CA 13-14 XXIX Ita. Esp. New Zealand

The R/V Italica left Lyttelton (NZ) at 19:30 of 29/12/2013 and arrived at MZS (Mario Zucchelli Station) approximately on 01/08/2014 at 11:30.
The launches of XBT probes (Sippican mod.T7, depth max 760 m) started on 30.12.2013 at 17:11 at latitude 48°S and ended on 03/01/2014 latitude 66°16'S (Fig. 1).
XBT activities were carried on also during the return trip from 16.02.2014 at 02.00 at about 69°S, to 02/19/2014 at 49.5°S.
The sampling resolution was 15 nautical miles during the first leg and 77 probes were used, while during the way back to New Zealand 57 probes were launched at a resolution of 20 nm.
Only a small percentage of probes showed operating problems due almost entirely to the contact of the copper cable conductor with the hull of the ship.

Fig 1: Map of XBT launches (left) and section of temperature relative to the layer 0-800m (right), from New Zealand to Antarctica in the period 30/12/2013-03/01/2014.

Fig. 2: Map of XBT launches (left) and temperature section 8right) from 16/02/2014 to 19/02/2014.

http://www.pnra.it/biblioteca/docs/rapporti_campagna/CA14.pdf