Salargos temperature-conductivity buoys

The design and testing of buoys capable of measuring temperature and salinity in ice covered oceans is described. The buoys are implanted in the sea ice and collect water temperature and conductivity data from pairs of sensors tethered to a cable suspended below the ice. The sensor data is collected and position is determined using the ARGOS satellite system. Two tests of the buoy system are described. Comparisons of the buoy data with CTD data gathered at Fram III and with hydrocast data at Pond Inlet, NWT indicate the buoy is capable of measuring salinity with accuracies of about for periods up to two months. Low salinity readings relative to hydrocasts at Fram III and for one sensor depth at Pond Inlet are yet to be explained. Drift due to biological fouling does not appear to be a problem.