BIRDS EYE 8-66 25 OCTOBER-7 NOVEMBER.

• Main Author: Dehn, W. S.
• Other Authors: NAVAL OCEANOGRAPHIC OFFICE NSTL STATION MS
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1966
• Subjects: Meteorology; Snow; Ice and Permafrost; *ARCTIC REGIONS); *ARCTIC OCEAN); (*ICE; (*WEATHER FORECASTING; OBSERVATION AIRCRAFT; ICE ISLANDS; SEA WATER; POLAR REGIONS; TERRAIN; FLIGHT PATHS; VISUAL INSPECTION; NAVIGATIONAL AIDS; RADAR NAVIGATION; PLOTTING BOARDS; DATA PROCESSING; MAPPING; PERIODIC VARIATIONS; TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT; SEA ICE; BIRDS EYE PROJECT; C-121 AIRCRAFT; Arctic; Arctic Ocean; Chukchi Sea; Arctic Basin; Chukchi; Ice; permafrost; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0806780; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0806780

Data collected by the ice observers from the U. S. Naval Oceanographic Office on polar research flights known as BIRDS EYE missions are contained in this report covering the eighth mission of 1966 (BE 8-66). The manner in which these data were recorded is discussed. The over-all effectiveness of the mission is included in an evaluation table. BIRDS EYE 8-66 observations were made under daylight, twilight, and moonlight conditions. Operations were scheduled to take advantage of optimum light over the arctic basin. The over-all ice concentrations of the arctic basin were ten-tenths with vast floes predominant, and the primary age was arctic pack. Most water openings were refrozen with very little open water observed. No significant leads were recorded over the arctic basin. Many new topographic features were noted. The Chukchi Sea was mostly ice free to near 73N on the 28th of October; however, it was almost completely frozen north of Cape Lisburne on the 4th of November. Although flying conditions were generally good, some middle and high cloudiness hampered ridge counts. The effectiveness of the mission was excellent. The BIRDS EYE 8-66 mission was repeated after a period of 6 days in order to record changes in concentrations, topography, and water openings that occurred when the ice was under the influence of the same general pressure systems.