Lander being deployed from the CCGS Amundsen

After some initial frustration, two landers have been successfully deployed from the CCGS Amundsen in the Labrador Sea.

 Graham Tulloch (British Geological Survey) was responsible for fitting, programming and testing all of the equipment prior to deployment. Very strong currents caused the second lander to plane 150 metres away from the ship at one point, but it was successfully deployed on the second attempt. A beacon on the landers provides (and will provide – we hope!) the accurate positions of the lander now and when they are picked up next year. 

Thanks are due to all who have collaborated to enable ATLAS to participate in this expedition. Our colleagues Barry MacDonald and Ellen Kenchington (Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada) and Steve Ross (UNC Wilmington, USA) have worked extremely hard behind the scenes. We are also grateful to Graham Tulloch (BGS) and to Sabena Blackbird (Univeristy of Liverpool) (pictured below) for participating in this expedition, which should provide ATLAS with some excellent material for research. The detailed long-term data on temperature, salinity, currents, fluorescence, and rates and composition of sedimentation collected from the landers is sure to make for some exciting results next year!

Follow the Amundsen live from the Labrador Sea here: https://data.amundsen.ulaval.ca/

Graham and Sabena being transported to the CCGS Amundsen by helicopter

Graham and Sabena being transported to the CCGS Amundsen by helicopter, 2018. © Graham Tulloch