The Nansen bottle, invented in 1910, has been widely replaced by the Niskin bottle and is no longer manufactured commercially. The photo on the left is taken from a report of Fridtjof Nansen's work. It shows a Nansen bottle being prepared for sampling. The top of the bottle (not visible) is already clamped to the wire; the scientist attaches the bottom clamp of the bottle.

When the target depth is reached a metal weight (the "messenger") comes down the wire and releases the clamp at the top. The bottle turns over and now hangs upside down from the bottom clamp. This action closes the bottle. (The rod between the bottle and the wire is part of the closing mechanism for the top end.)

A frame at the front of the bottle (not very clearly visible between bottle and scientist in the photo) holds up to three reversing thermometers. They turn over (reverse) with the bottle.

Below the bottle on the wire is another messenger. It is attached to the bottom clamp and released when the bottle turns over. It then travels down the wire and operates another Nansen bottle further down in the water column.

© 1949 Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD: "Richard V. Meade attaching Nansen Bottle to cable" Scripps Institution of Oceanography Photographic Laboratory, Negative 46 (1949), reproduced by permission

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