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29 January 2020 Station One

A CTD (conductivity, temperature, and depth recording instrument) being lowered into the ocean.

Journal Entry

We arrived at our first data collection point today - known as a station. For those of you following my journey on the Garmin website, I dropped a pin on the location and labeled it Station 1. The boat is able to stay relatively still in the

Coastal Ocean Dynamics in the Arctic

Dates

3 August 2020 - 23 September 2020

Location

North Slope Coast of Alaska

What Are They Doing?

A view of a storm in the Bering Sea on August 2nd, 2019, as seen from Nome, Alaska. Photo by Piper Bartlett-Browne.

Coastal flooding events are becoming more common, as reductions in seasonal sea ice create large fetches for autumn storms. The proposed work concerns the oceanographic factors associated with coastal erosion and flooding, which are distinct from the geologic controls. Key among these oceanographic factors is the previously demonstrated increasing trend in surface wave activity throughout the western Arctic.

The results will determine: 1) The significance of coastal protection via scattering and dissipation of waves by sea ice 2) The thermodynamic and mechanical effects of increasing wave energy 3) The changes in coastal flooding and circulation associated with increasing wave momentum.

Jonathan Pazol

Educator

West Leyden High School

Northlake, IL
United States

Expedition Map

28 January 2020 Things are Improving!

Weather radar shows wave height, wind speed, and the position of the Nathaniel B. Palmer

Journal Entry

Things are Improving! Here is a map that shows wind speed and direction and wave height, along with the current location of the Palmer. Within the yellow area on this map, waves are 6-7 meters tall (or reaching a maximum of about 20 feet). We spent quite a bit of time in conditions like this

27 January 2020 Walloping 'Round Cape Horn

Waves crash on the starboard aft deck of the Palmer

Journal Entry

Walloping 'Round Cape Horn Today we began the part of the trip I'm dreading: our transit through Drake Passage. I've been hearing about the conditions of this place for years - when I worked on the Hudson River sloop Clearwater in the early 2000's, we often sang a sea chanty

26 January 2020 Dr. Isa Rosso and the Floats

Map of float locations in the Southern Ocean

Journal Entry

Dr. Isa Rosso and the Floats Dr. Isa Rosso is a scientist working with SOCCOM - Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observations and Modeling, which is using more than 130 individual floats to collect data on the chemistry of the Southern Ocean and trying to

Report of the Working Group on Culturally Responsive Science Outreach and Engagement

A working group was convened in late May, 2019, for the purpose of developing guidance to North Pacific Research Board (NPRB) and Alaska Sea Grant (ASG) to encourage and support outreach by researchers to Alaska’s K-12 Indigenous students in culturally responsive ways. The impetus for the working group was a disconnect we perceived between an increasing emphasis on inclusion of

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26 January 2020 Living Healthy at 87 degrees North

Journal Entry

*Note: Thanks to Maggie Kane and the students in the Odyssey School of Denver Middle School for asking some great questions! Among the 11 questions they sent my way, 3 guided this journal post: Are there health risks (beyond dangers discussed already with bears, and the cold) associated with this

25 January 2020 Getting My Sea Legs

Organization Chart for the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration

Journal Entry

Getting My Sea Legs I'm just wrapping up my first 24 hours as a full-time resident of the ship and have learned quite a bit already. The Chief Mate gave an inspiring and informative safety talk that included many helpful tips, such as: * If you ever find yourself in a situation where you are

25 January 2020 Last night on land

Journal Entry

Today we moved onto the ship and started intense preparations for our departure in the morning. I went into Punta Arenas to do some last-minute shopping and to have dinner, and returned to the pier around 10:00.

24 January 2020 Punta Arenas Schedule

My version of a schedule that was given to each researcher from the US as they exited the Punta Arenas airport.

Journal Entry

After more than 24 hours of traveling, I made it to Punta Arenas yesterday evening. I had dozed a little bit on the plane, but was totally exhausted. I think some of my students should be able to tell everyone what time the sun set in PA last night? Between the light and the excitement, it was hard