Nine melt ponds distributed between four stations located in Navy Board Inlet, Barrow Strait, and Resolute Passage were sampled during the joint NETCARE/ArcticNet research cruise conducted in July 2014 on board the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Amundsen (Station 1: 73°31.656, -80°59.385, Station 2: 74°16.774, - 91°37.990, Station 3: 74°14.274, -92°11.808 and Station 4: 74°36.217, -94°54.611). Additional surrounding ice sampling was only possible at three of the stations (1, 3 and 4). Measurements of sea ice and snow thickness, along with sea-ice freeboard were conducted within a 3 metre distance of the melt ponds on July 18 for Station 1, July 21 for Station 3 and July 23 for Station 4. Two ice cores for sea-ice temperature and salinity measurements were extracted at every Ice Station. Sampling at Station 2 took place on July 20. Melt pond depth, length and width were determined as well as melt pond temperature and salinity. For each sampling location, the maximum pond fraction was estimated. Chlorophyll a, bacterial abundances and microscopic identification of eucaryotic cells were performed. Replicate samples for total dimethylsufoniopropionate (DMSP) (DMSPt), dissolved DMSP (DMSPd) and DMS measurements were collected from the melt ponds. In addition to this, the pathways of in situ DMS production in melt ponds were examined via three 24 hour incubation experiments using stable isotopes with melt ponds water from three stations (1, 3 and 4).
