About
The Porcupine Abyssal Plain Sustained Observatory (PAP-SO) monitors long-term change in the environment of the Northeast Atlantic out to the west of the UK. It records everything from atmosphere and weather, surface ocean physics, chemistry, and biology, conditions in the deep-ocean interior, to the day-to-day lives of the animals that live on the seafloor 3 miles below the ocean surface. The observatory is coordinated by the UK’s National Oceanography Centre, as part of CLASS funded by the Natural Environment Research Council. The PAP-SO forms a key part of the UK’s commitment to a larger international network ocean observatories that aim to monitor change in the global ocean.
We have been studying this site for over 30 years. This year we will be using NERC’s research vessel, the Royal Research Ship James Cook, to carry out our annual service of the observatory. You can follow our progress, and find out about the science and technology involved by reading our blog.
Check out the most recent post by clicking here.
We will be posting a #PAPoftheday during the cruise on Twitter and Instagram.
Where is the PAP-SO?
What is the PAP-SO?
Porcupine Abyssal Plain Observatory 