The activity describes the seasonal evolution
of the upper ocean nutrient (nitrate, orthophosphate and orthosilicate) concentrations
and thermal structures between New
Zealand and Antarctica based on five repeated sections occupied between mid-October
2004 and early-January 2005 by the
ships N.B. Palmer and Italica. Seawater samples were collected at the surface from
the ship underway systems in correspondence
with XBT (eXpandable BathyThermograph) launches.
The framework was supported by the CLIMA (Climatic Long-term Interactions for the Mass balance in Antarctica of the Italian
Antarctic Program-PNRA) and AnSlope projects (Antarctic Slope of the United States Antarctic Program-USAP).