iRobot Seaglider With Ogive Fairings Supports Antarctic Research

摘要

In January 2012, a team of researchers from institutions in the United Kingdom and the United States set sail to the Weddell Sea to study one of the few places in the world where water becomes dense enough to sink to the bottom of the ocean. Due to interactions with ice shelves, formation of sea ice and cold temperatures, water from the Weddell Sea plays a large role in ocean bottom waters. As the water from the Weddell Sea sinks, it pushes older water toward the surface creating a global "overturning" circulation. Within this current, many nutrients are brought to the surface, where they become a key factor in support of the global ecosystem. Harsh environmental conditions and remote locations make studying this ecosystem extremely challenging and thus the perfect place to utilize ocean gliders to conduct long-term surveys.