrobial activity assessment, four most bioactive strains; Polaribacter sp. SU124, Shewanella sp. SU126, Psychrobacter sp. SU143 and Psychrobacter sp. SU137, were prioritized for a comparative and untargeted metabolomics analysis using feature-based molecular networking. These findings highlight the biotechnological potential of P. periphylla-associated microbiota.

Here, we present internal reflection horizons (IRHs) picked in radargrams in the Dome Fuji region, Antarctica based on 22 radar profiles collected with the airborne radio-echo sounding (RES) system of the AWI mounted on its Basler BT-67 aircraft during the 2016/17 Antarctic season. 6 or 7 IRHs are traced in each radargram. The IRHs are then conneced to the Dome Fuji ice core and used to transfer the age-depth scale from the ice core to the large Dome Fuji region. The age-depth information of the IRHs are then input to a 1D ice flow model to recostruct the age field in the lower part of ice, and to evaluate basal thermal state.

Despite the current high level of safety and the efforts to make passenger ships resilient to most fire and flooding scenarios, there are still gaps and challenges in the marine emergency response and ship evacuation processes. Those challenges arise from the fact that both processes are complex, multi-variable problems that rely on parameters involving not only people and technology but also procedural and managerial issues. SafePASS Project, funded under EU’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, is set to radically redefine the evacuation processes by introducing new equipment, expanding the capabilities of legacy systems on-board, proposing new Life-Saving Appliances and ship layouts, and challenging the current international regulations, hence reducing the uncertainty, and increasing the efficiency in all the stages of ship evacuation and abandonment process.

Microplastics are substrates for microbial activity and can influence biomass production. This has potentially important implications at the sea-surface microlayer, the marine boundary layer that controls gas exchange with the atmosphere and where biologically produced organic compounds can accumulate. In the present study, we used large scale mesocosms (filled with 3 m3 of seawater) to simulate future ocean scenarios. We explored microbial organic matter dynamics in the sea-surface microlayer in the presence and absence of microplastic contamination of the underlying water. Our study shows that microplastics increased both biomass production and enrichment of particulate carbohydrates and proteins in the sea-surface microlayer. Importantly, this resulted in a 3% reduction in the concentration of dissolved CO2 in the underlying water. This reduction suggests direct and indirect impacts of microplastic pollution on the marine uptake of CO2, by modifying the biogenic composition of the sea’s boundary layer with the atmosphere.