Glaciologist Dr Richard Bates, of the Scottish Oceans Institute at the University of St. Andrews, pulls up a CTD probe in front of Humboldt glacier. He uses the device to takes 'casts' which measure temperature, water pressure, current direction, salinity and turbidity in the fjord. Dr Bates makes 'casts' by dropping the CTD probe (standing for Conductivity Temp Depth) into the fjord and pulling it back up at a slow speed.
The data recorded by the probe is later downloaded into computer software plotting accurate measurements of the ocean characteristics at the front of Humboldt glacier. This will give a data set that describes the oceanic conditions at the time other melting and movement occurs, measured by other devices installed on the glacier itself, by Bate's colleagues.