NASA’s DC-8 is usually the aircraft flown from South America to Antarctica for the IceBridge mission’s annual research flights over the continent. But this year, the DC-8 was booked for a different mission, so NASA’s P-3 filled in. Since late October, the P-3 crew and instrument operators have been making flights out of Ushuaia, Argentina, to map Antarctica’s ice. The scenery outside is […]
SPURS-2 on R/V Revelle 2017 – Epilogue
We had an excellent and successful expedition.
Observing Biodiversity One Cell At a Time
Who or what lives down below us?
The Cottage Industry Chasing Ocean Surface Salinity
Who can provide NASA with actual sea-truth on the sea surface salinity?
Empanadas in Flight
In the nine-plus hours it takes to fly from Argentina to Antarctica, collect data over the continent and fly back again, people on board are bound to get hungry. There is a microwave on board, as well as some snacks and hot drinks. But there are no flight attendants, and there are no meal carts. NASA’s […]
A Sea Ice Gamble
“I don’t understand it. I haven’t been this perplexed about the weather in the Weddell Sea area for years,” said John Sonntag, mission scientist for NASA’s Operation IceBridge mission. Sonntag is a self-described weather geek. He is also world-renowned for his insight into the weather in West Antarctica. Instrument operators, flight crew, and various IceBridge […]
The Gravity of Larsen C
The Operation IceBridge mission flew its suite of airborne instruments over Antarctica's Larsen C ice shelf and I caught a first-hand look.
Raining in the Fog of Carbon Dioxide Chemistry
Trying to clearly explain the carbonate chemistry of seawater taxes the best in our field.
Anchoring Ocean Science — Moored Measurements with Steady Humans!
While ocean moorings are often described as autonomous observing platforms, the human ingenuity required to deploy and recover them demands a steady human with a tight grip.