A couple of days ago we hit our 100th sampling station. To date we have occupied and sampled 109 stations and surveyed the Ross Sea using VPR (Video Plankton Recorder), SeaHorse (buoy), MVP (Moving Vessel Profiler. XBT (Expendable Bathythermographs), bongo (zooplankton) nets, etc. It has been a great experience for everyone in the science group and we are all excited to further look at the data as we wind down our cruise.
A station comprises of a CTD cast (always) and sometimes a trace-metal CTD cast followed by plankton (bongo) net tows. In between stations a VPR or MVP is towed if and when weather conditions are favorable (i.e. ice free and less turbulent ocean conditions).
Below is an example of sampling from a CTD/Rosette as soon as it is hauled back on deck to a room called the Baltic Room.
Below is an example of sampling from a CTD/Rosette as soon as it is hauled back on deck to a room called the Baltic Room.
