Glider collects 6 months of data

As part of the NoSE (North Sea-Atlantic Exchange) project (NWO-XL), an ocean glider was successfully deployed from the Norwegian research vessel Johan Hjort on the 14th of January, north of the Norwegian Trench, for a long-term deployment of half a year.

The glider is equipped with multiple sensors, recording temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll, CDOM and turbidity. The measurements obtained during this long-term deployment will help us characterise the water column structure from the surface down to 1000 m along transects along and across the Norwegian Trench, focusing on the shelf break at its northern end.

The glider runs autonomously when underwater but transmits data and can receive new instructions via satellite when at the surface, a few times a day. The glider’s progress will be monitored daily by a dedicated team at NIOZ and at NOCS (National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK). The recovery is planned during the next NoSE cruise in July 2025.

The high-resolution measurements collected during these 6 months will complement the discrete measurements obtained during the previous NoSE cruises and will capture the spatial and temporal variability of this highly-dynamic region throughout the deployment. Together, these data will help us better understand the exchange of carbon and nutrients between the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean.

Deployment of the glider (video: Margaux Brandon/Charles von der Meden, NIOZ)