Monday, November 5, 2007
Weather From the Bridge
Temperature: 19.76
Humidity: 79.96
Wind Speed: 4.81
Barometric Pressure: 1013.74
THE FINAL ENTRY FROM THE OCEAN
It's difficult to believe that this will be my final entry from the equatorial Pacific! We are packing up the main lab and are scheduled to disembark tomorrow morning in the Galapagos Islands to begin our journey home. It has been a truly remarkable 30 days for me out here on the open waters, a unique adventure and one that I'll never forget. The scientists on the trip were so willing to include me in their experiments and conversations, and so willing to answer all of my questions. The officers and crew of the RONALD H. BROWN opened up their home so that I could join this amazing group to observe, participate, listen and learn-- many thanks and best of luck on your next four very long legs!! Many thanks also go NOAA's Teacher at Sea Program!! If you have any interest at all in oceanography, marine fisheries, or our amazing atmosphere I would suggest making a visit to their site and thinking about applying for next year!! http://teacheratsea.noaa.gov/
A few things I learned about life at sea:
1. Bring EVERYTHING you think you might need, and if you know you need it bring two or three!
2. Improvise, adapt and overcome!
3. You must be prepared to lose ANYTHING you put over the side into the ocean.
Thanks to everyone at TCS for holding down the fort in fifth grade during my absence. Special thanks go to Heather Kaplan for updating the blog every day, Ms. Klimkosky for her weakly Oceans 101 lessons that matched what I was doing out on the open ocean and Ms. Sara Hutchings for coming out of retirement so I wouldn't have to worry !
And so- Jasmine, Noah, Isabel, Mete, Margaret, Ben, Amanda, Nick, Hayley, Wyatt, Brianna, Sam, Xajnill, Jeremy, Nathan and Austin- I'll see you at school bright and early next Tuesday morning! I have more to share with you than I ever thought possible!!
Lastly, to my amazing family for keeping my affairs in check, watching Charles the dog even though she lost a huge battle with a skunk, and securing the drainpipes on my house during the stellar storm that I missed this weekend... many thanks!!!
I'll leave you with an interesting quotation from Jacques Cousteau- "The sea, once it casts its spell, holds on in its net of wonder forever."
Friday, November 2, 2007
Weather From the Bridge
Temperature: 17.5
Humidity: 74.07
Wind Speed: 6.87 meters/second
Barometric Pressure: 1018.03
Swell Height: 8-10 feet
SCIENCE LOG
The buoys have been deployed, recovered, and checked for accuracy, so I suppose you could say we're on our way home. However, that does not mean that the work has been completed in the main lab of the RONALD H BROWN. Simon, Chris and Sergio are still collecting many sets of data from their instruments that have been attached to the mast, a couple of containers, and some wooden posts attached to the side of the ship. Sean is VERY busy dumping the data from the 45 instruments recovered off of Stratus 7 as well as heading up the watch for the UCTD. Frank continues his work with the many radiometers, cloud cover pictures, and he and Chris are testing experimenting with a platform that's been in the works for the past five years that will take into consideration the motion of the ship with three of their radiometers. Nan continues her quest to write programs that will show all of the data collected just right. Lisan has been working to plot and compare the data from our balloon launchings to the satellites as well as the shipboard data. Carmen, Luis and Jorge continue with their analysis of current hydrographic conditions off the coast of South America and its relation to the climatology. Jeff continues to deploy floats and drifters as he gets everything packed up so it's all ready for him when the ship arrives in San Diego. Russell and James continue to monitor their DART Buoy that was deployed yesterday to ensure all communications are happening as scheduled! And finally, our Chief Scientist Bob Weller continues to lead the entire group in a very quiet and unassuming manner. The evidence of his leadership is seen in the work that is completed by the entire science party! Well done!!
