SFB460 is a project from Institut für Meerseskunde at the University of Kiel (Germany).

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Contacts :  Juergen Fischer, F. Schott 

Within the framework of a special research program (SFB460) at IFM-Kiel, Germany, profiling floats were lauched in the western subpolar North Atlantic since early 1997 (subprogram A4, "Variability of Water Mass and Circulation in the Western Subpolar North Atlantic"). 

The general objectives of this subprogram are the quantification of deep water pathways, transports and their variability in relation to the variability of water mass formation and distribution in the subpolar western North Atlantic.

A variety of observational methods, among which is the deployment and analysis of profiling floats (PALACE, APEX), are used to achieve this goal. Floats are generally seeded into the deep western boundary currents (Deep Labrador Current, Fischer and Schott, JPO accepted, 2001) drifting at 1500 dbar within the core of the Labrador Sea Water.

A new set of seven floats has been launched recently (May/June 2001) at three loacations, off the tail of the Grand Banks, north of Flemish Cap and at the exit of the Labrador Sea. These floats drift at 1500 dbar, profile from 2000 dbar up to the surface at a ten day schedule. 

Program information can be found at 
http://www.ifm.uni-kiel.de/ro/sfb460/a4/sfb-a4.html