Directed by Janina Bucher of the GEOMAR institute in Germany, this mission is conducted in partnership with the Monaco Scientific Center (CSM), the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (IMR), the marine sciences laboratory of the University of Florida and the University of Francfort (Institut für Geowissenschaften Goethe-Universität).
The general scientific aim is to measure the physiological state of the different populations of cold water coral reefs with priority placed on the species Lophelia pertusa, assess the natural variability of physiological processes (metabolism, growth, reproduction) and compare these field data with the results of laboratory experiments.
For this, water and coral samples are taken between 200 and 300 metres deep on four different reefs present in the coastal regions and off the Norwegian fjords, using the Jago submersible.