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Dispatch 8: Northern lights!

Jennifer Kosty (Yale University)

September 25, 2026

12:10 local, 74.30◦N, 135.25◦W

Conditions:

  • 0% sea ice cover
  • -3.2◦C
  • Sunrise: 07:55 PDT (local)
  • Sunset: 19:48 PDT (local)
  • Day length: 11 hours, 53 minutes

Early this morning, we were treated to incredible views of the northern lights! Everyone gathered on the helicopter deck to marvel at this beautiful natural phenomenon as we steamed through the night towards our next science station.

We reached CB50 around 1:45 am, where the night watch completed another rosette cast in the pitch black. Around first light, we exited the sea ice pack and began cruising through open water. Unfortunately, we were met with a rather large swell that left many people feeling seasick. However, we persevered and were still able to have a productive day.

We completed a cast at CB40, which included an added element of excitement as the WHOI team tested some of the instruments that will be deployed with their moorings. Jeff O’Brien, Tim McDonough, Chris Basque, and Eric Hutt attached several acoustic releases to the rosette frame and confirmed their ability to communicate with them during the cast. These releases are essential to the mooring recovery process as they allow each mooring to separate from its anchor and float to the surface. The mooring preparations continued in the afternoon as the WHOI team conducted a winch training session with the deck crew.

We are currently steaming towards CB22 at a swift 14 knots. We are planning to arrive at CB21 early tomorrow morning, where the WHOI team will work with the deck crew to recover Mooring D!

 

 

 

The most recent sea ice concentration map for the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas (Source: https://data.seaice.uni-bremen.de/databrowser/).
The most recent sea ice concentration map for the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas (Source: https://data.seaice.uni-bremen.de/databrowser/).
Map showing our current location along the planned 2026 cruise track.
Map showing our current location along the planned 2026 cruise track.
Northern lights! Photo by Jennifer Kosty.
Northern lights! Photo by Jennifer Kosty.
Chris Basque and the WHOI team conducting a winch training session for the upcoming mooring recovery and deployment. Photo by Jeff O’Brien.
Chris Basque and the WHOI team conducting a winch training session for the upcoming mooring recovery and deployment. Photo by Jeff O’Brien.
The day watch deploying the CTD-rosette with acoustic releases mounted on its frame (yellow instruments). The WHOI team used the CTD-rosette cast to test the releases prior to their upcoming deployment on the BGOS moorings. Photo by Monika Loevenmark.
The day watch deploying the CTD-rosette with acoustic releases mounted on its frame (yellow instruments). The WHOI team used the CTD-rosette cast to test the releases prior to their upcoming deployment on the BGOS moorings. Photo by Monika Loevenmark.
Tsukushi Komura (left) and Chloe Immonen (right) drawing water samples. Photo by Francesca Loro.
Tsukushi Komura (left) and Chloe Immonen (right) drawing water samples. Photo by Francesca Loro.