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Sunset Sampling

August 14, 2017

Researchers aboard R/V Neil Armstrong launch a conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) sensor during an April expedition off the coast of Cape Hatteras, N.C., where shallow-water currents collide with deep-water currents just beyond the continental shelf. By gathering water samples at various depths, the CTD gives scientists a comprehensive profile of water temperature, salinity (saltiness), and density, which plays a primary role in driving major ocean currents. The researchers—including WHOI scientists Magdalena Andres, Glen Gawarkiewicz, and Robert Todd—are investigating recent variations in the Gulf Stream as part of the PEACH project, which aims to help scientists better anticipate the coastal ocean’s response to climate change. (Photo by John McCord, UNC Coastal Studies Institute)