Aerial picture of the mouth of the Volturno river (www.alimages.it)

On June 15-16 2013 the fourth I-AMICA_2013_01 oceanographic campaign of seasonal monitoring of the maritime/coastal ecosystem, conducted on the Oceanographic Ship (R/V) ASTREA of ISPRA at the mouth of the Volturno river, in the Gaeta Gulf (Central-Eastern Tyrrhenian Sea (Fig. 1).

This research activity is part of the OI4 Activity 4.4 which concerns the observation and monitoring of the biosphere/hydrosphere and of the functionality of the coastal ecosystems.
The research activity of integrated environmental monitoring of the mouth of the Volturno river, through the study of the sea bed and water, wants to clarify the seasonal interactions between this river, which covers a surface of around 6000 km, and a part of the coast of the Gaeta Gulf, which is heavily affected by human activity.

Fig. 1 – Oceanographic Ship Astrea of ISPRA..

Area di studio

Study area includes the continental platform included among the isobath –5m and –50m out of the mouth of the Volturno river (Gaeta Gulf; Pic. 2). 22 sampling stations have been implemented according to transepts which were positioned parallel and across the coastline (Fig. 2).

Figura 2 – Ubicazione dell’area di studio e delle stazioni di campionamento.

Objectives and Methodologies

The I-AMICA_2013_01 Oceanographic Campaign, like the previous marine data acquisition campaigns, had the following objectives

1. sampling of sediment through a box-corer;
2. sampling of water samples through several samples of 12 5-liters bottles (Niskin Bottles);
3. measurement of temperature (C°), salinità (PSU), pH, ossigeno disciolto (mg/l), clorofille (mg/l) and torbidità (trasmissometro) in colonna d’acqua with sonda multiparametrica (CTD).

Niskin Bottles for water samples Sampling of water samples

Box-corer for samples of seabed sediment

Sample of sediment taken with box-corer

Sample of sediment taken with box-core

pH, Eh and T° measurement in the sediment