Polar Regions

Polar Regions: also called the frigid zones, are the regions of the planet that surround its geographical poles (the North and South Poles), lying within the polar circles. These high latitudes are dominated by Earth’s polar ice caps: the northern resting on the Arctic Ocean and the southern on the continent of Antarctica.

Without doubt, polar regions are considered extreme locations and therefore require extremely capable instruments. MSI has delivered numerous systems to organisations such as CSIRO and Australian Antarctic Division as well as Universities working in and around Antarctica. Systems from manufacturers like:

RBR loggers can not only handle cold temperatures, they have even been frozen into ice sheets. Rated to 750m (standard loggers), 1,700m (RBRsolo³ range) or 10,000m (titanium), RBR can get you data from within, around or under the ice. Loggers include:

• RBRsolo³ compact single channel depth, temp., DO, Tu and PAR loggers
• RBRvirtuoso³ standard single channel  conductivity, depth, temp., CO2, DO, Fl, ORP, PAR, pH, Tu, transmittance voltage, etc. loggers
• RBRduet³ & RBRduo³ dual channel options with two of conductivity, depth, temp., CO2, DO, Fl, ORP, PAR, pH, Tu, transmittance voltage, etc. loggers
• RBRconcerto³ & RBRmaestro³ multi channel options up to 10 channels of above
• RBR Wirewalker wave powered profiling system
• RBR inductive modem

The DeepTrekker ROVs are totally portable. Fitting into either 1 (DTG2) or 2 (DTX2) small transit cases that can be carried by one person, are quick and easy to unpack and start (within minutes) and requiring no external power to operate, these units are an ideal way to operate in remote and pristine areas without leaving your mark on the environment. Models include:

• DTG2 Remotely Operated Vehicle
• DTX2 Remotely Operated Vehicle

MetOcean Telematics provides Polar Platforms built to withstand the most volatile and unforgiving environments on this globe, enabling the collection of accurate data in areas once unreachable. Products include:

• Ice Beacon (ice movement, atm pressure, ice and air temp.)
• Ice Mass Balance Buoy (ice thickness and temp., met and ocean data)
• Polar Area Weather Station
• Polar iSVP – expendable GPS, atm pressure, sea and air temp. buoy
• Polar Ocean Profiling System – meteorological and oceanographic profiling system
• Compact Air Lauched Air Beacon – air craft launched beacon for tracking ice temp., pressure, etc.
• Satellite tracking beacons for asset security / recovery
• Flashers to aid location and asset recovery

Nautilus Marine Service have been manufacturing glass housings capable of withstanding full ocean depth since 1985. These include glass flotation and glass instrument spheres.  Whether working in the depths around Antarctica or deploying sensors / cameras in the depths of an abyss like James Cameron, Nautilus glass spheres can protect your instrumentation.

A world leader in underwater technology solutions, EdgeTech instrumentation has already been used in and around the polar regions. Their acoustic releases (8242XS and PORTs) have been used to securely hold instrument moorings to the seabed and release when required and been used for deployment of systems. The sonar systems have allowed the mapping of the seafloor and the layers below it, all around the world. EgdeTech products include:

• Shallow Water Acoustic Releases
• Deep Water Acoustic Releases
• Pop-Up Buoy Recovery System
• Deck Units
• Side Scan Sonar
• Sub-bottom Profiler
• Bathymetry
• Combined Sensors
• AUV/ROV Sonar
• USBL Nav., Positioning, MRU

Specialists in development of underwater acoustic solutions for research, RTsys produce a range of instruments that can be used in and around the polar regions. Specifically the low power, multiple input channel option Passive Acoustic Recorders that allow the user listen into the world below the ocean surface. Monitoring of ambient noise, noise pollution and whale monitoring are just some of the possible uses of RTsys’s instruments.

• Acoustic Rercorders
• AUVs
• Diver Sonar System

Mooring Systems Inc produces an wide array of mooring solutions ideal for the polar regions. Specifically bottom frames, in line floats and instrument frames, and ADCP buoys give scientist and researchers the tools that they need to get their instruments around and under the polar regions.

• Surface Buoys
• Bottom Mounts
• ADCP Buoys & Floats
• Instrument Frames

Ice deployed ROV

MetOcean POPS profiling system

Ice Mass Balance

Deployed Ice Beacon

Wirewalker

RBR family

Polar Weather Station

Flotation spheres

Flotation spheres

RTsys AUVs

Sample Sub Bottom Data

ADCP Buoys Floats

Bottom mounts (TRBM)

Bottom Frame

iBCN range