We have sea birds back! And it's getting darker in the evenings! We sampled; we packed around the sampling; we had a very nice formal dinner with long white table cloths, candles and a delicious menu; we went back to sampling and/or packing. And the protection of the ice disappeared! The winds have picked up and Monday's ride has been more "active", with wind speeds of 11-12 m/s (=22-24 knots). All our boxes are packed, labelled with address and packing list, soon to be strapped close. Most boxes are staying on Oden and will be picked up between Sept. 22-24 in Landskrona, Sweden to be then shipped to their respective destination. A few of us are carrying boxes with us because of another cruise coming soon (Andy, Carlton and Paty) ( we have 12 boxes, including 2 coolers to bring in the plane), because of unique frozen samples (Monica) or because they live in Norway and they are close to home (Sara de la Rosa and Anders Sirevaag, U. Bergen, Norway)!
Tomorrow morning we are expected to arrive in Longyearben at 0600 local time. We should arrive at the entrance of the fjord today after 2200. About half of the people of the 64 people on board will fly home tomorrow. Several of the scientists and the crew fly home on Wednesday, including us.
ASCOS has been a very successful expedition! It has been an incredible personal and scientific adventure. Next, come many months of data control and analysis, meetings, and discussions until our many papers are published in scientific journals.
Thank you to our family, friends, colleagues and funsding agenciea who have made it possible for us to be here.
Paty, Monica, Carlton, Andy, and Johan AND the rest of the ASCOS team
Monday, September 8, 2008
Saturday 6 September 2008
Our ice breaking has been very successful, SO successful that we are now 30h ahead of schedule! Thus, we have decided to sample the marginal ice zone for 18h and the adjacent open water for another 12h. This will provide a unique sequence to our early August sampling, followed by our pack ice sampling up to freeze up, now followed by a fall sampling of the same waters. This additional sampling opportunity also implies that we won't be packing until Sunday and Monday!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Wednesday 3 September 2008
At 1005, we are at 85o 59.62N 06o 59.11E. We spent most of yesterday sailing east and some sailing south. The ice is thicker and all leads are frozen over. Many now have "gardens of frost flowers" now, which Paty really wanted to sample prior to departure; unfortunately, they were not within sampling reach at the lead. Frost flowers are crystalline structures that appear on the surface of newly formed sea ice once it achieves a certain thickness and a certain cold temperature. Oden is advancing at speeds that range from -0.1 knots (moving backwards to break ice) to 8 knots, with an average of approx. 4 knots, except when it does not move. How does icebreaker Oden loosen itself from the grip of the ice? Very briefly, the ship has several large tanks on either side of the ship, filled with several hundreds of liters of water which it can move from port to starboard (left to right) and back very quickly, thus creating just enough space to then move forwards or backwards. It also has a 3rd tank in a different location for the same purpose. In addition, it has 2 side thrusters (engines that provide lateral motion) as well as a water system under the bow that lubricates the sea ice in front of it, so Oden can slide over it and crush it with its weight and forward motion. Indeed, for the past 2 years, Oden has been contracted by the US National Science Foundation to open the channel to McMurdo, in Antarctica, at the end of the austral winter, something that the Oden officers and crew are quite proud of. Thus, a month after returning to Sweden from this Arctic Ocean expedition, Oden will sail south to Punta Arenas, Chile and then on to the Antarctic shelf.
Catherine skiing.JPG
sara-monica-andy-monica-chrisantemum.JPG
Catherine skiing.JPG
sara-monica-andy-monica-chrisantemum.JPG
Tuesday 2 September 2008
At 10:31, we are on our way home; we are currently headed east at 4-8knots, depending on the ice encountered. We left at midnight on Sept. 1 from 87o 07.8N 10o 39.84W and we are not at 86o 53.53N 01o 33.90W. We celebrated the end of a successful ASCOS campaign with both a burst of atmospheric nucleation and a glass of champagne. Some celebrated through the night, as some groups have finished their work for this expedition. Packing comes next. Not yet for us since we have many samples (already collected) still left to analyze, whether in the gas chromatograph or with the microscope-camera system.
This evening, every one but officer Thomas Stromsnas (at the helm), will celebrate with a traditional, mid-summer crayfish and schnapz dinner at 1900. A seemingly boundless pile of crayfish and shrimp (as well as a few quiches for the non-seafood eaters) and assorted sauces were available to all, accompanied by many Swedish drinking songs. It is quite an experience for those living through it for the first time. Otherwise, it is quite delicious. As we are running an experiment, Carlton and Monica have been trading sampling every 6h; thus, one will stay till midnight and the other will get up before 0600. This clearly requires different bed times for all.
