"Arctic Floating University" completes a large-scale study of the depths of the Barents Sea
The Arctic Floating University is completing a large-scale study of the depths of the Barents Sea.
Today, July 22, a group of oceanologists and hydrologists is making the final cut between the archipelagos of FJL and Novaya Zemlya. From the island of Salm to the Cape Zhelaniya the young scientists of NArFU, as well as the leading Russian universities, will have to make 16 stops. Deep sounding will be carried out at each hydrological station. Rosetta with bathometers will be lowered by 200 meters. The sensors record the level of salinity, oxygen, fluorescence and turbidity of sea masses.
Anna Vessmann, leading engineer at the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute: «Rosetta, is an oceanographic device for which samplers are sampled for sampling, we have two probes in which additional oxygen sensors, fluorescence, which is then converted to chlorophyll and turbidity. The latter are especially important for those who study the bioproductivity of the ocean. Chlorophyll — then it can be recounted into phytoplankton, oxygen saturation is important for the fishing industry. Temperature and salinity are important characteristics of water masses».
To carry out the hydrological cross-section between FJL and Novaya Zemlya, the Arctic floating university was supposed to be at the beginning of the expedition, but then the scientists were prevented by bad weather conditions. In general, this site was first surveyed during the expedition of NArFU in 2012. In 2013, Professor Molchanov repeated the cut. The investigation gave unexpected results. A warm anomaly was found in the cold masses of the Barents Sea. Perhaps, this is an early unknown course of warm Atlantic masses. To confirm the discovery, anomaly needs to be fixed for at least 5 years in a row.
Anna Vessmann, leading engineer at the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute: «... The currents are warm in arctic terms. The Atlantic water mass is water with a temperature of no more than 3 degrees, when it cools, it is greater than 0, we have more than 3, by the standards of the Arctic, it is already warm. And it is more salty. According to the Barents Sea standards this is not very noticeable, but if you look in the Fram strait, where the branch of Atlantic water is very clearly visible, where salinity is greater, there may be 35 per millet, that is, it is high enough ... »
The results of the research will be announced in a few months. If the discovery of the new current is confirmed, the hydrologists will have to reconsider the pattern of circulation of the Atlantic water masses in this region of the Barents Sea. The discovery will make it possible to clarify the navigational characteristics of this area of the sea, as well as fishery information.
Not only hydrologists conduct sampling. Researchers from NArFU Elena Gusakova and Anna Trofimova together with the employees of the national park «Russian Arctic» during the hydrological stations select phyto-and zooplankton using a special device.
Anna Trofimova, post-graduate of NArFU named after M.V. Lomonosov — "The device is called the Jedi network — it is a cone-shaped net with a clapon like a samovar, we select samples, canned, and in the future these samples will go to the Institute of the Arctic and Antarctic where qualitative analysis and species diversity will be already defined — taxonomy. Plankton is the basis of the marine food chain. The study of its composition and quantity will allow tracking changes in the environment, and ecology in general.