KH2018709

Abstract

The cruise KH 2018709 aboard the Research Vessel Kronprins Haakon is the second process cruise of the project the Nansen LEGACY. KH 2018709 is primarily a physical oceanography cruise with objectives to conduct ocean mixing and water transformation process studies in the region north of Svalbard, with particular focus on the warm Atlantic boundary current. Meteorological measurements were also made. Activities included: deploy oceanographic moorings and gliders, an AUV, a remotely piloted unmanned aircraft and controlled meteorological balloons; collect underway measurements from ship-mounted ocean current profilers, wind profilers, radiometer and wave sensors; and collect ocean stratification, currents, and microstructure profiles along selected transects across the north Spitsbergen shelf and slope. Additionally, wave sensors are deployed at ice floes from ice edge into pack ice. Ocean stratification, current and microstructure measurements were made along three main sections across the path of the warm Atlantic Current. Additional profiles were collected at two process stations (12-24 hours duration). A Slocum glider equipped with microstructure sensors was deployed and recovered after 7 days. In total 68 CTD (conductivity temperature depth), 63 LADCP (lowered acoustic Doppler current profiler), 45 microstructure profiles and 10 days of SADCP data were collected. Approximately 60 km of undulating transects were made with an AUV. In total, 7 hours of profiles were collected from controlled met balloons, 8 days of radiation data from ship-mounted radiometer, and 7 days of wave data from bow-monuted wave sensor were collected. 5 short flights with remotely piloted aircraft was made.