LIONESS Terra Nova Bay Cruise 2022

In November/December 2022 I travelled down to Terra Nova Bay onboard the Korean IBRV Araon. My primary task was to deploy NIWA’s moorings along the Drygalski Ice Tongue. These moorings have been maintained by NIWA and KOPRI since 2014 and have led to valuable insights into the High Salinity Shelf Water production in the polynya. Continuing the time series will help us understand how the polynya is changing over time.

I also deployed nine ice wave buoys - motion sensors equipped with GPS to track motion and movement of ice floes. These data will help hydrodynamic modelers understand how wave action is affecting the ice shelf. We used a drone to capture areal images of the ice floes so that their dimensions and surrounding environment could be better understood.

I assisted in the collection of 106 CTD casts throughout Terra Nova bay and the southern side of the Drygalski Ice Tongue. This CTD rosette was equipped with a LADCP unit. These data will be examined by researchers at Kyungpook National University led by Assistant Professor Seung Tae Yoon. Coupled with over 400 km of shipboard ADCP transects these data tell us about the circulation in the polynya, including where different water masses are being transported, including a melt water plume from the Nansen Ice Shelf.