Sunday, 29 August 2010
Thursday, 15 July 2010
To the Arctic Ocean on the JCR
No sooner am I back from Rothera and the GCMS and I are off again, this time to make measurements in the sea ice in the Arctic Ocean! Myself and about 25 other scientists sailed from Immingham in the UK, via Longyearbyen, Svalbard, up to the Arctic pack ice. Once there we set up a temporary ice station where holes were made in the ice for divers to make measurements and take samples from underneath it, other experiments were carried out on the ice, and I made ice cores, incubated sea ice brine, and took regular samples of the air and water.
The expedition was lead by Ray Leakey from the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), and involved scientists from SAMS, the National Oceanographic Centre in Southhampton (NOCS), Glasgow University, Aberdeen University, Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), Montpelier University in France, Vigo University in Spain, and myself from BAS / UEA.
On the way north from the UK we made regular CTD casts. These involve sending intrumentation down into the water to measure conductivity, temperature and depth, and to collect water in bottles. These measurements allow ocean processes to be understood, and allow me to measure bromine and iodine compounds at different levels in the water column
More to follow on th rest of the trip, or you can check out the SAMS blog, which I helped write, at
http://www.sams.ac.uk/expedition-blogs/arctic-cruise-2010/the-people/the-journey/expedition-blogs/arctic-cruise-2010/the-people/the-journey/expedition
or hear the podcast at planet earth online at http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/multimedia/story.aspx?id=765
The expedition was lead by Ray Leakey from the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), and involved scientists from SAMS, the National Oceanographic Centre in Southhampton (NOCS), Glasgow University, Aberdeen University, Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), Montpelier University in France, Vigo University in Spain, and myself from BAS / UEA.
On the way north from the UK we made regular CTD casts. These involve sending intrumentation down into the water to measure conductivity, temperature and depth, and to collect water in bottles. These measurements allow ocean processes to be understood, and allow me to measure bromine and iodine compounds at different levels in the water column
More to follow on th rest of the trip, or you can check out the SAMS blog, which I helped write, at
http://www.sams.ac.uk/expedition-blogs/arctic-cruise-2010/the-people/the-journey/expedition-blogs/arctic-cruise-2010/the-people/the-journey/expedition
or hear the podcast at planet earth online at http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/multimedia/story.aspx?id=765
Thursday, 20 May 2010
Fieldwork at Rothera 2009 – 2010
I was at Rothera to investigate halocarbon emissions from diatoms living in Ryder Bay, This year we saw a very late phytoplankton bloom, this corresponded to an increase in bromocarbon concentrations in the seawater and air.
I was also subjecting the diatoms to the conditions they may find when the seawater freezes during the winter. Diatoms are able to live inside the brine channels which form a continuous network through sea ice. In the brine channels, diatoms will be subjected to high salinity and low temperatures. There will also be an increase in the halide ion concentrations. I found that subjecting the diatom communities at Rothera to ice-like conditions caused an increase in halocarbon emissions.
I made a sea ice chamber, as there is no sea ice at Rothera during the summer months. Pictures of the chamber are below. Unfortunately I didn’t have to time to carry out experiments with diatoms in the chamber, though I did make sea ice and show the network of brine channels where the diatoms may live. Work continues with the chamber back in the UK.
The sea ice chamber
Making a core in the ice
A thin section of ice from the core
I was also subjecting the diatoms to the conditions they may find when the seawater freezes during the winter. Diatoms are able to live inside the brine channels which form a continuous network through sea ice. In the brine channels, diatoms will be subjected to high salinity and low temperatures. There will also be an increase in the halide ion concentrations. I found that subjecting the diatom communities at Rothera to ice-like conditions caused an increase in halocarbon emissions.
I made a sea ice chamber, as there is no sea ice at Rothera during the summer months. Pictures of the chamber are below. Unfortunately I didn’t have to time to carry out experiments with diatoms in the chamber, though I did make sea ice and show the network of brine channels where the diatoms may live. Work continues with the chamber back in the UK.
The sea ice chamber
Making a core in the ice
A thin section of ice from the core
Wildlife at Rothera
Mother and baby Orca (Killer whales)
Marine invertibrates in the aquarium in the Bonner Lab
A fur seal
An adelie penguin
Crabeater seals
Marine invertibrates in the aquarium in the Bonner Lab
A fur seal
An adelie penguin
Crabeater seals
Sunday, 17 January 2010
Turning 30 in Antarctica
What an exciting 30th birthday weekend, I flew a plane down the Antarctic peninsula from Rothera to Fossil Bluff, and even helped to land it on the runway back at Rothera which was a little nerve wracking. Then we had a BBQ in the snow, followed by a ceilidh in the aircraft hanger – the band played, Mel sang beautifully, we danced, bucketloads of fun. Thanks everyone for the presents from home, the messages, and everyone here for making it a great weekend.
