Cryosphere Innovation joins Jasco Applied Sciences

In support of the NASA Arctic Radiation-Cloud-Aerosol-Surface Interaction EXperiment ([ARCSIX](https://www-air.larc.nasa.gov/missions/arcsix/index.html)), 9 SIMB3s were deployed north of Greenland between April 28th - May 5th by Chris Polashenski of the USACE Cold Regions and Research and Engineering Laboratory. 

<img src='https://d15g1rufdjpafj.cloudfront.net/documentation/media/97525dfa-15ff-4c91-8549-9fc965a631f6_Screenshot_2024-05-13_at_7.42.28_PM.png' width='800'/>

The SIMB3s were configured with experimental non-standard sensor suites. There are two variations: 

- SIMB3 V4 ARCSIX: [SIMB3 2024J](https://www.cryosphereinnovation.com/deployment/301434060407490), [SIMB3 2024K](https://www.cryosphereinnovation.com/deployment/301434060400500), [SIMB3 2024M](https://www.cryosphereinnovation.com/deployment/301434060406510), [SIMB3 2024N](https://www.cryosphereinnovation.com/deployment/301434060049130), [SIMB3 2024Q](https://www.cryosphereinnovation.com/deployment/301434060106870)
- SIMB3 V4 ARCSIX with SnowTatos: [SIMB3 2024L](https://www.cryosphereinnovation.com/deployment/301434060104850), [SIMB3 2024O](https://www.cryosphereinnovation.com/deployment/300434066151880), [SIMB3 2024P](https://www.cryosphereinnovation.com/deployment/301434060108860), [SIMB3 2024R](https://www.cryosphereinnovation.com/deployment/301434060108870)

Each configuration is the same as the SIMB3 V4 **except**:
- **All 9** have upward and downward facing Apogee pyranometers measuring incident and reflected sunlight (see pic below).
- **All 9** only have a top section temperature string (80 sensors measuring air->snow->ice->ocean).
- **All 9** have the underwater rangefinder located approximately 1 meter lower on the hull, extending the thickness of ice the buoy can measure. 
- **4 of the 9** (SIMB3 V4 ARCSIX with SnowTatos) are equipped with an experimental radio datalogger system that collects ```surface_distance``` measurements from 10 nodes distributed around the buoy. The nodes are not GPS located. 

<img src='https://d15g1rufdjpafj.cloudfront.net/documentation/media/852479ed-852e-4d75-8611-c9c816be5be4_simb3-w-snowpods.jpg' width='800'/>

On the left, an SIMB3 with attached Apogee albedometer. On the right, an SnowTatos remote node with an ice-facing rangefinder for measuring snow heterogeneity. 

More details about the ARCSIX version buoys will be added to the documentation in the following weeks. In the meantime, please [contact us](https://www.cryosphereinnovation.com/contact) with any questions you have.

9 SIMB3s deployed north of Greenland

From March 17-19th 2024, 8 SIMB3s were deployed in the Beaufort Sea by Chris Polashenski of the USACE Cold Regions and Research and Engineering Laboratory. 

The 8 deployments are: 

[SIMB3 2024B](https://www.cryosphereinnovation.com/deployment/301434060403510), [SIMB3 2024C](https://www.cryosphereinnovation.com/deployment/301434060406500), [SIMB3 2024D](https://www.cryosphereinnovation.com/deployment/301434060405490), [SIMB3 2024E](https://www.cryosphereinnovation.com/deployment/301434060407510),  [SIMB3 2024F](https://www.cryosphereinnovation.com/deployment/301434060409480),  [SIMB3 2024G](https://www.cryosphereinnovation.com/deployment/300434066150890),  [SIMB3 2024H](https://www.cryosphereinnovation.com/deployment/301434060405500),  [SIMB3 2024I](https://www.cryosphereinnovation.com/deployment/301434060402500)

<img height='300' width='800' class='mx-auto' src='https://d15g1rufdjpafj.cloudfront.net/documentation/media/45a4d333-e940-4133-943b-3d885860b9b7_simb3-photo.jpg'/>

All of the instruments deployed are standard configuration [V4 SIMB3s](https://www.cryosphereinnovation.com/docs/simb3-sensors) and data is open source and free for public download.

8 SIMB3s deployed in the Beaufort Sea

From February 7-11, we conducted a series of upgrades to our Iridium Short Burst Data backend. During this period, real-time decoding was temporarily offline for durations of 2-6 hours, resulting in temporary message gaps for deployed instruments.

<AlertBanner status={'info'} icon='⚠️'>
If you downloaded data from active deployments during this period, we recommend redownloading to ensure there are no message gaps.
</AlertBanner>

**Note: This outage only affected actively transmitting deployments.**

The objective of these planned upgrades was to enhance our systems to better accommodate various instrument types with diverse data requirements and visualization needs. This is crucial for new <Link href={'/simb3'}>SIMB3s</Link> with non-standard instrument suites, as well as other instruments we are integrating into our platform.

## Key upgrades include
### ☁️ Dynamic Cloud-based Short-Burst Data (SBD) Message Decoding

Historically, mapping Iridium SBD binary to human-readable data has been challenging. Now, script definition, iteration, and testing can be performed directly in the browser. Once a script is created, it can be assigned to an instrument, enabling instantaneous mapping of message binary to database fields whenever a message is received.

