“In this photo, I’m preparing drifting buoys for deployment. This was my main responsibility aboard the RV Falkor (too), during a 27-day research expedition in October 2025 exploring the Malvinas Current, an ocean current that runs alongside Argentina. The expedition included biologists, geologists and physical oceanographers such as myself; I’m a PhD candidate at the Sea and Atmosphere Research Center (CIMA) in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The buoys allow us to see what is really happening in the ocean. Each one contains a battery pack and GPS unit housed inside a tube, which is tightly secured using polystyrene foam. Attached to the bottom is a ‘drogue’, an object that provides resistance in the water and ensures that the buoy drifts with the general oceanic current. Without a drogue, measurements would be chaotic.
We assembled the buoys on board because the components are fragile. I painted them yellow, for visibility, checked parts, including the GPS connections and batteries, and made sure that the screw caps were perfectly closed.
