Project Owner
IO PAN
Project Description
The aim of the WACuM project is to measure sea currents in the Western Arctic during cruises of Canadian icebreakers to the Arctic Ocean. The Canadian IPY project calls C3O – Canada’s Three Oceans. C3O will use two Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers, whose current mission tracks encircle Canada, to obtain a snapshot of large-scale ocean and ecosystem properties, and thus establish a scientific basis for sustained monitoring of Canada’s Sub-Arctic and Arctic seas in the wake of global warming.
The WACuM project is a continuation of the collaboration with Canadian oceanographers during the 2004 and 2005 cruises of CCGS Louis S St-Laurent. During the cruises currents were measured by means of LADCP – Lowered Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler during standard CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) casts. Results are compared with calculated baroclinic currents, data from moorings and high resolution ocean-atmosphere-sea ice coupled model. The Arctic Ocean currents pattern, sea ice cower and especially its changes are essential for our global climate change understanding.
The LSSL-2008-29 cruise has started in 4 July 2008, Halifax, Nova Scotia and finished in 16 July 2008, Cambridge Bay, Victoria Island, Nanavut Territory in Canadian Archipelago. During the cruise at the Labrador Sea, Davis Strait, Baffin Sea and Northwest Passage 13 LADCP stations were made.
The LSSL-2008-30 cruise has started in 17 July 2008, Cambridge Bay, finished in 19 August 2009 in Kugluktuk, Nanavut Territory. During the cruise at the Beaufort Sea 65 LADCP measurements were done.
Project Location