This evening, every one but officer Thomas Stromsnas (at the helm), will celebrate with a traditional, mid-summer crayfish and schnapz dinner at 1900. A seemingly boundless pile of crayfish and shrimp (as well as a few quiches for the non-seafood eaters) and assorted sauces were available to all, accompanied by many Swedish drinking songs. It is quite an experience for those living through it for the first time. Otherwise, it is quite delicious. As we are running an experiment, Carlton and Monica have been trading sampling every 6h; thus, one will stay till midnight and the other will get up before 0600. This clearly requires different bed times for all.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Sunday 31 August 2008
We woke up to a spectacularly clear day; we can see the sun bright and yellow in the sky. We have shadows. At 0900, it was only -4C. However, the lead is frozen over with new, clear sea ice that does not seem to be there in certain places. Many people tried to go for a ski or a walk but the fog would roll in and out. Fog = no walk! Fog and/or clouds= fog and cloud water (both being very difficult to obtain)! Frozen lead= no samples? Ah! We broke the ice to sample subsurface water and brought a bucket of new sea ice to sample (once it melts inside the fridge). At 1800, the air temperature started to decrease and, by 21:00, it reached -9C to -10C (14-16F) where it has stayed until now, at midnight. At 00:25 of Monday, the sky is still blue, bright and crisp; the ice and snow reflect the sunlight making everything even brighter. We are at 87o 10.33N, 010o 07.59W.
We had a very nice Sunday night dinner, duck breast, scalloped-creamy potatoes, salad and ice cream for desert. We are supposed to dress up for Sunday dinner; some do, some don't. Then it is back to the lab to finish filtering (carlton), run samples in the gas chromatograph (Andy), continue running experiments and photographing with the microscope (Paty and Monica), move equipment and boxes from lead to ship (Johan) while Qiu Ju (= Chrysanthemum) Gao (U Stockholm; C. Leck's graduate student) (our tireless lab mate) filters and filters 100's of liter of seawater.
Till Tuesday, as today- Monday- is our last sampling day!
We had a very nice Sunday night dinner, duck breast, scalloped-creamy potatoes, salad and ice cream for desert. We are supposed to dress up for Sunday dinner; some do, some don't. Then it is back to the lab to finish filtering (carlton), run samples in the gas chromatograph (Andy), continue running experiments and photographing with the microscope (Paty and Monica), move equipment and boxes from lead to ship (Johan) while Qiu Ju (= Chrysanthemum) Gao (U Stockholm; C. Leck's graduate student) (our tireless lab mate) filters and filters 100's of liter of seawater.
Till Tuesday, as today- Monday- is our last sampling day!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday 28 August 2008
We are drifting south steadily; we went 3.5 nmiles today! We started at 87N o 17.3N, 09o 24.57W and woke up this Friday morning at 87o 14.95N 32.1W, a whooping 2.3 nmiles due S... Air temperatures are now consistently negative. We continue to be under high atmospheric pressure, with very low winds. We have just received the News item below, from the wire service... Up here at 87N, the surface seawater is starting to refreeze in a very spotty way and there is still plenty of open water; in our little corner of the ice, it is difficult to have a broader pan-Arctic perspective.
=======================================
Arctic Ice On The Verge Of Another All-Time Low
Envisat ASAR mosaic from mid-August 2008 showing an almost ice-free Northwest Passage. The direct route through the Northwest Passage is highlighted in the picture by an orange line. The orange dotted line shows the indirect route, called the Amundsen Northwest Passage, which has been passable for almost a month. Credits: ESA (= European Space Agency)
by Staff WritersParis, France (SPX) Aug 29, 2008Following last summer's record minimum ice cover in the Arctic, current observations from ESA's Envisat satellite suggest that the extent of polar sea-ice may again shrink to a level very close to that of last year.
Envisat observations from mid-August depict that a new record of low sea-ice coverage could be reached in a matter of weeks. The animation above is a series of mosaics of the Arctic Ocean created from images acquired between early June and mid-August 2008 from the Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) instrument aboard Envisat.
The dark grey colour represents ice-free areas while blue represents areas covered with sea ice. Current ice coverage in the Arctic has already reached the second absolute minimum since observations from space began 30 years ago. Because the extent of ice cover is usually at its lowest about mid-September, this year's minimum could still fall to set another record low.
Each year, the Arctic Ocean experiences the formation and then melting of vast amounts of ice that floats on the sea surface. An area of ice the size of Europe melts away every summer reaching a minimum in September.
Since satellites began surveying the Arctic in 1978, there has been a regular decrease in the area covered by ice in summer - with ice cover shrinking to its lowest level on record and opening up the most direct route through the Northwest Passage in September 2007.
The direct route through the Northwest Passage - highlighted in the image above by an orange line - is currently almost free of ice, while the indirect route, called the Amundsen Northwest Passage, has been passable for almost a month. This is the second year in a row that the most direct route through the Northwest Passage has opened up.
