The ATOLL laboratory, here in front of the Kiel powerplant together with netcages with salmonids

The Antarctic Technology Offshore Lagoon Laboratory (ATOLL) was a floating oceanographic laboratory for in situ observation experiments and for field testing new instruments and equipment for polar expeditions. The ATOLL hull was the largest fiberglass structure ever built at that time. It was in operation from 1982 to 1995. Statistics State: Schleswig-Holstein District: Independent city Area: 113. ... Genera (see text) Salmonidae is a family of ray-finned fish, the only family of order Salmoniformes. ... Oceanography (from Ocean + Greek γράφειν = write), also called oceanology and marine science is the study of the earths oceans and their interlinked ecosystems and chemical and physical processes. ... Fiberglass or fibreglass is material made from extremely fine fibers of glass. ... 1982 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Structure and infrastructure

Small lecture room onboard with international students in a course on aquaculture technology

The ATOLL was composed of three curved fiberglass elements, each 25 m long and having a draught of only 38 cm. For towing, the elements could be assembled in a long S-shape; in operation, the elements would form a horseshoe shape surrounding 150 m² water surface. The lab provided ample space for three researchers: it had some 75 m³ of laboratory space and about three times as much for storage and supply facilities, icluding an air-conditioned computer room. Aquaculture is the cultivation of aquatic organisms, such as fish, shellfish, algae and other aquatic plants. ...

The laboratory was installed and operated in the Baltic Sea (and the Bay of Kiel in particular) at the initiative and under the direction of Uwe Kils, at the Institute of Oceanography (Institut für Meereskunde) of the University of Kiel. It was funded by the German Ministry of Science and the bioscience prize of the Volkswagen Foundation; the fiberglass hulls themselves were a donation of Waki Zöllner's "Atoll" company^{[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Technology_Offshore_Lagoon_Laboratory#endnote_Zoellner)}. The Baltic Sea is located in Northern Europe, bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Eastern Europe and Central Europe, and the Danish islands. ... Bay of Kiel (German: Kieler Bucht; Polish: Zatoka Kilońska) is a basin in the south-western Baltic Sea, off the shores of German land Schleswig-Holstein and the islands of Denmark. ... Uwe Kils Professor Dr. Habil. ... The University of Kiel, in full the Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, is a university in the city of Kiel, Germany. ...

The onboard computer was a NeXT and the first versions of the "Virtual microscope" (http://www.ecoscope.com/krill) of Antarctic krill for interactive dives into their morphology and behavior were developed here, finding later mention in Science magazine. The lab was connected to the internet via a radio link, and the first images of ocean critters on the internet came from this NeXT. The first ever in situ videos of atlantic herring feeding on copepods were recorded from this lab (see "Videos" below). The NeXT logo, designed by Paul Rand. ... Binomial name Euphausia superba Dana, 1850 The Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba 1) is a species of krill found in the Antarctic waters of the Southern Ocean. ... Atlantic herring Clupea harengus is the most abundant fish species of the world, living in large schools (swarm). ... Orders Calanoida Cyclopoida Gelyelloida Harpacticoida Misophrioida Monstrilloida Mormonilloida Platycopioida Poecilostomatoida Siphonostomatoida Copepods are small, aquatic animals living in the sea and nearly every freshwater habitat, a form of plankton, specifically zooplankton, some copepods are parasitic. ...

Underwater observation room with two square windows, controller for the ROV with visitors from Norway for testing of "Sprint" ROV.

An underwater observation and experimentation room allowed direct observation and manipulation through portholes. Remotely operated vehicles (ROV) are mobile tools used in environments too dangerous for humans. ...

The technical equipment included an ultra- high resolution scanning Sonar ^{[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Technology_Offshore_Lagoon_Laboratory#endnote_kils91)}for locating schools of juvenile herring, for guiding a ROV, and for determining positions, distances, and speeds. Probes measured the water salinity, temperature, and oxygen levels. Special instruments could measure plankton-, particle-, and bubble-concentrations and their size distributions^{[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Technology_Offshore_Lagoon_Laboratory#endnote_Kils81)}. Imaging equipment included low-light still and high speed video cameras using shuttered Laser-sheet or infrared LED illumination^{[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Technology_Offshore_Lagoon_Laboratory#endnote_Strickler92)}. An endoscope-system for non-invasive optical measurements called ecoSCOPE, which could also be mounted on a ROV, was developed and used to record the microscale dynamics and behavior of the highly evasive herring. The F70 type frigates (here, La Motte-Picquet) are fitted with VDS (Variable Depth Sonar) type DUBV43 or DUBV43C tugged sonars Sonar (sound navigation and ranging) is a technique that uses sound propagation under water to navigate or to detect other watercraft. ... Remotely operated vehicles (ROV) are mobile tools used in environments too dangerous for humans. ... A laser (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) is a device which uses a quantum mechanical effect, stimulated emission, to generate a coherent beam of light from a lasing medium of controlled purity, size, and shape. ... Image of a small dog taken in mid-infrared (thermal) light (false color) Infrared (IR) radiation is electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength longer than visible light, but shorter than microwave radiation. ... Various light-emitting diodes (5 mm reds, 3 mm greens and yellows) A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits incoherent monochromatic light when electrically biased in the forward direction. ... This article needs cleanup. ...