PERSONAL LOG
We are currently steaming toward the Galapagos Islands. From what I understand this is an awesome place to visit!! I'm really looking forward to witnessing first hand all of the wild life on the island. I'm sure I'll add many, many more pics to my current stash of about 3,000! The following sites are a great source of information about the Galapagos.
http://www.darwinfoundation.org/en/library/children/kids
http://www.gct.org/jun_home.html
I was also able to take a tour of the engine room today! It was absolutely fascinating!! Can you believe that the RONALD H BROWN holds up to 276,000 gallons of diesel fuel?! How would you like to fill that tank at $3.00 a gallon?? There are 6 generators that power the ship, and when I was down there 3 of them were on. Our seas today are a bit rough so in order to keep up the speed for a smoother ride, three of them will run and we will use over 2,000 gallons of fuel in the next 24 hours!
I've had my eye on the weather at home of course, and it's looking like it will be a messy day on Cape Cod tomorrow. Hurricane Noel is barreling up the coastline, and its latest track should take it off the coast of the Cape tomorrow morning and into the afternoon. I hope to hear from a few people on how it actually looks up there tomorrow. I would usually be out in the middle of it trying to capture the perfect picture!
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Weather on the Bridge
Temperature: 17.5
Humidity:71.9
Wind Speed: 11.6 meters/second
Barometric Pressure:1018.52
Swell Height: 8-10 feet
SCIENCE LOG
It's still busy out here on the RONALD H BROWN! Russell and James just orchestrated the deployment of a DART Buoy! DART Buoys are strategically placed throughout the oceans of the world in order to detect seismic activity that may trigger tsunami formation. The deployment procedure was quite similar to the Stratus. However, the DART buoy does not require any instrumentation be attached to its mooring line. Therefore, the buoy went over the starboard side, the line was attached 4,000 meters of line was let out over the capstan, and the anchor was dropped. After the anchor reaches the bottom of the ocean and the buoy is settled in place, the bottom pressure recorder (BPR) which communicates with the buoy will be deployed off the fantail. This buoy will last somewhere in the neighborhood of 18 months, and the BPR will be serviced every two years. As of this writing, the BPR has dropped 1,500 meters and is sending back its position on an x,y axis every two minutes.(see picture in margin) Russell and James have been in constant communication with the buoy and BPR, and from this point on the buoy will be on watch for tsunamis so it can give vital information in order to help save lives! It turns out that one of the channels was not communicating from the buoy. James went out on a little boat ride with his laptop, climbed onto the buoy and was able to fix the communications! Way to go James!! I should also note that today's deployment is a new site for a DART Buoy. Historically, Chile has been hit by a tsunami about every 100 years. This buoy should help with the pre-warning system for the country. If you'd like more information on tsunamis and the DART program, please visit some of the following sites.
http://www.tsunami.org/students.html
http://ndbc.noaa.gov/dart.shtml
http://ndbc.noaa.gov/dart/dart.shtml
PERSONAL LOG
I hope you all had a fantastic Halloween! We had some carved gourds, a few costumes, and some candy on the ship last night! I added a few Halloween shots below, including one of my niece and nephews from last night!! I hope they are planning on saving me some candy for when I come home!!
I have been looking back over the past couple of weeks and realizing this trip is quickly coming to an end. I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 3,000 pictures and five hours of video to go through upon my return so I can create a story with my students. Together, we will go through them and figure a way to best tell the tale of this Teacher at Sea journey.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Weather From the Bridge
Temperature: 17.35
Humidity: 76.78
Wind Speed: 10.83
Barometric Pressure: 1022.46
SCIENCE LOG
WOW!!
