The Swedish icebreaker Oden has set off again to accomplish a mission postponed from 2020. The Synoptic Arctic Survey is a research-driven initiative aimed at collecting in situ data in the Arctic Ocean, with the goal of forming a complete picture of Arctic hydrography, circulation, carbon uptake, acidification, pollution and ecosystem productivity and ecosystem functioning.

The ice breaker set sail from Helsingborg, Sweden, on 25th July, heading north of Svalbard towards the Arctic Ocean ice shelf. By that time, the researchers on board had already overcome a week-long quarantine, par for the course in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Part of the team on this cruise are our INTAROS colleagues from the Department of Meteorology at Stockholm University. During the mission, they will launch a radiosonde to measure atmospheric variables in the Arctic.

Oden will stay in the Arctic until mid-September, carrying on board 38 researchers from 14 institutions. You can accompany their progress via the Swedish Polar Secretariat website.