6 October 2026
The work, carried out in September by the Oceanography Group of IFOP’s Environment Department, enabled the collection of oceanographic data and onboard dissolved oxygen analysis across a vast area stretching from Reloncaví Sound to San Rafael Lagoon.
Castro, Chiloé. Between September 3 and 22, 2026, professionals from the Oceanography Group at the Putemún Research Center—part of the Environment Department of the Fisheries Development Institute (IFOP)—conducted the “Patagonia Norte 2026” oceanographic cruise. This scientific campaign aimed to gather data on the oceanographic conditions of the southern channels and fjords.
The team—comprising Patricio Salas, Marcela Arriagada, Sebastián Sepúlveda, and Luis Avello from IFOP’s Putemún Research Center—traversed the inland waters of Chiloé and areas within the Aysén Region. Departing from and returning to Dalcahue, the campaign covered the Reloncaví, Comau, Quitralco, Puyuhuapi, and Aysén fjords; the Elefantes, Moraleda, and Jacaf channels; and San Rafael Lagoon.
A key highlight was the onboard analysis of dissolved oxygen using the Winkler method, performed by Sebastián Sepúlveda. Samples were collected using Niskin bottles at various stations and depths. These analyses complemented the temperature, salinity, and oxygen profiles obtained via CTDO equipment.
Samples were also collected for nutrient, chlorophyll, and pH analysis. Additionally, the team carried out tasks involving the recovery of oceanographic equipment and data downloading.
Data feeding the CHONOS oceanographic system
The data obtained during these campaigns contribute to IFOP’s CHONOS oceanographic information system—a platform that aggregates and provides access to oceanographic data generated through field observations and modeling tools.
In this way, the measurements taken during the Patagonia Norte cruise help expand and strengthen the oceanographic data record for Chilean Patagonia, providing information that can be used to understand, monitor, and analyze the environmental conditions of southern channels and fjords.
“Patricio Salas, the cruise leader, noted that the work carried out during this campaign allows for data collection from various perspectives of the oceanographic system. We not only measure variables such as temperature, salinity, and oxygen, but also collect water samples to determine chemical and biological characteristics, in addition to retrieving data from equipment that had been deployed for months. All of this enables us to build a more comprehensive picture of the dynamics of these ecosystems and contribute new data to the CHONOS system.”
The campaign is part of the project “Monitoring and Modeling of the Spatial and Temporal Variability of Oceanographic Processes in Southern Channels and Fjords, 2026–2027.”
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