We have had an amazing few days out here on the RONALD H BROWN! Since I last posted, we have deployed the Stratus 8 buoy and recovered the Stratus 7 buoy. Our story began on Saturday morning at 7:30 on the fantail. As a group, we needed to get the buoy, 4,400 meters of line and about 45 instruments onto the mooring. My job- to capture everything on film. I took about 500 pictures and an hour and a half of video as there was a flurry of activity on the fantail. It was truly remarkable to witness such precision and teamwork as Stratus '07 was deployed. From the pics, you can see how many people are needed to make the deployment go smoothly. We had one on the winch, two on tuggers, one on the A-frame, two on the lines, five helping with line transfers and putting on "diapers" to protect the hardware, and Jeff running the show like a pro! Each instrument was attached to the mooring line individually. Therefore, as an instrument approached we had to tie off the mooring line to the deck of the ship, attach the instrument, reattach the line to the winch, and continue putting it out. When the acoustic release was attached and the anchor released from the end of the fantail, there was an enormous splash and a sigh of relief as the 88 glass balls went under. We could just see the buoy on the horizon moving toward the ship as the 9,000 pound anchor brought it into place.
Monday morning we awoke early again and met out on the fantail! Our job- the opposite of Saturday... We needed to recover the Stratus Buoy that has been collecting data for the past year. Interestingly enough, the process was pretty much a reversal of our procedure on Saturday... Up first- the acoustic release device dropped the anchor and we waited and watched for the appearance of 96 glass balls to bring the instruments to the surface. James spotted them first off in the distance. The small boat was sent over to herd them to the ship. Once they were on board, the line was attached to the winch and up it came. The setup was the same... one on the winch, two on tuggers, one on the A-frame, two on the lines, five helping with line transfers and putting on "diapers" to protect the hardware, and Jeff, again, running the show like a pro! The line from the bottom of the ocean was VERY clean, as were the lowest of the instruments. Then we started getting into the instruments from the photic zone.... The photic zone is the layer of the ocean that receives enough sunlight for photosynthesis to occur. Because of this, the gooseneck barnacles were able to thrive on many of the instruments and the buoy! From the pictures, you can see the gooseneck barnacles covering many of the instruments. A few of the instruments had also been entangled in fishing line. This section of the Pacific Ocean is know for its plentiful fishing, and there is also a thought that there was more fouling due to the current La Nina event. After the buoy and the final instrument was recovered, it was time to get down and dirty. We needed to clean each and every instrument so the data could be retrieved. It was very messy but with that same determination and teamwork, we got the job done and the instruments are all clean and pristine!!
PERSONAL LOG
If I had been home this past weekend, I would have spent the day Saturday at the Southern New England Weather Conference. Each year two of my friends and I make the trek to Boston to see what's new with the weather and hope for a promising snow day forecast for the winter! A few favorites from the past couple of years were-- Weather Models 101 with Dr. Colby, Southern New England Flooding with Mish Michaels, and lightning safety with Dr. Cooper. This year, I am very fortunate to be spending this time learning hands on about the relationship between the oceans and atmosphere and how they relate to the weather. All of the scientists on board have been very generous with their time sharing their knowledge with me so that I might pass it along to the next generation of science enthusiasts. I am very much looking forward to sharing all that I have learned with the fifth graders at Truro Central School!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!
Monday, October 29, 2007
The crew is working hard on getting the old buoy out!!!! Check back for updates Wednesday morning.
YEAH RED SOX!!!!!!!
Friday, October 26, 2007
Weather on the Bridge
Temperature: 16.8
Humidity: 81.64
Barometric Pressure: 1018.29
Wind Speed: 7.7 m/sec
Swell Height: 7-9 feet
SCIENTIFIC LOG
SEABEAM
We have arrived at the site for the Stratus Buoy. I have to say that the current Stratus Buoy looks much smaller out in the middle of the ocean than the new one looks on the deck of the ship! At about Six o'clock this morning, the ship began a scan of the ocean floor. In order to deploy the new Stratus Buoy, we need to find the perfect spot on the ocean floor. The RONALD H BROWN is equipped with the Seabeam sonar system which allows them to make a contour map of the ocean floor. We are currently in the process of mapping a 25 mile by 25 mile section of the ocean floor in order to ensure we find that perfect spot! Many of you have probably seen contour maps of the land. On those maps, there are contour lines which show the altitude of locations throughout the mapped area. There are lines used on contour maps, but colors may also be used to show these distances above sea level. The contour map that is being generated right now has lines as well as colors to show the different depths below sea level. We are looking for a spot where there aren't any hills. A nice flat valley location would work. It is a fascinating process to watch the little red ship track by on the computer screen and have a contour map emerge! Check out an atlas at your school and see if you can find a contour map of your location. How high above sea level is your school? What other topographic landmarks are around your town?
