12-24-06 70 degrees 49’ S 154 degrees 33’ W
Ice spectacular
We are in the pack ice. Current sea ice concentrations are 9 out of 10 meaning only small openings are visible. However, ice conditions can change in matter of minutes. Sometimes we cross large open water areas that look like big lakes. Sea ice is ice that forms from ocean waters. Freezing occurs at -1.8 C or 29 F depending on how much salt is in the water. Dr. Steve Ackley from the University San Antonio has many years of experience in researching properties of the sea ice. Hongjie and Burcu from his research team are on the Oden to log sea ice observations and meteorological data during our cruise. They intend to compare the observation data with satellite imagery. They also transmit in near real-time metrological data to NOAA to support weather forecasting and navigation assistance.
