RRS Sir David Attenborough begins its second leg of science trials this week (22 August 2022).
RRS Sir David Attenborough begins its second leg of science trials this week (22 August 2022).
Britain’s new polar ship will depart Belfast today for its second leg of science trials. The ship has spent the past ten days sailing between Macduff and Belfast, conducting initial science trials. Beginning these science trials, the first of several taking place over the coming years, is a critical milestone in the commissioning of the ship. Prior to these science trials the vessel completed its first successful logistical season south supporting BAS’ station based operations and ice trials at English Coast.
During these trials, the team have been running tests and trials on the acoustic instruments and winch systems in shallow water. This has included successfully deploying Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) instruments, which measure properties of the ocean such as the current, temperature and the amount of salt as well as collecting water from different depths which can be analysed in the ships laboratories for different chemical properties. Seafloor sampling instruments were also successfully deployed – this included an underwater camera, which can be used to photograph creatures on the seafloor as well as a corer and sledge sampling system.
Read more at British Antarctic Survey
Image: The team prepare to deploy the epibenthic sledge. (Photo Credit: BAS)