Prof. Heinrich Miller from the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) in Bremerhaven, Germany commented that, "Our ice-breaking research vessel 'Polarstern' is currently on a scientific mission in the Arctic Ocean.
Departing from Iceland, the route has taken the ship through the Northwest Passage into the Canadian Basin where geophysical and geological studies will be carried out along profiles into the Makarov Basin to study the tectonic history and submarine geology of the central Arctic Ocean.
In addition, oceanographic as well as biological studies will be carried out. Polarstern will circumnavigate the whole Arctic Ocean and exit through the Northeast Passage."
Regarding the use of satellite data for polar research Miller continues, "The polar regions, especially the Arctic, are very sensitive indicators of climate change. The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has shown that these regions are highly vulnerable to rising temperatures and predicted that the Arctic would be virtually ice-free in the summer months by 2070.
Other scientists claim it could become ice-free as early as 2040. Latest satellite observations suggest that the Arctic could be mainly ice-free even earlier."
Miller added, "At AWI we place particular emphasis on studying Arctic sea-ice, and along with in-situ studies of sea-ice thickness change satellite data have been used extensively - not only for the regular observation of changes in the Arctic and Antarctic, but also for optimising the operation of Polarstern in regions covered by sea ice."
The Arctic is one of the most inaccessible regions on Earth, so obtaining measurements of sea ice was difficult before the advent of satellites. For more than 20 years, ESA has been providing satellite data for the study of the cryosphere and hence revolutionising our understanding of the polar regions.
Satellite measurements from radar instruments can acquire images through clouds and also at night. This capability is especially important in areas prone to long periods of bad weather and extended darkness - conditions frequently encountered in the polar regions.
By making available a comprehensive dataset from its Earth Observation satellites and other ground and air-based capabilities, ESA is currently also contributing to one of the most ambitious coordinated science programme ever undertaken in the Arctic and Antarctic - the International Polar Year 2007-2008.
Further exploitation of data collected over the Arctic since 1991 is part of an ESA Initiative on Climate Change that will be proposed to the ESA Member States at its Ministerial Conference in November 2008. The proposal aims to ensure delivery of appropriate information on climate variables derived from satellites.
In 2009, ESA will make another significant contribution research into the cryosphere with the launch of CryoSat-2. The observations made over the three-year lifetime of the mission will provide conclusive evidence on the rates at which ice thickness and cover is diminishing.
=======================================
Arctic Ice On The Verge Of Another All-Time Low
Envisat ASAR mosaic from mid-August 2008 showing an almost ice-free Northwest Passage. The direct route through the Northwest Passage is highlighted in the picture by an orange line. The orange dotted line shows the indirect route, called the Amundsen Northwest Passage, which has been passable for almost a month. Credits: ESA (= European Space Agency)
by Staff WritersParis, France (SPX) Aug 29, 2008Following last summer's record minimum ice cover in the Arctic, current observations from ESA's Envisat satellite suggest that the extent of polar sea-ice may again shrink to a level very close to that of last year.
Envisat observations from mid-August depict that a new record of low sea-ice coverage could be reached in a matter of weeks. The animation above is a series of mosaics of the Arctic Ocean created from images acquired between early June and mid-August 2008 from the Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) instrument aboard Envisat.
The dark grey colour represents ice-free areas while blue represents areas covered with sea ice. Current ice coverage in the Arctic has already reached the second absolute minimum since observations from space began 30 years ago. Because the extent of ice cover is usually at its lowest about mid-September, this year's minimum could still fall to set another record low.
Each year, the Arctic Ocean experiences the formation and then melting of vast amounts of ice that floats on the sea surface. An area of ice the size of Europe melts away every summer reaching a minimum in September.
Since satellites began surveying the Arctic in 1978, there has been a regular decrease in the area covered by ice in summer - with ice cover shrinking to its lowest level on record and opening up the most direct route through the Northwest Passage in September 2007.
The direct route through the Northwest Passage - highlighted in the image above by an orange line - is currently almost free of ice, while the indirect route, called the Amundsen Northwest Passage, has been passable for almost a month. This is the second year in a row that the most direct route through the Northwest Passage has opened up.
Prof. Heinrich Miller from the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) in Bremerhaven, Germany commented that, "Our ice-breaking research vessel 'Polarstern' is currently on a scientific mission in the Arctic Ocean.
Departing from Iceland, the route has taken the ship through the Northwest Passage into the Canadian Basin where geophysical and geological studies will be carried out along profiles into the Makarov Basin to study the tectonic history and submarine geology of the central Arctic Ocean.
In addition, oceanographic as well as biological studies will be carried out. Polarstern will circumnavigate the whole Arctic Ocean and exit through the Northeast Passage."
