Examination of the water mixing processes, water temperature and zooplankton species assemblage under the Ross Ice Shelf

In the second season, a bathythermograph was used to gain a temperature profile of the water column under the Ross Ice Shelf. Two profiles were measured and each drop took approximately 90 minutes from the start to finish. The profiles show warmer water near the seafloor and cooler water directly under the ice shelf.

In addition, samples of seafloor dwelling organisms were collected from the same hole but also through holes blasted in the sea ice near Scott Base. A special dredge was again used and a single sample was collected from under the ice shelf - no living matter was found in the sample - and 5 dredge samples were collected from sites in the vicinity of Scott Base.