Distribution of Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Pesticides and PCBs in the ...

The island moved a few km on the first trip; for most of
the time, however, it was stationary. On the second trip,
movement in a northeast direction was more frequent and
substantive. On both trips, the island remained over the shelf
in water depths of less than 300 m just north of Axel Heiberg
Island. In June 1987, the island was also stationary for most of
the time, although some large leads opened up around the island
near the middle of the month. Movement of the island during 1986
and 1987 is shown in Figure 2.1.
In August, sampling was from the edge of the island and
sampling in May, 1986 and June 1987 was carried out at a site
just off the island on an area of 1.4 m thick first year ice. A
large diameter hole (1.5 m) was made using a portable hot water
ice melter. The melter uses a 450,000 BTU oil burner to heat
water which is circulated through a heating chamber then pumped
o a perforated copper ring. Melt water is pumped back through
the heating chamber. The design is based on a unit developed by
the Frozen Sea Research Group at the Institute of Ocean Sciences
in Patricia Bay, B.C. The hole was melted about 50 m from the
edge of the island. A 4.6 m x 2.4 m Hansen Weatherport (R)
insulated tent was erected over the hole. In August, a tent was
erected as a heated shelter close to the ice edge. One tent was
left on the island between trips and served as a storage shed for
equipment. A Coleman oil heater was used to heat the tent in May
1986, an electric heater was used in August and a propane heater
in June 1987. The main ice hole was used principally for
plankton collections. Prior to net tows, CTD and bottle casts
were made to collect samples for nutrients and salinity. After
plankton sampling was complete, some bottom grabs were also taken
from the hole.
A number of smaller diameter holes (0.6 m) were melted near
the tent away from the island to obtain ice cores. One of these
holes was used exclusively to deploy the in-situ samplers, while
another hole was used to deploy baited traps and a grab sampler.