Aims

This season's program was designed to test if density driven bottom currents originate from beneath the Mackay Glacier Tongue in Granite Harbor. A single current meter/sediment trap mooring would be set for about two months (November – January) at the snout of the Mackay Glacier Tongue. Last season (1987-88) a 14 hour deployment at this site recorded low velocity (<10 cm/s) flows which exhibit progressive changes in direction and duration that appear to be related to the diurnal tide cycle. A tide gauge will also be established at Cape Roberts initially to record the tide cycle during the period of the current meter deployment and if successful remain to continue recording during the following year.