Alpha Ridge Island is interpreted to represent the cratonward extension of the Alpha Ridge. The Alpha Ridge is part of the High Arctic Large Igneous Province. Alpha Ridge The Alpha Ridge is a major volcanic ridge under the Arctic Ocean between the Canada Basin (off Ellesmere Island) and the Lomonosov Ridge. It was active during the formation of the Amerasian Basin. It was discovered in 1963. The highest elevation is about 2,700 m over the ocean floor. It is 200 to 450 km wide. The Alpha Ridge, Lomonosov Ridge, and Nansen-Gakkel Ridge are the three major ranges that divide the Arctic Ocean
Nansen bottle Nansen bottle A Nansen bottle is a device for obtaining samples of seawater at a specific depth. It was designed in 1894 by Fridtjof Nansen and further developed by Shale Niskin in 1966. The bottle, more precisely a metal or plastic cylinder, is lowered on a cable into the ocean, and when it has reached the required depth, a brass weight called a "messenger" is dropped down the cable. When the weight reaches the bottle, the impact tips the bottle upside down and trips a spring-loaded valve at the end, trapping the water sample inside. The bottle and sample are