“Mesoscale eddies have the potential to significantly influence the structure and transport of boundary currents like the East Greenland Current, as well as sea ice coverage. However, their roles in this region, particularly between Denmark Strait and Fram Strait, remain insufficiently understood. During the multidisciplinary E(ddies)GC cruise, we will investigate how these eddies might affect sea ice and the currents’ transport of volume, heat, and salt, along with their impacts on biogeochemical and carbon cycles through eddy-current interactions. We will also study how these eddies trap, carry, and transfer microplastics within the currents’ domains, and how these interactions influence microplastic distribution at larger scale. Satellite data and model outputs will guide an adaptive sampling strategy for the cruise, which will count on state-of-the-art sensors and extended deployments of autonomous gliders. The observations we collect will then feed back into model evaluation and improvement, targeting enhanced model performance. This integrated approach will deepen our understanding of Arctic boundary currents and their connections to the broader climate system, helping to improve both short-term forecasts and long-term predictions. We are very grateful for the support of the Aquarius Consortium, the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, and the crew of the research vessel Árni Friðriksson, without whom this work would not be possible.”

Flanders Marine Institute