Tomorrow morning we will deploy the Stratus Buoy. I have heard it's a very long process. There will be a blog update on our weekend's work on Monday, but I will update the pictures throughout the weekend if you'd like to check out our progress! Have a great weekend!!
PERSONAL LOG
YEAH RED SOX!!! Thanks to the technology of the RONALD H BROWN, we are able to watch the score click by of the World Series games out here on the ship. I have been watching the games with some fans from Denver, so It's been interesting!! Sergio was thinking the other day that Denver was going to sweep, and last night when Denver scored in the first inning he and Simon came over to do the wave for me!! I have to admit I was very happy that we won last night, and I didn't even rub it in!!!
I just heard from my class and they were correct about the trivia question!!! Again it was:
I see with pinpoint accuracy- The answer is- Doppler Radar!- Excellent job- a homework pass has been launched to them from the Pacific Ocean!
Have a fantastic weekend!!!
GO RED SOX!!!!
GO PATS!!!!
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Weather From the Bridge:
Temperature: 16.01
Relative humidity: 73.44
Wind Speed: 3.8 m/sec
Barometric Pressure: 1016.82
Swell Height: 4-6 Feet
SCIENTIFIC LOG
Everybody loves the weather, right? Well, ok, most people love the weather. Whether it's that hope of the perfect summer day with abundant sunshine and a refreshing sea breeze along the coast, a crisp autumn day to wander through the wilderness and watch the leaves change colors, or my favorite, a bomb of a blizzard that blankets us with enough of the white stuff for at least one snow day!! Kids love to learn about the weather. We have a weather station on the roof of our school that allows us to get real time data directly from Truro Central School, as well as thousands of other stations throughout the country. We have been know to watch an Alberta Clipper form and race across the country to give us a little snow storm, or the makings of a nor'easter begin off the coast of the Carolinas and clobber us with heavy winds and rain, and a surging tide. The weather is in the news more than ever these days. There seem to be more severe weather events occurring across the globe. Is it global warming? Is it climate change? Are the habits of people having an impact on our world that will be regrettable one day? All of these questions are very difficult to answer at this point in time. Sure, you can pick up any newspaper, magazine, or watch any newscast and you'd be hard pressed to find one that didn't mention global warming or climate change. But what are the answers to all of these inquiries? Is global warming happening now? Will the rise in carbon dioxide change the ph of the ocean? Are the changes in our climate cyclical and therefore what we are experiencing is part of that cycle?
The scientists on this trip are looking for answers to those very questions. They hail from all over the globe and come out to the eastern Pacific ocean once a year to study the atmospheric conditions, how they interact with the ocean, and how that eventually may affect our weather in many areas and perhaps eventually the global climate. The Stratus 8 Buoy, which we will deploy on Saturday morning, will collect air temperature, relative humidity, long wave radiation, short wave radiation, amount of rainfall, barometric pressure, wind speed, wind direction, sea surface temperature, conductivity, salinity, and ocean currents over the first 450 meters. The buoy is the left in place for about a year to collect all of this data. This data is sent via Argo satellite four times per day. The scientists aboard the ship will digest and study that data to determine what impact all of these variables have on our climate.
