Information
Comments
The weather has not been favourable for science work to continue on the ice floe today. Conditions deteriorated overnight as a deep low pressure system well to the north moves slowly to the northeast, this brings strong winds and blizzard conditions to our location from the south east. We are experiencing winds up to 45knots and are waiting for a downward trend in wind speed to occur and reach a point where it is safe to continue the science experiments and finish this ice station.
Data capture continues on the ice floe while we are restricted to the working in the warm confines of the Aurora Australis, with automatic weather stations in place on the ice floe, GPS units measuring ice ridge movement and an ADCP [Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler] in place well forward of the ship to gather a 24 hour current profile.
On board the ship, people work hard, using the unfavourable weather conditions to work on data captured from the ice station science experiments, process ice cores in the freezer laboratory into thin section for textural analysis and reorganise equipment for the next outing on the ice.
Preparations are also underway for our RTA [return to Australia] with samples being prepared for quarantine inspection on arrival and all aboard the ship beginning to think of cargo preparation for the voyage through the Southern Ocean, once we have finished the scientific work on the ice in the near future.
Cheers
Andy, Brett
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.