A short steam then took us to the start of our first CTD section. A section is a series of CTD stations arranged in a pattern (often a straight line). Scientists sample in this manner to see a two-dimensional cross-section of water properties. In this case our section will run from west to east across the Chukchi Sea central channel. We are hoping to observe one of the locations where Pacific water is flowing northward into the Arctic.
This evening the ships divers braved the frigid Arctic waters to perform a routine check on the propeller blades. Our last CTD showed a surface water temperature of 38° F! This may seem cold, but the Polar Stars divers are used to diving under the ice, where the water can be as cold as 28° F.
We look forward to your questions. Please email us at arcticedge@whoi.edu.
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