Cruise Complete (MR17-03C)

The Mirai

The Mirai is the second largest dedicated research vessel in Japan and was the home of two Mitarai Unit members for over two weeks as they studied the plankton ecology of the Okinawa Trough.

The Science

The Mitarai unit joined JAMSTEC to collect information prevelant to the distribution of Plankton in the Okinawa Trough relative to hydrothermal vents. We filtered dozens of water samples and collected in-situ images of plankton from a number of dives to look at the planktonic community composition and how it is intricately liked to the regional oceanography.