If you would like to study the weather and climate with your class, here are a few websites that might be of use to you.
http://mos.org/weatherwise/
http://www.wunderground.com
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/global/global_intro.htm
PERSONAL LOG
YEAH RED SOX!! Wow, what a game it was last night! I hope my students were not awake for its entirety. A couple of logistical updates for everyone at home. We are due to arrive at the Stratus site tomorrow morning. Deployment of the buoy will happen over the weekend when there will not be any blog updates. Feel free to visit the picture site because I will continue to update that each day.
I have not received a correct answer from my class to yesterday's question as of yet. Therefore, it looks as if they need a clue....
The question was:
I can see with pinpoint accuracy.
Clue #1:
1. It depends on "weather" or not you have what it takes.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Weather From the Bridge
Temperature: 14.71
Humidity: 74.01
Wind Speed: 5.22 m/sec
Barometric Pressure: 1016.52
SCIENCE LOG
Yesterday morning Sean, Jeff, Bruce, Dave and I all headed out in the small boat in order to change out the meteorological sensors on a Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service of the Chilean Navy (SHOA) Buoy off the coast of Chile. What exactly is a SHOA Buoy, and why would we be changing meteorological sensors on it? The SHOA Buoy sits off the coast of Chile as part of an early warning detections system for tsunamis. The area of the Pacific where the buoy sits is well know for its destructive tsunamis. There are Deep- ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) Buoys located throughout the oceans as well that perform the same job. We actually have one on board and will be deploying it after we change out the Stratus Buoy. Tsunamis are formed when there is some type of disturbance on the ocean floor. These disturbances sometimes caused by earthquakes, volcanoes or land slides can produce massive ocean waves which can cause incredible amounts of damage to shorelines as well as people on those shores. The following website has great activities for kids and a wonderful frequently asked questions section: http://www.tsunami.org/students.html
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) attaches meteorological sensors to the SHOA buoy so that they can study the weather data in this location and use that data together with data from the WHOI buoy to study why stratus clouds form in the region. The two buoys are 600 miles apart but both are under the stratus clouds. The instruments are attached to the buoy, left with enough battery power for a year or so and then swapped out so that the data can be analyzed and the instruments be recalibrated for further use on other projects. It amazes me each day to see the amount of technology that is needed to study our oceans. Below you will see a diagram of the DART and SHOA set up. (Image courtesy of NOAA)
PERSONAL LOG
The crew and scientist on the RONALD H BROWN have been out at sea now for 16 days! We have seen tropical conditions with water temperatures at 30 degrees Celsius, pods of dolphins have followed us in the Pacific and we have been treated to wide assortment of tasty treats thanks to the tireless work of the crew in the galley!! I have had the opportunity to talk to my class every day via email. And today, I have a challenge for them. Anyone else is free to play along as well, but my class will have the opportunity to to work as a team and earn a night of no homework for answering the challenge question of the day. If no one is able to come up with the answer, another clue will appear in tomorrow's personal log. Are you ready to play along??? (Thanks for the brilliant suggestion Ms. Klimkosky!!)
Here is clue #1 What lets you see with pinpoint accuracy?
I am wearing my Red Sox t-shirt and hat as I support the home team from the Pacific Ocean. I'm hoping the rain in Boston holds off enough to get the game in!! GO SOX!!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Weather From the Bridge:
Temperature: 14.36
Humidity:72.16
Pressure: 1017.38
Wind Speed: 1.36 M/sec
Swell Height: 4-6 feet
SCIENCE LOG
I went on an incredibly exciting adventure today!! In fact, it was so good that it warrants a different type of blog for today. We're going to get interactive, and your job will be to either write a story about the pictures you see above or write a caption for each photograph. Partner up with a classmate and see what you can come up with. Email your stories or captions to me and I'll post some of them in my personal log in the next couple of days along with the story about what really happened. I look forward to hearing from you. The pictures will also be posted on the picture link from this site in a folder titled "Picture Story" so you can see a bigger size if that's more helpful.