Research

ROV in the lagoon for testing before Antarctic missions. The ROV later made this (http://www.ecoscope.com/icecave2.htm) footage under the ice of Antarctica

Scientific investigations aboard the ATOLL concentrated on one of the most important food chain transitions: the linkages between the early life stages of herring (Clupea harengus) and their principal prey, the copepods. A major hypotheses of fisheries ecologists is that the microdistribution of prey, the microturbulence of the ocean, or the retention conditions are normally not suited to allow strong year classes of fish to develop. In most years more than 99% of herring larvae do not survive. Occasionally however, physical and biotic conditions are favorable, larval survival is high, and large year-classes result. Research work at the ATOLL investigated the effects of small-scale dynamics on fish feeding and predator avoidance and their correlation to year-class strength. Remotely operated vehicles (ROV) are mobile tools used in environments too dangerous for humans. ... Atlantic herring Clupea harengus is the most abundant fish species of the world, living in large schools (swarm). ... Orders Calanoida Cyclopoida Gelyelloida Harpacticoida Misophrioida Monstrilloida Mormonilloida Platycopioida Poecilostomatoida Siphonostomatoida Copepods are small, aquatic animals living in the sea and nearly every freshwater habitat, a form of plankton, specifically zooplankton, some copepods are parasitic. ...

View out of one of the underwater windows into a netcage with milling rainbow trout

Questions worked on by students during courses and their thesis: What are the effects of the natural light gradient on predator-prey interactions? How can the predator best see the prey without being seen?^{[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Technology_Offshore_Lagoon_Laboratory#endnote_Thetmeyer)} How does the focussing of small waves oscillating light regime influence camouflage and attack strategy? What are the influences of the different frequencies of microturbulences? How do such effects change at the moment when herring larvae join into schools? What role does the phenomenon of aggregation play? Does ocean physics create or alter organism-aggregations? Can the dynamics of aggregations effect ocean physics at the microscales?^{[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Technology_Offshore_Lagoon_Laboratory#endnote_kils93)} Are there effects of the surface waves? What are the distribution and dynamics of microbubbles caused by turbulences and gas-oversaturations? How can the organisms orientate in respect to micro-gradients of the ocean physics? How do they survive in the direct vicinity of undulating anoxia and hypoxia^{[7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Technology_Offshore_Lagoon_Laboratory#endnote_fischer)}? Why are eelpouts, sticklebacks and herrings so extremely successful in the Baltic while cod is not?^{[8] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Technology_Offshore_Lagoon_Laboratory#endnote_kils92)} What are the effects and functions of schooling for feeding and microscale-orientation? What is the behavior of fish in netcages and how much food is lost from the cages^{[9] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Technology_Offshore_Lagoon_Laboratory#endnote_kils91)}. Binomial name Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum, 1792 The rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), also called steelhead trout, is a single species of trout native to the Pacific Ocean and in North American rivers and lakes west of the Rocky Mountains. ... Decline of oxygen saturation to anoxia, measured during the night in Kiel Fjord, Germany. ... Hypoxia has several meanings: Hypoxia is the lack of oxygen in tissues, see Hypoxia (medical) Hypoxia is the lack of oxygen in a water body leading to the death of organisms, see Hypoxia (water) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share... The eelpouts are a family (Zoarcidae) of perciform ray-finned fish. ... Genera Apeltes Culaea Gasterosteus Pungitius Spinachia The Gasterosteidae are a family of fishes including the Sticklebacks. ... Lake Huron herring A herring is a type of small oily fish found in the temperate, shallow waters of the North Atlantic. ... Baltic can refer to: The Baltic Sea Council of the Baltic Sea States - an intergovernmental organization Baltic sea countries - countries with access to the Baltic Sea The term Baltic countries is sometimes used more or less synonymously for Northern Europe (Russia not included) The Baltic region (Balticum) Baltic States - the... Species Gadus morhua Gadus macrocephalus Gadus ogac This article is about codfish; for other meanings, see COD. Cod is the common name for the genus Gadus of fish, belonging to the family Gadidae, and is also used in the common name of a variety of other fishes. ...

