Information
Comments
This morning, our expeditioners awoke to find our constant horizon of dark sea and clouded sky was broken by icebergs, large and small, distant and some a little closer.. the sea calming as we approached the edge of the sea ice.
On board, the morning has seen expeditioners attending a series of briefings on environmental protection, water craft operations and ship to shore refuelling. Our ever helpful troupe of water craft operators are facilitating equipment and clothing cleaning in the wet lab for those planning to travel to station, and convening a roster to conduct hourly sea ice observations in support of a science project.
This afternoon we anticipate undertaking a retrieval / deployment of a whale mooring (stay tuned until tomorrow). For now: an insight into one of our ship based science projects courtesy of Sonya, the project's focal person on board the AA:
'As a part of the 'Chemical and mesoscale mechanisms of polar cell aerosol nucleation' or CAMMPCAN campaign, two instruments aboard the Aurora are measuring atmospheric composition. One - the MAX-DOAS - affectionately known as Max, is measuring a range of trace gases by looking at the light spectra from the sun. We know what this spectra should look like, so by looking at the wavelengths missing, and knowing at what wavelength certain gases absorb energy, we can determine the concentration of these gases.
The second instrument on board is a TEKRAN, measuring atmospheric mercury concentrations. Micro-organisms in sea ice have recently been found to play an important role in the mercury cycle, and substantial quantities of mercury exist in Southern Ocean sea ice and snow, some of which is released into the atmosphere.'
More about the mooring tomorrow.
Kind regards,
James and Dave
V2 Voyage Management
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.