PERSONAL LOG
As you can see from the pictures on the side of this blog, our cup experiment worked yesterday afternoon! We were able to send about 30 styrofoam cups down 4,000 meters beneath the surface. These cups were subject to such high pressure that their size was reduced by about 40%! The conductivity, temperature device (CTD) that was sent down with the cups tagging along, collects data each 1/2 second of the down cast and up cast. Imagine looking at the data of every 1/2 from 4,000 meters down, and 4,000 meters up! It's an amazing amount of data that needs to be studied!
Monday, October 22, 2007
Weather From the Bridge:
Temperature- 15.1
Humidity- 74.54
Pressure- 1016.82
Wind Speed- 3.19
Swell Height- 4-6 feet
SCIENCE LOG
One of my students asked me on Friday what we do with all of our time off on the weekends. I have yet to see one of the scientists take an hour off, never mind an entire day! The days on the cruise are so valuable that every minute is utilized by all. In fact, there are schedules all over the main lab. The UCTD has been cast every hour for about a week, and by midweek, it will be cast every 1/2 hour. We have been launching weather balloons every six hours, and that schedule will change upon arrival at the Stratus Buoy to incorporate 2 more launches per day. We have also been deploying drifters and Argo floats. Today's focus will be on the Adopt a Drifter Program.
On Sunday Morning at 8:20, I deployed a drifter buoy that was adopted by Ana Maria Varela's classes at St. Matthew's College in Argentina, and Todd Toth's class at Waynesboro High School, Waynesboro, PA. Anna Maria was a South American Low Level Jet Experiment (SALLJEX) teacher in the field. Please visit her logs at: http://www.ogp.noaa.gov/salljex/anamaria/index.htm Todd Toth was a NOAA Teacher in the Air in 2006. You can visit his logs at: http://teacheratsea.noaa.gov/tia/toth/index.html. The Adopt a Drifter program allows schools to follow these drifters as they track on the currents in our oceans worldwide! The Adopt a Drifter program was launched in December of 2004 when Mary Cook was the Teacher At Sea aboard the RONALD H BROWN- her log can be found here: http://www.ogp.noaa.gov/stratus/log/ The goal of the program is to give students and teachers the opportunity to observe, collect, and interpret real time data from oceans all over the world. Typically, a school from the United States is teamed up with an international school, and together, they adopt a buoy. The data from the buoys is also used by the World Meteorological Organization to track ocean currents, build weather models, and track potentially damaging land falling hurricanes. I'm looking forward to using this data upon my return to Truro Central School! Please visit-- http://www.adp.noaa.gov/ to track some drifters!
There are so many fantastic programs designed for educators to assist in making the educational experience more interactive for children. Feel free to look into some of the opportunities that the teachers in this blog posting have experienced.
PERSONAL LOG
YEAH RED SOX!!!! I'm sure most of Red Sox Nation has arrived at school this morning wishing these games began at 7 instead of 8! I know I wish they did. I have been watching the scores click by this weekend and wishing we had a satellite television feed out here to go along with our 24/7 Internet access!! Oh well, you can't have it all!! The World Series should be pretty interesting out here on the open ocean. It looks like I'll have some company for Wednesday night's series opener because Simon, Chris and Sergio all hail from Denver and would love to see their Rockies sweep the Sox!! I don't envision that happening, but you never know!!! GO SOX!!
It's looking like the cups my students spent the better part of my last day creating will head 3,000 meters down into the ocean. Why do you think we are going to sink these cups? What do you think will happen to them? Please email you thoughts about this question- MeganOLeary1@gmail.com I look forward to hearing from you. I will be posting before and after pictures on the following web site: http://picasaweb.google.com/MeganOLeary1/
Friday, October 19, 2007
Weather From the Bridge
Temperature- 18
Relative Humidity- 79.8
Barometric Pressure- 1016.1
Wind Speed- 13.4 knots
Swell Height- 4-6 feet
SCIENCE LOG
I launched my first weather balloon this morning! After Frank and I ran into a little software glitch and got a new radiosonde, we were able to get all of the instruments reading correctly and off it went. This particular balloon may travel 100,000 feet into the atmosphere before it bursts. After this happens, the radiosonde will drift toward the ground. The data that the radiosondes send back assists in local forecasting, severe weather warnings and even computer prediction models. The National Weather Service (NWS) launches about 75,000 balloons per year. Balloons are also released in other countries. In fact, as soon as the data is all in we send it out so it's available Thanks to agreements between the nations, all of this weather data is shared across the globe. Another example of how cooperation between countries is beneficial to all!!
