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We completed another four stations overnight and moved another two degrees of latitude closer to Australia. The sea temperature has increased by another 3 degrees overnight, as we cross the Subantarctic Front, the strongest stream of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. We have been measuring the current speed continuously during the voyage using an acoustic instrument mounted in the hull, called an acoustic Doppler current profiler. The current profiler shows there is a current of about half a knot towards the east where we are now. Half a knot doesn’t sound very impressive compared to, for example, strong tidal currents near shore, but the eastward flow of the circumpolar current is both broad and deep and so carries a lot of water. We are trying to take advantage of the good weather to get as much work done as possible now, as conditions are forecast to deteriorate a bit in a few days time. We’ve had a regular series of presentations on board, organized by Mel and Donna. After our visit to the art gallery yesterday, today’s talk was on climate change, presented by ANARE club president David Elyard.
Regards, Steve and Barbara
Map
A map showing Australia and Antarctica. The map shows the journey of one voyage that has occured in the season, with each route highlighted in a distinct colour.