Measurements of water temperature, spectral irradiance (amount of sunlight), density and salt concentration from lakes in the Taylor and Wright Valley

Previous work on Lakes Vanda and Bonney in the Wright and Taylor Valleys respectively found that the lakes were density stratified owing to a high salt concentration which increased downwards and that temperatures well above the mean annual air temperature existed. It was proposed to extend measurements of salt concentration and temperature to other lakes and to take measurements more intensively in those already investigated.

Measurements of water temperature, spectral irradiance (amount of sunlight), density and salt concentration were measured by drilling a hole through the surface ice and lowering instruments into the lakes. Water samples were obtained from various depths by pumping water through a hose. The lakes that were investigated include Lake Fryxell, Lake Chad, Lake Bonney and Lake Diana in the Taylor Valley, Lake Vanda, Lake Canopus and Don Juan Pond in the Wright Valley.