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This morning at approx. 0400 we reached the 121 latitude and turned south into the pack ice once more this time to reach the polynya (open water) between the Totten Glacier and the pack ice southern edge. The pack ice is proving to be a challenge to transit with dense ice being encountered at present.
The science which will be conducted in the Totten region over the next 12 days or so is to collect measurements of ocean currents and water properties between the edge of the continental shelf and ice shelf cavities. The importance of this work is to gain understanding of the reason why the Totten Glacier is the most rapidly thinning glacier system in East Antarctica and to gauge the influence of climate change on ocean warming and its possible effect on this glacier.
We will be conducting various tasks including CTD operations (Conductivity temperature and depth measurements) in fixed locations and also as the ship is underway. We will be recovering 6 moorings which have been deployed previously in order to retrieve data from them. Profiling floats will be deployed and left in place these will essentially park on the ice shelf and will provide ongoing data. Finally we will utilise Gliders, mini unmanned submarine data collectors which will be deployed under the sea ice to take various measurements.
It will be a busy time on the ship as these operations will be conducted around the clock.
Cheers
Tony & Lloyd
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.