We recently reported that in March of this year, Ukrainian scientists for the first time deployed from the Noosfera 6 ARGO floats. This is an innovative autonomous equipment for underwater measurements that does not have an engine and moves with the current.
ARGO floats measure temperature, salinity, and pressure at different depths. Then via satellite they transmit this data, along with GPS coordinates, to a global database as well as email.
Recently, our scientists received the first letters with information from all six devices that are already actively traveling along various currents in the Southern Ocean.
Moreover, on the way from Vernadsky to Chile, the researchers conducted additional oceanographic measurements at three points along the ARGO floats deployment route. This provided more accurate and detailed information about currents in the Southern Ocean.
Using a special CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) probe, three water profiles were built at depths of up to 1000 m. Each profile contains information on conductivity, temperature and salinity at different depths. Indicators such as light scattering, oxygen, pH, fluorescence for phytoplankton and turbidity were also measured.
“The data obtained allow us to better understand the dynamics of currents in this region, the characteristics of the layer containing water from glaciers, and heat transfer in the Southern Ocean,” noted NASC oceanographer Nataliia Shepel.
In addition, this was the first test of a complete CTD configuration, which is the basis for any oceanographic research from research vessel.
We congratulate our scientists on their first achievements in a new area of research.
Let us recall that this research is carried out within the OCEAN: ICE project of the EU Horizon Europe program
Photo: Yuriy Shepeta
