Arctic Ocean, 11 September 2026

On board Oden, work is progressing well across the various research groups. We stop at regular intervals to work at sampling stations. During these stops, sediment samples are recovered from the seafloor, water samples are collected using CTD equipment, and various types of nets are deployed. At each station, Oden remains stationary for several hours while activity intensifies in the laboratories, where samples are processed and analysed. At the same time, a range of continuous measurements is being made. Consequently, vast amounts of data are collected over the course of the six-week expedition.

Fieldwork on the ice

Researchers and equipment from several projects are flown out to the ice by helicopter whenever weather conditions permit. An instrument known as a VMP (Vertical Microstructure Profiler) is lowered to a depth of approximately 500 metres. The VMP is an oceanographic instrument that measures turbulence and temperature fluctuations with a vertical resolution on the millimetre scale. At the ice edge, an ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler) is also lowered into the water. Using sound waves, it measures the speed and direction of the water currents.

Another project focuses on the properties and dynamics of sea ice. Researchers deploy drifting buoys on ice floes to track the movement, deformation and temperature of the ice over time. Ice thickness is mapped using a laser scanner pulled across the ice floes on a sledge, while snow depth is measured simultaneously. Drones and an additional laser scanner mounted beneath the helicopter are used to map cracks, meltwater and ice formations. The aim is to improve our understanding of changes in sea ice and to validate satellite observations. Meanwhile, satellite imagery is being analysed on board Oden.

Text: Åsa Lindgren, Expedition Coordinator