Tara Oceans News

Species of Ceratium. It belongs to the group of dinoflagellates, a very important microalgal group responsible for a significant share of the ocean`s productivity. Screenshot of Tara image.

The port of Valparaíso. Chile's second port of call of the Tara Oceans Expedition (2009-2012). Next stop will be Easter Island, in the middle of the Southern Pacific Ocean.

Bridge deck of Tara, complete with teddy bear mascot.

The CTD Rosette. The CTD is an electronic instrument used in oceanography to collect water samples and record salinity (by measuring conductivity), temperature, and depth (by measuring pressure). The instrument is lowered on a hydrowire from the ship. Each cylinder (Niskin bottles) has lids at both ends. They are sent down open, and triggered to close electronically at the depth that water needs to be collected. This way, water can be sampled at many different depths throughout the water column.

A copepod, an small crustacean. Copepods are a dominant component of the zooplankton in the oceans and an important food source for fish, whales and birds. Screenshot of Tara image.