The last week has been full of memorable experiences, there has been lots of wildlife around - we were out sampling in the boat midweek when a pod of minke whales came close, they were curving up out of the water blowing air, it was amazing to be so close to them. Groups of crabeater seals have been hiding from killer whales, skua are nesting on rocks close to my sampling site so I get dive-bombed by them frequently which is quite scary, fur seals are starting to arrive, and penguins can often be seen - I could sit and watch Adelie penguins for hours, the way they waddle along with their arms sticking out is hilarious
The flight yesterday was lovely, flying down over snowy mountain peaks, glaciers flowing down towards the ocean, large icebergs floating away from the broken ice shelf, sedimentatious rocky outcrops as we approached fossil bluff. The depot there is basically an Antarctic petrol station, used for refueling airplanes flying to and from Rothera, a few BAS staff live there on rotation over the summer, and as the name would suggest, the ground is packed full of fossils.
The last week has been full of memorable experiences, there has been lots of wildlife around - we were out sampling in the boat midweek when a pod of minke whales came close, they were curving up out of the water blowing air, it was amazing to be so close to them. Groups of crabeater seals have been hiding from killer whales, skua are nesting on rocks close to my sampling site so I get dive-bombed by them frequently which is quite scary, fur seals are starting to arrive, and penguins can often be seen - I could sit and watch Adelie penguins for hours, the way they waddle along with their arms sticking out is hilarious
The flight yesterday was lovely, flying down over snowy mountain peaks, glaciers flowing down towards the ocean, large icebergs floating away from the broken ice shelf, sedimentatious rocky outcrops as we approached fossil bluff. The depot there is basically an Antarctic petrol station, used for refueling airplanes flying to and from Rothera, a few BAS staff live there on rotation over the summer, and as the name would suggest, the ground is packed full of fossils.
Monday, 11 January 2010
Flying
On Saturday I co-piloted a twin otter plane from Rothera, up the peninsula, to the Larson Ice shelf, how amazing!
The small propeller plane, which is fitted with skis, is making regular trips from our base to a field party who are camping up on the ice shelf to take in supplies and bring out ice cores. The pilot Richie took off with me sat in the cockpit, gave me a brief rundown of the important instruments, and then handed over control, it was so exciting, flying over snow covered mountains, being able to see the ocean on either side of the peninsula, and hearing the weather updates so Richie could plan his descent to land at the Larissa ice camp. The international Larissa team led by Ellen Mosely-Thompson are making cores on the ice shelf, their camp is amazing! They have a canteen tent complete with tables and chairs and a breadmaker, internet and phone access, and even a shower!
The difference in conditions between Rothera and the Larsen Ice shelf was striking, the dry air is at least 10 degrees colder, and it was so nice to stand on proper snow (it's all slush here now). The difference is due to the ice shelf being on the eastern side of the peninsula - air circulates clockwise aound Antarctica, as it hits the mountains along the peninsula it rises, cools, and the moisture precipitates out. Cold dry air then descends over the ice shelf. The team up there were in high spirits despite camping in the cold conditions.
The remainder of the weekend has been spent finishing off an experiment which has gone well (iodine compounds are being produced by Antarctic diatoms), snowboarding (I have whiplash from an impressive faceplant on Friday evening) and celebrating the birthday of two of the girls on base.
This morning I'm going out sampling in the small boat, I go out into the bay once a week to take water and air samples to measure emissions of iodine and bromine compounds from the natural phytoplankton communities. As the numbers of phytoplankton in the water increase (the summer blooom) we expect to see an increase in the concentrations of these compounds.
As the summer season progresses here in Antarctica the scenery never ceases to amaze, this is the view from the bar on Saturday night:
The small propeller plane, which is fitted with skis, is making regular trips from our base to a field party who are camping up on the ice shelf to take in supplies and bring out ice cores. The pilot Richie took off with me sat in the cockpit, gave me a brief rundown of the important instruments, and then handed over control, it was so exciting, flying over snow covered mountains, being able to see the ocean on either side of the peninsula, and hearing the weather updates so Richie could plan his descent to land at the Larissa ice camp. The international Larissa team led by Ellen Mosely-Thompson are making cores on the ice shelf, their camp is amazing! They have a canteen tent complete with tables and chairs and a breadmaker, internet and phone access, and even a shower!
The difference in conditions between Rothera and the Larsen Ice shelf was striking, the dry air is at least 10 degrees colder, and it was so nice to stand on proper snow (it's all slush here now). The difference is due to the ice shelf being on the eastern side of the peninsula - air circulates clockwise aound Antarctica, as it hits the mountains along the peninsula it rises, cools, and the moisture precipitates out. Cold dry air then descends over the ice shelf. The team up there were in high spirits despite camping in the cold conditions.
The remainder of the weekend has been spent finishing off an experiment which has gone well (iodine compounds are being produced by Antarctic diatoms), snowboarding (I have whiplash from an impressive faceplant on Friday evening) and celebrating the birthday of two of the girls on base.
This morning I'm going out sampling in the small boat, I go out into the bay once a week to take water and air samples to measure emissions of iodine and bromine compounds from the natural phytoplankton communities. As the numbers of phytoplankton in the water increase (the summer blooom) we expect to see an increase in the concentrations of these compounds.
As the summer season progresses here in Antarctica the scenery never ceases to amaze, this is the view from the bar on Saturday night:
Wednesday, 30 December 2009
Christmas photos
A traditional boxing day walk - Antarctic style
Celebrating christmas with the girls
Happy on Christmas day with all essential items
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