A first survey was conducted in and around EL446 onboard the CCGS Amundsen from 16 July to 30 July, 2009. A total of 21 biophysical stations were sampled, involving 25 box core deployments and 18 Agassiz trawl tows. In addition, the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) was deployed once (station 10) for epibenthos observation. A second survey was conducted in EL449 and EL451 onboard the CCGS Amundsen from 12 August to 26 August, 2010. A total of 18 biophysical stations were sampled, comprising 25 box core deployments and 18 Agassiz trawl tows. A third survey was conducted in EL451 and EL453 onboard the CCGS Amundsen from 7 September to 22 September 2011. A total of 13 biophysical stations were sampled, comprising 18 box core deployments and 13 Agassiz trawl tows. The box core was deployed to quantitatively sample diversity and abundance of endobenthic organisms. After retrieval of the box core, a subsample of about 0.125 m2 area and 12-15 cm depth was collected and passed through a 0.5 mm mesh sieve to separate sediment from endofauna. Organisms were immediately preserved in a 4% buffered formaldehyde solution for further taxonomical identification in the laboratory. The volume of sediments sieved from each box core was measured (depth × width × length) to the nearest 1 cm to estimate endobenthic fauna density in each sample. An Agassiz trawl (1.5 m width × 0.7 m height, cod end of 0.5 cm mesh size) was towed on the seabed at a speed of 1.5 - 2 knots for about 3 to 5 minutes to survey epibenthic species diversity and abundance. Retrieved samples were washed with seawater in a sieve (0.5 mm mesh), and organisms were counted and identified to the lowest taxonomical level possible.

Sea ice drift data were obtained from an array of ten ice beacons and one ice mass balance buoy launched from the CCGS Amundsen in the marginal ice zone of the southern Beaufort Sea in September, 2009. From this array, four triangular configurations were selected, hereinafter referred to as triplets A to D, to monitor sea ice deformation with initial inter-beacon distances of approximately 11, 11, 11.5, and 7 km for the shortest leg, and 15, 37, 11.5, and 12.5 km for the longest leg, respectively. Triplets A to D were deployed on multiyear ice (MYI) and labeled according to their proximity to the continental coastline, with Triplet A located closest to the coastline and then sequentially further away through to Triplet D. Position coordinates were available for all beacons in: Triplet A until October 6th; Triplet B until November 4th; Triplet C until November 25th, and Triplet D until November 3rd, yielding time intervals with durations of 28, 56, 77, and 59 days, respectively.

During the ArcticNet annual cruises of the research icebreaker CCGS Amundsen, characteristics of the surface sea water (temperature, salinity, dissolved CO2 and O2) are monitored in conjunction with properties of the near-surface atmosphere (basic meteorological elements, incident radiation, CO2 concentration) to observe the relationship between the surface microclimate and the air-sea exchange, with particular interest in CO2. Central to this integrated dataset is an under-way sea water pCO2 system (General Oceanics 8050) attached to the ship's clean water intake. The following variables were measured continuously and logged at 1 minute intervals: -pCO2sw (LI7000 gas analyzer) -Equilibrator water temperature -conductivity -pH -dissolved O2

The meteorological observatory Polarstern continuously acquires meteorological parameters during times of ship operation. Measurements are taken on various locations on the vessel, instrument heights above sea level are given below. All data is quality controlled. Measurements are checked daily on board by the operator and again prior to publication. Knowingly affected or erroneous data is removed.

Sediment cores were collected onboard the CCGS Amundsen during ArcticNet cruise 0502 (2005) using a box corer, penetrating the seafloor to a maximum of 50 cm. Samples were stored in a freezer (- 20 °C) onboard the Amundsen until the end of the cruise, then shipped to the Freshwater Institute (FWI), where they were maintained in storage at - 20 °C. Subsamples were processed at the University of Victoria Marine Micropaleontology Laboratory in October-November 2010. A gentle version of the standard palynological protocol was applied to oven-dried samples of known volume. Steps are as follows: (1) add 10 % hydrochloric acid in room temperature; (2) sieve with distilled water through a 120 micrometre and a 15 micrometre nitex mesh, retaining the fraction in between; (3) add 48% hydrofluoric acid in room temperature for 2-4 days followed by 20 minutes in 10 % hydrochloric acid; (4) sieve through precise 15 micrometre mesh with gentle sonication for 10-60 seconds. The final residue of samples was placed in sealed storage vials and stored in + 4 °C. Aliquots of residue were mounted in glycerine jelly on microscopic slides with cover slips. Dinoflagellate cysts are studied primarily with Zeiss Standard 20 microscope under bright-field oil-immersion and 500X and 1000X magnifications. At least 300 dinoflagellate cysts species and cyst types will be identified on each slide together with pollen, freshwater algae and other palynomorphs.