Polar Front Process Cruise 2022

Abstract

The cruise KB2022625 (28. September 2022, Tromsø to 13. October 2022, Tromsø) aboard the Research Vessel Kristine Bonnevie is a Polar Front process studies cruise of the Nansen LEGACY project. The study region covered the steep topographic slope southeast of Bjørnøya and the Polar Front region between Hopen and Storebanken, all-in-all spreading 73.5°- 78°N and 19.5°-34.5°E. The objectives are to study frontal mixing processes using microstructure profilers, to deploy and recover a short-term mooring at the Polar Front and to deploy and recover an underwater glider equipped with turbulence sensors. The overarching goal is to collect data allowing for the analysis of physical processes at the Polar Front on sub-tidal to synoptic timescales. Combined with data from previous cruises, the timescales of investigation may be expanded to seasonal and inter-annual periods. During the cruise, we collected measurements of ocean stratification, currents, and microstructure from the vessel as well as from transects using an ocean glider. From the vessel we obtained 267 microstructure profiles down to 0-20 m above seabed, 62 CTD/LADCP profiles down to 5 m above seabed (all with salinity calibration samples taken at the deepest point), and 14 days of underway current profiles. From the glider we obtained 207 profiles (7 days) including using microstructure sensors in the Polar Front region between Hopen and Storebanken.