On-deck sampling is conducted on individual sea-ice floes recovered from the surrounding ice field, primarily during open-drift conditions where direct access to the ice is not feasible or where ice types are unsuitable for overboard deployment (i.e., pancake ice or brash ice). This document outlines the procedures, equipment specifications, and operational protocols developed and employed by South African researchers aboard the S.A. Agulhas II for the recovery, handling, and sampling of sea-ice floes on deck. It is intended to serve as a reference for field teams, technicians, and researchers conducting sea-ice sampling campaigns in the Antarctic marginal ice zone (AMIZ). The document covers operational considerations and limitations, the design and operation of a customised floe-lifting contraption and station procedures. The techniques and methods described herein were developed iteratively over multiple expeditions, informed by field experience, logistical constraints, and evolving scientific objectives. As sea-ice research priorities, vessel capabilities, and sampling technologies continue to advance, these procedures are expected to be refined and expanded. Users of this document are encouraged to adapt the protocols where necessary and to document methodological innovations to support continuous improvement and standardisation of sea-ice sampling practices.
Audh et al. (Fri,) studied this question.