Ines Voigt

I had the chance to stay for two months in South America in March/April 2012, where I spend one month at the School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities (EACH) at the University of Sao Paulo/Brazil and another month at the Servicio de Hidrografia de Naval in Buenos Aires/Argentina. Both institutes cover a range of interesting research themes including (paleo)-oceanography and sediment dynamics. Since my Ph.D. project focuses on past changes of the surface- and intermediate water circulation in the Southwest Atlantic, I was glad to get in contact with so many researchers from different fields and to exchange knowledge and data with them.

The main reason for visiting the University of Sao Paulo was to work together with Dr. Cristiano Chiessi who will be a co-author of my paper that is focusing on shifts of the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence Zone, (BMCZ); a prominent feature in the upper-surface circulation of the Southwest Atlantic. Together with Dr. Jeroen Groeneveld (MARUM) we were discussing about the δ18O stable isotopes and Mg/Ca datasets of my sediment cores in the Mar del Plata Canyon. They supervision was excellent and I really enjoyed discussing my data with them. Due to the expertise of Dr. Cristiano Chiessi and his background information about some other data sets, he gave me a whole lot of new thinking approaches.

During my stay in Buenos Aires I worked closely together with Dr. Roberto Violante and Dr. Alberto Piola, who is leading the oceanographic department at the Servicio de Hidrografia de Naval. Therefore, I had access to oceanographic datasets which helped to gain additional information about regional and temporal changes of surface circulation pattern in the research area. Further, we were discussing about possible IRD layers at our site at around 38°S. In that context I had the chance to meet and discuss with different Patagonian and Antarctic researchers e.g. Prof. Jorge Rabassa (National University of the Patagonia San Juan Bosco), Dr. Andrea Concheyro (University of Buenos Aires), Dr. Rodolfo del Valle and Dr. Juan Manuel Lirio (National Direction of the Antarctic). Besides, it was extraordinary stimulating to meet Dr. Demetrio Boltovskoy (University of Buenos Aires), the specialist for the distribution and ecology of marine micro-zooplankton in the Southwest Atlantic.

I really enjoyed my stay abroad in South America. To discuss with different experts and to get new input from them was very motivating. Therefore, I thank GLOMAR for this valuable experience from which I and my research work highly benefited.

Further, I would like to thank my colleges in South America for theirs scientific support, but also for the several field trips and social activities during my stay.