All this can best be investigated in situ. The ATOLL mainly served as a test bed for the development and field testing of equipment and developing ROVs^{[10] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Technology_Offshore_Lagoon_Laboratory#endnote_kils95)} that were to be used later in Antarctic expeditions, e.g. for in situ imaging of transparent organisms of krill size under the ice. World map showing location of Antarctica A satellite composite image of Antarctica For the Kim Stanley Robinson novel see Antarctica (novel) Antarctica (from Greek ἀνταρκτικός, opposite the arctic) is a continent surrounding the Earths South Pole. ... Binomial name Euphausia superba Dana, 1850 The Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba 1) is a species of krill found in the Antarctic waters of the Southern Ocean. ...

Videos

• Slow motion macrophotography video (50% timelag, looping, each image shifted to compensate the rolling microturbulences from the waves) of feeding juvenile herring (38 mm) on copepods - the fish approach from below and catch each copepod individually. In the middle of the image a copepod escapes successfully to the left. Scanned with the ecoSCOPE.
• Video of a school of adult herring on their migration to the spawning grounds. The footage was taken with a high penetration camera developed as part of a military technology conversion project called ELECTROOPTIC. The fish can not see the camera, so they do not get scared away.

slow motion video (50%) of feeding juvenile herring on copepods produced with ecoSCOPE - image Uwe Kils File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Orders Calanoida Cyclopoida Gelyelloida Harpacticoida Misophrioida Monstrilloida Mormonilloida Platycopioida Poecilostomatoida Siphonostomatoida Copepods are small, aquatic animals living in the sea and nearly every freshwater habitat, a form of plankton, specifically zooplankton, some copepods are parasitic. ... This article needs cleanup. ... herring school - (Video by Uwe Kils, free in sense of Wikipedia:Copyrights) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

References

• Kils, U.: The ATOLL Laboratory and other Instruments Developed at Kiel (http://www.usglobec.org/news/news8/news8.atoll.html); U.S. GLOBEC NEWS Technology Forum Number 8: 6-9; 1995. Also available as a PDF file (http://www.usglobec.org/news/news.pdf.files/news8.pdf).

1. ^  Waki Zöllner's floating artificial islands (http://www.arminwitt.de/zoellnere.htm).
2. ^  Kils, U.: "Swimming Behavior, Swimming Performance, and Energy Balance of Antarctic Krill Euphausia superba (http://www.scar.org/publications/list/)", College Station, Texas; 1 - 122 (http://www.ecoscope.com/biomass3.htm); 1981.
3. ^  Schulze P., Strickler, R., Bergstroem, B., Berman, M., Donaghay, P,, Gallagher, S., Haney, J., Hargraeves, B., Kils, U., Paffenhoefer, G., Richman, S., Vanderploeg, H., Welsch, W., Wethey, D. & Yen, J.: "Video based instruments for in situ studies of zooplankton abundance, distribution and behavior.", Arch. Hydro. Beih. 36: 1-21; 1992.
4. ^  Kils, U., Ruohonen, K., Makinen, T.: Daily feed intake estimates for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Wahlbaum) evaluated with SONAR and X-ray techniques at commercial net cage farms. Coun Meet Int Coun Explor Sea 1991/F3:1-8; 1991
5. ^  Thetmeyer, H., Kils, U.: To see and not to be seen: the visibility of predator and prey with respect to feeding behaviour. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 126: 1-8; 1995
6. ^  Kils, U., Marschall, P.: Der Krill, wie er schwimmt und frisst - neue Einsichten mit neuen Methoden (The antarctic krill Euphausia superba - feeding and swimming performances - new insights with new methods) In Hempel, I., Hempel, G., Biologie der Polarmeere - Erlebnisse und Ergebnisse (Biology of the Polar Oceans) Fischer Jena - Stuttgart - New York, 201-207 (http://www.ecoscope.com/polarbe2.htm);1995 (and images p 209-210)
7. ^  Fischer, P., Rademacher, K., Kils U.: In situ investigations on the respiration and behaviour of the eelpout Zoarces viviparus under short term hypoxia. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 88: 181-184; 1992
8. ^  Kils, U.: Formation of Micropatches by Zooplankton-Driven Microturbulences. Bull Mar Sci 53(1) 160-169; 1993
9. ^  Fischer, P., Kils, U.: In situ Investigations on Respiration and Behaviour of Stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus and the Eelpout Zoaraes viviparus During Low Oxygen Stress ICES C.M.1990/F:23; 1990 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea

Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format developed by Adobe Systems for representing documents in a manner that is independent of the original application software, hardware, and operating system used to create those documents. ...

External links

• ATOLL laboratory (http://www.ecoscope.com//atoll11.htm)