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Tor Bejnar

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USCGC Healy: scientific missions to the Arctic
« on: July 12, 2013, 04:31:36 PM »
United States Coast Guard Cutter Healy has left Seattle again.  Is the icebreaker headed north or is this just another sea trial?  Or do we care?  Magma wrote on July 3, 2013 in the ASIB - Problematic predictions 2
Quote
Based on the planned 2013 scientific missions, this year's route of the Healy may be of less interest to those interested in Arctic sea ice than its 2012 tracks were.
But the mission schedule at http://icefloe.net/healy-current-mission denies me access ('homeland' security?).

ship position:  http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/shipposition.phtml?call=NEPP
ship webcam:  http://icefloe.net/Aloftcon_Photos/index.php?album=2013
ship information:  http://www.uscg.mil/pacarea/cgchealy/

old ASIB threads focused on the Healy:
http://neven1.typepad.com/blog/2011/08/through-the-eyes-of-healy.html
http://neven1.typepad.com/blog/2010/08/uscgc-healy-has-entered.html
http://neven1.typepad.com/blog/2010/08/uscgc-healy-is-nearing-80n.html

-------

edit Neven:

Vergent had also opened a USCGC Healy topic in the Arctic Sea Ice subsection along with these images:



« Last Edit: June 04, 2016, 04:54:37 AM by Tor Bejnar »
Arctic ice is healthy for children and other living things because "we cannot negotiate with the melting point of ice"

Espen

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic(?)
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2013, 06:03:34 PM »
Hi Tor;

It looks like she heading towards Hawaii , to pick up scientific equipment?
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Espen

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic(?)
« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2013, 06:06:46 PM »
And Polarstern seems to be staying downstairs :

http://sailwx.info/shiptrack/shipposition.phtml?call=DBLK
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jdallen

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic(?)
« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2013, 07:33:07 PM »
Serendipitous image:

http://www.uscg.mil/pacarea/cgcHealy/

Look at the rotten ice around the Healy here, and note the color in particular.

Is it possible this is exemplative of the "brown" ice we see in some areas of lance-Modis?

http://lance-modis.eosdis.nasa.gov/imagery/subsets/?subset=Arctic_r05c04.2013193.terra
http://lance-modis.eosdis.nasa.gov/imagery/subsets/?subset=Arctic_r05c03.2013193.terra
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Vergent

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Neven

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic(?)
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2013, 07:53:34 PM »
jdallen, from what I've seen of really dirty ice, this looks pretty pristine. It's when floes get turned around because of wind that stuff really gets dirty. Because the bottom of ice floes is full of algae and other life.
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E. Smith

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic(?)
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2013, 07:54:19 PM »
The Healy just turned north.

jdallen

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic(?)
« Reply #7 on: July 13, 2013, 02:15:59 AM »
jdallen, from what I've seen of really dirty ice, this looks pretty pristine. It's when floes get turned around because of wind that stuff really gets dirty. Because the bottom of ice floes is full of algae and other life.

Thanks, Neven.  Slight departure from topic... Any theory on what state *is* suggested by the ice coloration in Modis?  I'll look for responses under the Arctic Ice postings, rather than here.
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Tor Bejnar

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic(?)
« Reply #8 on: July 13, 2013, 06:53:51 AM »
I now can view the Healy's mission - http://icefloe.net/healy-current-mission.  (Odd that I was locked out the other day.)  The ship will make several cruses mostly perpendicular to the Alaskan and western Canadian Arctic coasts (all in the eastern Chukchi or southern Beaufort Seas).  It doesn't look like she will be sailing through much ice.
Arctic ice is healthy for children and other living things because "we cannot negotiate with the melting point of ice"

Tor Bejnar

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #9 on: July 13, 2013, 06:56:07 AM »
Now that I know it is going to the Arctic, I removed the (?) from the title.
Arctic ice is healthy for children and other living things because "we cannot negotiate with the melting point of ice"

Artful Dodger

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic(?)
« Reply #10 on: July 13, 2013, 06:17:28 PM »
The Healy is going to have company, the heavy ice breaker USCGC Polar Star!
Hi Verg,

Polarstar arrived in Barrow, AK last week. She appeared for a few hours on the Barrow sea ice webcam  8)
Cheers!
Lodger

Anne

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic(?)
« Reply #11 on: July 13, 2013, 10:44:02 PM »
Polarstar arrived in Barrow, AK last week. She appeared for a few hours on the Barrow sea ice webcam  8)
Did you capture a picture?    8)

Artful Dodger

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic(?)
« Reply #12 on: July 14, 2013, 12:35:25 AM »
Polarstar arrived in Barrow, AK last week. She appeared for a few hours on the Barrow sea ice webcam  8)
Did you capture a picture?    8)

Hi Anne,

I did save the 3-Day video animation. Polarstar appears from 12:31 until 18:46 on July 3rd.

