Nicole Pogorzelec from the University of Manitoba, participates in the GreenEdge Project. This is her submission to the GreenEdge website: 

I’ve been in Qikiqtarjuaq, NU, Canada, for roughly three weeks now. The project that I am helping with examines the influence of snow, ice and algae, and their seasonal change, on spectral light transmission through the sea ice. This is done by measuring the amount of available light underneath the sea ice (ice-ocean interface) and by examining multiple 15 meter light depth profiles, under various ice conditions. Additional measurements are also being taken for albedo (upwelling and downwelling radiation) to determine the amount of light energy that enters the sea ice cover. These measurements will give us a spatial and temporal understanding of light transmitted through the sea ice. It will also give us insight on how seasonal change may influence primary production (ice algae and phytoplankton bloom), during the transition from spring to summer. Read more...