Follow the gliders

You can now follow the progress of the three gliders down the Labrador Shelf in Google Earth on our map page.

Oxygen Measurements

On the cruise we collected water samples and performed Winkler titrations to determine oxygen concentrations. This is one step in the process to calibrate the oxygen sensors on the gliders.

Rosette coming back on the boat with bottles containing water from specified depths. 

Photo credit: Robin Matthews

Taking water samples from the Niskin bottles. 

Photo credit: Tara Howatt

Titration set up and BOB the software program. 

Photo credit: Robin Matthews

Making sure the tubes are free of bubbles. 

Photo credit: Robin Matthews

Glider release!

Our three gliders were deployed from the Hudson's zodiac on July 4th and 5th. Before their release, short test dives were conducted with each while they were attached to the zodiac by a line. Once complete, the tether was removed and the gliders dove off on their multi-month traversals of the Labrador Sea.

Carrying a glider aboard the zodiac. Credit: Dave Herbert

Heading off to the launch site. Credit: Sarah Marcil

In goes a glider. Credit: Dave Herbert

Credit: John Loch

The gliders proved a great curiosity to seabirds.  

Credit: Tara Howatt

Credit: Robin Matthews

Interesting refraction effect. Credit: Robin Matthews 

Time for a test dive. Look closely and you can see the tether. 

Credit: Robin Matthews 

A glider surfaces after a successful test dive.
Credit: Robin Matthews 

Tether removed, a glider dives to a seabird send-off. 

Credit: Robin Matthews 

Our gliders

There are three VITALS gliders. Two from Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) and one from McGill. One is a shallow (200m) glider and two are deep (1000m) gliders. The MUN 1000m glider incorporates a thruster for extra forward power.

All three measure temperature and salinity. The MUN and McGill 1000m gliders also measure dissolved oxygen. Additionally the McGill glider can profile current velocity.

What are gliders?

Gliders are autonomous underwater vehicles. They dive and climb in the water column and are propelled forward as they do so. When they return to the surface they get a GPS fix on their position and can be remotely commanded to change course. 

There a few different types of gliders out there. We use Slocum gliders built by Teledyne Webb Research. They can be recognised by their colour - bright yellow.

LabSea 2014 Map

View track:
1000m glider (MUN)
1000m glider (McGill)
200m glider (MUN)

Mission Complete: Aug 22nd 2014








Plugin not working?: It won't work in the 64 bit version of Chrome or Internet Explorer 10+. Try another browser (e.g. Firefox).