Sea Ice Experiments

The SIPEX voyage will depart Hobart on 4 September 2007 and head almost due south across the Roaring 40s, Furious 50s and into the Screaming 60s before encountering the frozen sea ice zone that surrounds the Antarctic continent. The ocean crossing will take approximately 1 week, the air temparture will gradually decrease to freezing, then continue well below 0°C and the surface of the ocean will cool to -1.9°C - the temperature at which sea water freezes to form sea ice.

When the ship reaches the sea ice, the scientists will begin conducting a whole range of exciting experiments. All the months of planning and preparation will be over and the real work of conducting the experiments begins! This is the most exciting and challenging part of any scientists job - conducting experiments in the field to learn more about our environment and the world we live in. How thick is the sea ice? How much algae is growing beneath it? Is the snow cover thickness changing? And how is this affecting the amount of light penetrating into the ocean? What is the impact on Southern Ocean ecosystems? How fast is the ice drifting? All these questions need answers to help us understand the role of Antarctic sea ice in the global climate system and ecosystem dynamics, These pages provide some detailed information on each of the experiments we'll be undertaking on the ice floes.

Photo credit:  Jack Sayers