Report and preliminiary results of Meteor Cruise M45/5, Bremen - Las Palmas, October 1 - November 3, 1999.

The fifth leg of cruise 45 of the German research vessel METEOR started on 1 October 1999 in Bremen and ended on 3 November 1999 in Las Palmas. METEOR 45/5 was subdivided in two parts. During the first leg (M45/5a), sedimentological investigations and plankton sampling were canied out in the North Sea, Azores Frontal System and off Cape Ghir (NW Africa) with the purpose to collect data on the reconstruction of paleo-environmental conditions of these regions. During the second leg (M45/5b), equipment testing, mooring work and water column measurements were carried out. EspeciaIly, acoustic data-transmission from the deep ocean via a satellite communication network was tested. Water column sampling, including primary production and particle flux measurements, were carried out around the time-series station ESTOC (European Station for Time-series in the ocean, Canary Islands) as weIl as off Cape Ghir. Las Palmas harbour was visited to exchange equipment and scientists between the two legs from 20-22 October. The cruise was carried out with international collaboration; one Portuguese scientist participated on the first, and 6 Spanish scientists on the second leg.