Regarding the use of satellite data for polar research Miller continues, "The polar regions, especially the Arctic, are very sensitive indicators of climate change. The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has shown that these regions are highly vulnerable to rising temperatures and predicted that the Arctic would be virtually ice-free in the summer months by 2070.
Other scientists claim it could become ice-free as early as 2040. Latest satellite observations suggest that the Arctic could be mainly ice-free even earlier."
Miller added, "At AWI we place particular emphasis on studying Arctic sea-ice, and along with in-situ studies of sea-ice thickness change satellite data have been used extensively - not only for the regular observation of changes in the Arctic and Antarctic, but also for optimising the operation of Polarstern in regions covered by sea ice."
The Arctic is one of the most inaccessible regions on Earth, so obtaining measurements of sea ice was difficult before the advent of satellites. For more than 20 years, ESA has been providing satellite data for the study of the cryosphere and hence revolutionising our understanding of the polar regions.
Satellite measurements from radar instruments can acquire images through clouds and also at night. This capability is especially important in areas prone to long periods of bad weather and extended darkness - conditions frequently encountered in the polar regions.
By making available a comprehensive dataset from its Earth Observation satellites and other ground and air-based capabilities, ESA is currently also contributing to one of the most ambitious coordinated science programme ever undertaken in the Arctic and Antarctic - the International Polar Year 2007-2008.
Further exploitation of data collected over the Arctic since 1991 is part of an ESA Initiative on Climate Change that will be proposed to the ESA Member States at its Ministerial Conference in November 2008. The proposal aims to ensure delivery of appropriate information on climate variables derived from satellites.
In 2009, ESA will make another significant contribution research into the cryosphere with the launch of CryoSat-2. The observations made over the three-year lifetime of the mission will provide conclusive evidence on the rates at which ice thickness and cover is diminishing.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wednesday 27 August 2008
Every morning we get the following report from the aerosol lab prepared by Doug Orsini (U Leipzig), describing their observations for the previous day and the current meteorological conditions
===========================
Current conditions from the bridge:
Heading: 87.21
Wind True: 82 deg. Wind Speed: 3.1 m/s
Temp. : -3.1 C
There is a planned ship engine test today at 14:30. (This means shut down your atmospheric sampling or you'll sample black ship exhaust)
Tuesday Aug 26, between 12:00 and 16:00 we measured a rather fluctuating but semi-continuous period of nucleation (= formation if tiny new particles). This was the day that the ship sat to the Northwest of a band of sunshine. We are now dominated by a high pressure system, and winds should slowly rotate from the North as it moves through.
Current trajectories (= where the air is coming from and where it has been for the previous days as it affects its chemical and physical properties) show an air history that has been at least 3 days over the pack ice. Air is drier (90% relative humidity), stable (= it is has been thoroughly mixed top to bottom), and coming around the pole from the east.
Helicopter Flights:
Staffan:
"Yesterday at noon, an event (= particle formation) of diameters 3-10nm was detected, confined from ground to 100 meters height (in the air) below the (atmospheric) inversion. We flew at 18:00 out Southeast to the sunny stripe and there was a similar event. At 23:30, that event had faded and cold air moved in under the cloud layer from the east. "
Gas Results:
A perfect sampling mission at 23:30 showed that in the (atmospheric) inversion, elevated levels of DMS were detected,-a factor of 10 higher than the very low levels at the surface. That was also detected at the cloud edge, out in the sun.
===========================
Current conditions from the bridge:
Heading: 87.21
Wind True: 82 deg. Wind Speed: 3.1 m/s
Temp. : -3.1 C
There is a planned ship engine test today at 14:30. (This means shut down your atmospheric sampling or you'll sample black ship exhaust)
Tuesday Aug 26, between 12:00 and 16:00 we measured a rather fluctuating but semi-continuous period of nucleation (= formation if tiny new particles). This was the day that the ship sat to the Northwest of a band of sunshine. We are now dominated by a high pressure system, and winds should slowly rotate from the North as it moves through.
Current trajectories (= where the air is coming from and where it has been for the previous days as it affects its chemical and physical properties) show an air history that has been at least 3 days over the pack ice. Air is drier (90% relative humidity), stable (= it is has been thoroughly mixed top to bottom), and coming around the pole from the east.
Helicopter Flights:
Staffan:
"Yesterday at noon, an event (= particle formation) of diameters 3-10nm was detected, confined from ground to 100 meters height (in the air) below the (atmospheric) inversion. We flew at 18:00 out Southeast to the sunny stripe and there was a similar event. At 23:30, that event had faded and cold air moved in under the cloud layer from the east. "
Gas Results:
A perfect sampling mission at 23:30 showed that in the (atmospheric) inversion, elevated levels of DMS were detected,-a factor of 10 higher than the very low levels at the surface. That was also detected at the cloud edge, out in the sun.
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