The 2017 winter estuary and mobile ice sampling program will be the most comprehensive effort thus far to simultaneously characterize physical, biological and biogeochemical conditions in Hudson Bay sub-Arctic estuaries during peak winter sea ice cover. The aim is to improve our understanding of the winter-time hydrographic conditions and thermodynamic and dynamic changes in the mobile pack ice in Hudson Bay. In addition, characterizing the Nelson River plume, and its interaction with the landfast, sea ice and seawater, as it flows under and along the landfast ice cover.  The focus of the winter field campaign will be to retrieve marine samples from Churchill Estuary, and perform basic sampling for nutrients and biology (ice algae) from the Nelson Estuary. In addition to in-situ sampling of the ice and water column, the team plans to install ice-tethered moorings. These installations will collect data for >30 days to capture changes in tides and weather conditions, and include under ice ADCP, CTD and optical measurements. Ice Mass Balance buoy, Ice thickness measurements and MET stations for surface energy balance.  Variables of interest also include (DOC, TN, POC, PON), δ18O, Salinity, CTD, DIC/TA, inorganic and organic nutrients in the water and sea ice, optical properties of sea ice, rates of primary production in sea ice and surface water. 

• Churchill Estuary Campaign - February 1-14, 2017
• Nelson Estuary Campaign - Leg 1 - February 18-March 4, 2017
• Nelson Estuary Campaign - Leg 2 - March 15-29, 2017
• Nelson Estuary Campaign - Leg 3 - April 17-May 3, 2017

Participants: 

David Babb, Nic Zilinszki, Jack Landy, Lisa Mathes, Laura Dalman, Dave Capelle, Kathleen Munson, Nix Geilfus, Sergei Kirillov, Igor Dmitrenko, Nathalie Theriault, Odile Crabeck, Ateyu Basu, Greg McCullough, David Barber, Jens Ehn, Vlad Petrusevich, Samantha Huyghe  (CEOS); Gabriele Deslongchamps (ULaval); Jiang Liu; Janghan Lee

Fieldwork summary/photo blog

Link to field report - Churchill Estuary Campaign

Link to field report - Nelson Estuary - Leg 1 - forthcoming

Link to field report - Nelson Estuary - Leg 2 - forthcoming

Link to field report - Nelson Estuary - Leg 3 - forthcoming