The Sternfahrt-10 of the MOSES campaign, from 29th August until the 15th of September 2023, had two objectives. One was to follow the dispersion of pollutants transported by the Elbe water into the North Sea, previously observed during the Elbe-Freshwater and Elbe-Tidal cruises. And second the distribution of the Elbe water within the German Bight. Therefore, drifter groups were deployed to follow individual water parcels. Those drifters were followed subsequently by three ships (RV Ludwig Prandtl, RV Littorina, RV Mya II), to extend the time period of measurements. Along the tracks, water samples were taken close to the drifters, alternatively at stations from previous cruises, resulting in 12 to 24 sampling points per week. In terms to detect the concentration of a variety of nutrients and carbon compounds from the south-eastern North Sea up to the island Amrum. Additionally, basic hydrographic parameters and greenhouse gases were sampled continuously throughout the whole cruise. Those results are not part of the present dataset, but can be found here, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.971874. To ensure the comparability of the measured parameters a transportable container laboratory was passed from ship to ship always equipped with the same sensor systems. Just for specific water samples some special equipment was added. A map of the different tracks as well as information about the used sensors and data treatment, you can find in the additional material. For more detailed information about the MOSES Project and the cruise Sternfahrt-10, see the article cited in references.

Water samples at the specific stations were taken using a CTD rosette including Niskin-bottles in surface waters (about 1m depth). On board the samples were split up and preserved according the parameter(s) which should be measured. The analysis of the different parameters was divided between the participating institutes and examined in the respective laboratories (for further details see additional metadata).