She should still be in the 10 day animation, if you're quick to download it.  8)
« Last Edit: July 14, 2013, 12:47:15 AM by Artful Dodger »
Cheers!
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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #13 on: July 14, 2013, 07:12:51 PM »

Tor Bejnar

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #14 on: July 17, 2013, 07:20:24 PM »
From the internet I found a document called "NOAA Fleet Update - July 2013.pdf" from which I learned that an unmanned, hand launched, aircraft is on the U.S. Coast Guard Icebreaker HEALY where it will remain until NOAA commences joint emergency response exercises in the arctic from September 7-22, 2013.

There is a picture at www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=463943477030987&set=a.385638488194820.89984.371235352968467&type=1&relevant_count=1 that I'm attempting to attach here


[edit:  it didn't work...]
Arctic ice is healthy for children and other living things because "we cannot negotiate with the melting point of ice"

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #15 on: July 17, 2013, 08:38:44 PM »
USCGC Healy has made it up to Kodiak Island.



Here you can see something of a rarity; crew/passengers on deck.

This is significant, it gives us a scale for when we are observing the ice. It looks like the rail is about 4 feet.

Vergent

Peter Ellis

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #16 on: July 17, 2013, 09:39:00 PM »
Without knowing the height of the camera off the deck and the degree of foreshortening, I don't think that'll help much.  Remember that when looking at sea ice around the ship you're trying to tell the difference between a freeboard of 10cm and a freeboard of 40cm - really not much at all.

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #17 on: July 18, 2013, 01:25:10 AM »

danp

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #18 on: July 19, 2013, 09:28:11 AM »
Some nice images and videos from the Coast Guard operations, including a flyover of the Polar Star on July 16th at the edge of the Chukchi sea:

http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/USCGD17

The short videos are particularly fun, though without knowing exactly where they are you can't really say anything about the apparent state of the ice.

Jim Hunt

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #19 on: July 21, 2013, 12:09:50 PM »
There seems to be an official Healy blog too, although it's slightly behind the times:

Quote
We will continue to transit to our first stop, Kodiak, Alaska. All are looking forward to a port visit somewhere other than home sweet Dutch Harbor, Alaska!
"The most revolutionary thing one can do always is to proclaim loudly what is happening" - Rosa Luxemburg

Artful Dodger

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #20 on: July 22, 2013, 05:26:16 AM »
There seems to be an official Healy blog too, although it's slightly behind the times:
Hi Jim,

A Healy crewman is also a contributor over at the ASI blog  8)
Cheers!
Lodger

Vergent

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #21 on: July 24, 2013, 06:27:57 AM »
The Healy is back on the move! But unfortunately, just bottom mapping around Kodiak island.




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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #22 on: July 25, 2013, 08:30:23 PM »


Making tracks. Hopefully, heading for the Bering Strait.

Vergent :-)

Espen

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #23 on: July 25, 2013, 09:55:35 PM »
Or R&R at Andronica Island 8)
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Espen

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #24 on: July 26, 2013, 04:55:06 PM »
Have a ice day!

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #25 on: July 27, 2013, 05:21:04 PM »


She's making one more stop.

V

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #26 on: July 27, 2013, 06:20:44 PM »

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #27 on: July 28, 2013, 05:48:04 AM »


Today they put a red oil boom around the Healy. I hope she doesn't have an oil leak, or something that would delay her trip to the arctic.

Vergent

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #28 on: July 28, 2013, 07:51:18 PM »
It's like it's wearing a diaper.

V :(

danp

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #29 on: July 29, 2013, 10:43:59 PM »
Well, whatever trial icebreaking the Polar Star was doing is over for now, as it'll be back in Juneau for tours on Aug. 3.

http://juneauempire.com/local/2013-07-26/tour-uscgs-only-operational-heavy-ice-breaker

"Coast Guard crewmembers will be standing by to answer questions about the 399-foot icebreaker and their most recent operation in the Arctic Ocean."  Now's your chance to get the inside scoop if you happen to be there :)


Vergent

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #30 on: July 30, 2013, 01:41:44 AM »
http://icefloe.net/healy-current-mission

The Healy is supposed to start its first science mission today. But its still at the dock.

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #31 on: July 30, 2013, 05:10:07 AM »



On schedule, off to sea, heading north at 12 knots. Looking for some ice to crush.

