Southern Ocean Expedition-Journey in to the Hostile and Dangerous Environment

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Southern Ocean Expedition-Journey in to the Hostile and Dangerous Environment

Journal Title: International Journal of Oceanography & Aquaculture - Year 2018, Vol 2, Issue 3

Abstract

‘Roaring 40’s, Furious 50’s, and Screaming 60’s’ is what I first heard about southern ocean. These are caused by strong westerly winds that are caused by air being displaced from the Equator toward the South Pole and by the Earth’s rotation in latitude bands that span 40°-50°S, 50°S-60°S and below 60°S, respectively. With the medical history of severe asthma, Bell’s palsy and leaving behind my children and family, I asked myself, is it worth going? Looking at the scientific challenges Southern Ocean (SO) is offering, scientist in me wants to take the risk. Southern ocean has a significant influence on global climate, biogeochemical cycles, biological production and Antarctic ice sheet. SO is responsible for the uptake and storage of heat and carbon which leads to slow down the atmospheric warming caused by green house effect. SO is responsible for 75% of ocean primary productivity north of 30deg south as it connects the deep and shallow layers of ocean providing a return path for nutrients. The main driving force for the transportation of heat and mass across SO is an eastward flowing Antarctic Circumpolar Current across which there are several frontal systems with rapidly changing water characteristic i.e., Agulhas Retroflection Front , Sub-Tropical front , Sub-Antarctic front , Polar Front, Southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current Front ; Southern Boundary of ACC and Antarctic Slope Front. Understanding the water mixing characteristics in this fronts is a challenge and the sea truth data available over SO is sparse in order to validate satellite and model observations. For a long time SO science was neglected by Antarctic science community; the rough ocean crossing was uncomfortable prelude. Whereas, southern ocean expedition challenge comes from making atmospheric and oceanic measurements in those extreme weather, high sea state and dangerous conditions for about 60days without touching the landmass. I carried instruments namely Greenhouse gas analyzer (which measures concentrations of atmospheric CO2, methane and water), Dust track monitor (which measures Particulate and total mass concentrations (PM2.5, PM1,PM10 and Total) ,Sun photometer and Ozonometer (which measures Aerosol optical thickness at 6 wavelengths namely 380nm, 440,500, 675, 870 and 1020 nm, Columnar ozone and columnar water vapor). There were suit of atmospheric and oceanography instruments carried by my colleagues i.e Aethalometer, Radiosonde, Quartz Crystal Microbalance, Ozone analyzer, Multi-Axis Differential Optical Absorption Spectrometer, AWS, Micro Rain Radar, CTD , UCTD, XCTD, ADCP , Microstructure profiler , ARGO floats , SOCCOM floats, Fast Repetition Rate Fluorometer, Inherent Optical Profiler, which measure parameters such as black carbon, vertical profiles of meteorological parameters, rain rate, phytoplankton, temperature, salinity, water currents etc. The opportunity to get involved in operation of these instruments as a team member was very much exciting.

Authors and Affiliations

Hareef Baba Shaeb K

EP ID EP464132
DOI 10.23880/ijoac-16000137
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