Autonomous Observations of the Upper Ocean Stratification and Velocity Fields About the Seasonally-Retreating Marginal Ice Zone

Abstract : As a contribution to the Marginal Ice Zone DRI, this research element was designed to observe the seasonal evolution of the upper-ocean stratification, document the time-varying ocean currents and characterize the turbulent ice-ocean exchanges of heat, salt and momentum as the sea ice cover retreats poleward in spring/summer using Ice-Tethered Profilers with Velocity. A total of 5 systems were deployed for MIZ, programmed to acquire vertical profiles of upper-ocean temperature, salinity and horizontal velocity at 3 hour resolution, as well as direct vertical turbulent flux estimates from just below the ice-ocean interface several times per day. Results advance understanding of the Arctic air-ice-ocean system.