Hello, I’m Kathy and I’m based uptown in the Drum Building at Bullard Labs.
My PhD studies a relatively new discipline called Seismic Oceanography which uses acoustic waves to pick out rapid changes in temperature and salinity within the oceans. The data can be mapped as an image of density variations, showing features such as different water masses, layering and eddies. Aside from pretty pictures, the data are also used to investigate processes including turbulent mixing and internal wave dynamics.
As part of my PhD I was very lucky to participate in a research “cruise” off the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, in the Bellingshausen Sea. The aim was to collect seismic data as well as different types of cores, lots of different types of sonar and temperature profiles (to name a few).
The cruise was a fantastic 6 weeks, both in terms of the science and the experience. I met lovely people, enjoyed the work (and the play) and visited Rothera Research Station, on Antarctica! If you ever have the chance to go on a research cruise, I cannot recommend it enough. Instead of writing I am going to let a few of the photos do the talking… hope you enjoy!
And if anyone is interested here is a video of the boat in lumpy weather…
A little bit of sea ice and ice breaking in action, as the boat went through the ice it made a lovely crumbling noise.
Last but not least, the locals!