Arctic Sea Ice Mass Balance Buoys

Application

In the realm of Arctic environmental monitoring, CEOS faces the formidable challenge of obtaining reliable data sets. The research involves investigating the intricate interplay of heat exchange within the Arctic environment, particularly in locations critical to global climate studies such as the Beaufort Sea, Daneborg, Greenland, and Station Nord, Greenland. Existing buoys, strategically installed in these locations, seek to provide insights into the complex dynamics of ice growth and melt. However, the harsh and remote conditions of the Arctic make data collection both expensive and difficult.

beadedstream Solution

To overcome the challenges of Arctic environmental monitoring, CEOS integrated beadedstream Digital Temperature Cables as crucial components of sea ice mass balance buoys. These crucial components boast instrumented lengths ranging from 20 to 197 feet, hosting 45-71 sensors per cable. The sensor spacing, starting at 10cm near the ice surface and expanding to 500cm towards the water bottom, ensures high resolution. Strategically deployed at each buoy installation, these cables traverse through sea ice into near-surface waters. For added sea protection, the thermistor cables are wrapped in white shrink wrap and connected to existing Campbell Scientific data loggers. This flexible and compatible solution effectively addresses the unique challenges presented by the harsh Arctic conditions, providing a reliable means to collect high-resolution temperature data and enhance our understanding of ice growth and melt dynamics.

beadedstream Solution Benefits

Researchers at CEOS selected beadedstream’s digital thermistor cables for their ability to monitor a large number of sensors per cable, aligning seamlessly with the demands of digital technology. The cables’ compatibility with third-party loggers ensures easy integration into existing buoy installations, offering a practical advantage in the challenging Arctic environment. The successful deployment of beadedstream’s technology not only enhances the efficiency of modeling ice growth and melt but also underscores its suitability for advancing scientific understanding in complex Arctic ecosystems.