Oceanographic instruments

MUMM operates a range of oceanologic instruments and sampling equipment on board the Belgica, which is used by various scientific teams.

The samples collected by the Belgica during its assignments can be divided into four groups: samples of air, sea water, the sediment and living organisms. However, the way in which samples are collected largely depends on the scientific research programme. Extremely sophisticated and expensive equipment is absolutely essential for most sampling and analysis activities. The instruments and sampling devices used on board the Belgica are usually also used on board ships that are operated by other countries bordering the North Sea. This means that the results obtained can be compared.

The following are among the instruments frequently used:

– Niskin and Go-Flo bottles
– STD system
– Van Veen grab
– Multicorer
– Benthic carriage and beam trawl net
– Multibeam acoustic sounding system
– Acoustic Doppler current meter
– Tripod

A large number of data are also collected constantly and largely automatically. This includes the various scientific acoustic sounding systems used to take bathymetric recordings from the sea floor, the meteorological measuring instruments and the systems that measure physical and chemical parameters, such as the salinity and temperature of sea water, including while the ship is under way. These various datasets usually undergo primary processing immediately and are stored in the on-board relational database and made directly available to the scientific teams working in the laboratories on board. .

 Laboratories

 Measurement campaigns

 ODAS / Where is the Belgica?