ITP25 Deployment Operations

ITP 25 was deployed as part of the first 'Super Station' (or Ice-Based Observatory) established during the ARK-XXIII/3 expedition on the Polarstern, and consisted of the ITP, a PAWS meteorological station and ITAC acoustic current profiler buoy.  Arriving near the desired deployment location on September 21, fog limited helicopter operations to a short distance away from the ship, during a few time periods of clear weather.  Potential floes were surveyed using a 2" portable ice auger, but the weak and thin ice made finding a suitable floe difficult.  Eventually, the ship docked alongside a relatively level 1.5-1.7 m thick ice floe and sites were selected within 300 m of the edge.  The actual deployment operation began early the next morning when the weather was fortunately clear enough to transport gear by helicopter.

After some difficulties with the 10" ice augers, the ITP was successfully installed about 100-150 m from the ice-floe edge where the Polarstern was docked, the PAWS was located about 30 m away and the ITAC about 100m away in 2m thick ice.  There were refrozen melt-ponds in several places around the deployment sites.  Despite the difficulties on finding the location, foggy weather conditions and operating some of the equipment, all of the buoys worked well on deployment, with many thanks given to the support from the ship's crew and volunteers from other scientific groups on-board who assisted the deployments.

More information on the buoy deployments and expedition is provided in the ARK-XXIII/3 cruise report.