NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Tags: physical sciences, oceanography, oceanic currents, marine mammals

Objective(s): To characterize the western Arctic Boundary current (which flows at the edge of the shelf), in order to understand its role in dictating shelf-basin exchange of water and materials and how it impacts the ecosystem of the region, including the occurrence of marine mammals.

Project Description: The main objective is to characterize the western Arctic Boundary current (which flows at the edge of the shelf), in order to understand its role in dictating shelf-basin exchange of water and materials and how it impacts the ecosystem of the region, including the occurrence of marine mammals. This project is a collaboration between US and Canadian scientists. The research team are using a combination of year-round subsurface moorings in the boundary current and seasonal (summertime/autumn) shipboard measurements. The moorings will be deployed in US waters, and several of the shipboard transects will be occupied in Canadian waters. On the ship the research team will lower the instrument package (standard CTD/Rosette) at each station. The package carries a suite of electronic sensors to measure water properties (temperature, salinity, oxygen, turbidity, fluorescence) and 10 litre bottles that are closed at specified depths to take water samples (salinity, nutrients, chlorophyll, radium). No fish sampling will be conducted. The team will not be deploying any nets or sediment grabs. There is available berthing on the ship if a local observer wants to sail on the cruise. The research team are also willing to work with Aurora Research Insitute to identify a student to participate on the cruise. The data are publicly available soon after the cruise. Data reports will be available and scientific papers will be published based on the data. The team will plan on outreach visits to the local communities explaining the results. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from October 24, 2018 to November 19, 2018.