Vergent

Espen

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #32 on: August 01, 2013, 12:36:40 PM »
Healy is now entering the Arctic region:

http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/shipposition.phtml?call=NEPP
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Jmo

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #33 on: August 02, 2013, 02:28:54 AM »
They're cruising for the ice at about 13 knots it seems...
Clear and sunny.

Vergent

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #34 on: August 02, 2013, 06:36:55 PM »


The Healy has reached 72 N 165 w 12 days earlier than last year. the water temp is in the 4 - 6 C range.



No ice in sight.



Last year and twelve days later, the ocean in this location was littered with MYI. The water temp was -0.6.

The Pacific inflow is warmer and two weeks ahead of last year. This is bad news for the Beaufort and the CAA.

Vergent

danp

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #35 on: August 02, 2013, 07:19:19 PM »
Last year had really unusual conditions in the late spring/early summer for the Bering, though ... I wonder if that ice was just the fast-melting detritus left over from all that.  Naturally its presence would have been keeping down the surface water temperature too.  But clearly the Beaufort to the east was in terrible shape last year.  Still, looks like there was a heat sink in this area last year we don't have this year.

Vergent

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #36 on: August 02, 2013, 07:54:50 PM »
Dan,

That area is shallow, so it warms up quickly. It is already up to 6-8C.

http://icefloe.net/Aloftcon_Photos/albums/2012/20120818-0101.jpeg

Thogh broken up by GAC-12, the ice was thick chunks of MYI. There is a huge energy difference betweeen then and nowin this area. This water will flow along Alaska and Canada, then in to the CAA. 6-8C melts ice quickly. BTW the healy temp sensor is broken and is reporting 23.6C.

Vergent


Espen

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #37 on: August 02, 2013, 08:05:42 PM »
Healy will face "some" sea ice between 73 and 74  if they continue with this speed 6- 10n hours from now.
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Tor Bejnar

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #38 on: August 03, 2013, 03:14:25 AM »

Icy water
Arctic ice is healthy for children and other living things because "we cannot negotiate with the melting point of ice"

Vergent

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #39 on: August 03, 2013, 03:59:14 PM »


The coldest water temp the Healy has recorded is -1.0 well above the melting point.

V

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #40 on: August 03, 2013, 10:19:29 PM »


When the Healy got to 73N, she found that someone had already smashed all the ice.



The previous years ice on 8-18(long after GAC-12). All of this melted out.

V

Anne

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #41 on: August 03, 2013, 11:11:35 PM »
Where is Healy now? Somewhere in the Bering, obvs, but Lat and Long not showing up on the pictures on my screen.

Tor Bejnar

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #42 on: August 04, 2013, 02:13:32 AM »
This image is available top of this thread: "ship position:  http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/shipposition.phtml?call=NEPP"
Arctic ice is healthy for children and other living things because "we cannot negotiate with the melting point of ice"

Anne

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #43 on: August 04, 2013, 05:42:29 AM »
Thanks, Tor.

danp

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #44 on: August 04, 2013, 09:13:55 PM »
Took a sharp turn southeast today and found some more varied ice conditions, with plenty of open water but a few isolated dirty chunks of thicker ridged ice like this:

« Last Edit: August 04, 2013, 11:34:57 PM by danp »

Tor Bejnar

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #45 on: August 05, 2013, 06:35:19 PM »
icicles!
Arctic ice is healthy for children and other living things because "we cannot negotiate with the melting point of ice"

Tor Bejnar

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #46 on: August 07, 2013, 02:17:40 PM »
As the ship is relatively close to the Alaskan coast, and south of where it has been, the ice is gone: both icicles and sea ice.

(Links to webcam and ship location are available in first post in this thread.)
Arctic ice is healthy for children and other living things because "we cannot negotiate with the melting point of ice"

Espen

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #47 on: August 12, 2013, 02:34:31 PM »
Healy is facing some really dirty ice:

Have a ice day!

Vergent

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #48 on: August 12, 2013, 03:52:10 PM »
The dark ice is dark from algae. Last yearit was a melt hole or a polynya.

http://www.tos.org/oceanography/archive/24-3_lee.pdf

Vergent

Edit: Next year ice like this will be ubiquitous.

Edit: It is nice to see they have restored the lat/long/temp functions

« Last Edit: August 12, 2013, 05:12:45 PM by Vergent »

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Re: USCGC Healy: scientific mission to the Arctic
« Reply #49 on: August 12, 2013, 09:48:59 PM »
Anyone know where Healy is heading?



She's been going around in circles for some time now. I'd like to see what the ice is like a little higher up.