Users can even upload a sample message to validate the decoding process. Gone are the days of tinkering with scripts locally and hoping for the best!

More details on this feature will be published soon. For now, to learn more about this feature or how it could benefit you, <Link href={'/contact'}>please reach out!</Link>.

### ⚡️ Improved Data Model for Generalized Real-Time Data

While our system has historically prioritized Iridium SBD, which is the message system used for SIMB3, we now have a more versatile real-time data model and API capable of natively supporting other message systems beyond Iridium SBD.

### Other Bug Fixes & Improvements
- Rectified duplicate data issues with several active deployments (including <Link href='/deployment/300434066157890'>SIMB3 2023A</Link>, <Link href='/deployment/300434066150890'>SIMB3 2023G</Link>, and <Link href='/deployment/300434066159880'>ArcWatch SIMB3 2023E</Link>).
- Addressed an issue causing frequent user logouts.
- Corrected a problem with the MATLAB Instant Query snippet on the deployment page.
- Added a status indicator to the footer to display the status of our real-time data system.

Data backend updates, tweaks, & bug fixes

Two SIMB3s equipped with conductivity, temperature, and depth (pressure) sensors were deployed in Central Arctic during ArcWatch by the Alfred Wegener Institute. 

The deployments are:
-  <Link href='/deployment/300434064564590-2'>ArcWatch SIMB3 CTD 2023 #1</Link>
-  <Link href='/deployment/300434064565670-2'>ArcWatch SIMB3 CTD 2023 #2</Link>

The SIMB3s deployed were previously deployed as <Link href='/deployment/300434064564590'>AWI 2022 #1</Link> and <Link href='/deployment/300434064565670'>AWI 2022 #2</Link>. Each are equipped with <Link href='/docs/simb3-ctd'>custom made CTDs</Link> located in the bottom section of the buoy, approximately 2 meters below the bottom of the ice. 

<img src='https://d15g1rufdjpafj.cloudfront.net/documentation/media/98ccdef3-ef8f-434b-a21c-f42b685a316e_2023I8_photo.jpg' width='1000px' height='500px'/>
Photo courtesy of <Link href='https://data.meereisportal.de/download/buoys/photos/2023I8_deployment.pdf'>Meereisportal</Link>

2 CTD SIMB3s Deployed during ArcWatch

An SIMB3 V4 was deployed at 79.40N latitude, -149.96 W longitude on September 25. Data is flowing <Link href='/deployment/300434066150890'>here</Link>. We will update the webpage with initial conditions as we recieve them from the field.

SIMB3 2023G Deployed in the Central Arctic

An SIMB3 V4 was deployed at 78.98N latitude, -140.78 W longitude on September 23. Data is flowing <Link href='/deployment/300434066255600'>here</Link>. We will update the webpage with initial conditions as we recieve them from the field.

SIMB3 2023F Deployed in the Central Arctic

You can now sort your pinned deployments on your dashboard by clicking the "organize" button and dragging the cards into your desired order.

Organize pinned deployments on dashboard

3 more version 4 (integrated temp string) SIMB3s were deployed in the Central Arctic as part of the ArcWatch expedition. We're awaiting details back from the field but everything appears to have gone smoothly.

You can check out each of these deployments here: <Link href='/deployment/300434066151920'>SIMB3 2023C</Link>, <Link href='/deployment/300434066254600'>SIMB3 2023D</Link>, and <Link href='/deployment/300434066159880'>SIMB3 2023E</Link>.

4 more V4 SIMB3s deployed in Central Arctic

Dr. Joo-hong Kim of the Korean Polar Institute deployed the first 4th generation SIMB3 in the Beaufort Sea this past Thursday (August 10th). The deployment went smoothly and the data is flowing and available <Link href={'/deployment/300434066157890'}>here</Link>. We'll update the webpage with initial conditions as we receive them from the field.

<img height='300' width='600' src='https://d15g1rufdjpafj.cloudfront.net/documentation/media/cdb0a44a-9946-4c0a-988e-b41d9fac6e12_SIMB3-V4.jpg'/>
<span className='text-sm -mt-'>Photo courtesy of Dr. Joo-Hong Kim</span>

First V4 SIMB3 Deployed in the Beaufort Sea

Starting in 2023, all NSF/CRREL SIMB3 deployments will have the format "YEAR SIMB3X", where X is a letter that designates the order the SIMB3 was deployed in. 

For example,  <Link href='/deployment/300434066151920'>SIMB3 2023C</Link>, <Link href='/deployment/300434066254600'>SIMB3 2023D</Link>, and <Link href='/deployment/300434066159880'>SIMB3 2023E</Link>.

We hope this will make these deployments and their data easier to find and more standardized moving forward. It will also avoid funky artifacts our old naming convention, like <Link href='/deployment/300434065651330'>Dartmouth 2021 #9</Link> being deployed in 2023!

SIMB3 naming convention changed for 2023

We've developed a custom temperature string to replace the Bruncin string that has been standard on SIMB3 since 2016. 

The new string is composed of two separate sections that are attached directly to the hull. The strings meet in the middle when the buoy is assembled, maintaining continuous 2 cm spacing down the length. This design will greatly improve the survivability of the string by removing the need for it to be flexible.

All SIMB3 shipping in 2023 will have this string, and SIMB3s with it are designated "SIMB3 V4"

Updates & Changes

Find the latest changes we've made to our hardware, software, and website here.