You may be wondering why I was wearing jeans and a long sleeved shirt as I launched the weather balloon. After all, we are only 5 degrees south of the Equator. Today's temperature of 18 C, 64.4 F, doesn't seem all that tropical. In fact, that temperature is about the same as it is at Truro Central School today! How can that be? The answer- the Coriolis Effect and the wind. In the Southern Hemisphere, the Coriolis effect causes water pushed in a given direction to move off to the left as it travels. Because the winds in our location are steady and from the southeast, they push surface water to the northwest. Once that water is in motion, it moves off to the left or to the west under the influence of the Coriolis force. As this water moves away from the coast, it pulls cooler water up from below. This is probably best demonstrated using a globe. Please travel to yesterday's website on currents and there you will find a great interpretation of the Coriolis effect and how it effects pilots. Many thanks to Bob Weller for his assistance in making sense of the Coriolis Effect!
PERSONAL LOG
Happy Friday!!! Did you see the Sox game last night? I was unable to see it, but I did watch the score tick by on the Internet. There are a few scientists on board from Denver, and it would be GREAT if the Sox could play the Rockies in the World Series next week! Let's hope for the best. Another blog will appear sometime on Monday. Have a fantastic weekend!!
Thursday, October 18, 2007
SCIENCE LOG
Here we are steaming along the coast of South America in the Pacific Ocean. Why, you might ask, are we studying ocean and atmospheric conditions in the equatorial Pacific? The answer is simple and very complex at the same time. The simple answer: El Nino... But what does El Nino really mean? If you performed a Google search on El Nino, you would get somewhere in the neighborhood of 7,300,000 hits. Carmen, Lisan and I had a great chat about El Nino over dinner last night. Carmen discussed the impact it has on fishing in Peru because of the warming of the ocean. Lisan gives a presentation to school age children every summer on the topic. She agreed to share her slides with me for this blog. Many thanks to both of them for sharing their expertise so that I might take a stab at making sense to kids of all ages.
In its simplest definition, El Nino is a warming of the ocean waters of the equatorial Pacific. The opposite of which is La Nina, or a cooling of the ocean waters of the same region. The term El Nino, which means Christ Child, was first used in the 1800's by the fishermen of Peru to explain the difference in water temperature around Christmas time. Sir Gilbert Walker was a meteorologist, and in 1924 he was able to make the connections between the ocean and atmosphere that is today know as El Nino. In the 1960's, Jacob Bjerknes also noted the El Nino Southern Oscillation also known as ENSO. These two men were working without computer models, Stratus Buoys or the RONALD H BROWN to assist in conducting their research. When the waters of the equatorial Pacific are warmer than normal, it impacts the wind, the weather and ocean current. So, now that you have a little bit of background, what impact does El Nino have on our lives? It actually has a global impact. El Nino can cause drought in India, forest fires in Indonesia, bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, a drop in the number of fish off the coast of Peru, tropical fish are likely to come further north in the Pacific Ocean, a milder winter over the northern United States and a wetter winter from Texas to Florida. It is truly remarkable that a temperature difference in the equatorial Pacific could have such long reaching effects all over the globe! Because of these global implications, it is essential that scientists across the globe continue to cooperate and share thoughts and ideas so that we can figure out the VERY complex systems of the oceans and atmosphere!
The following website has a great presentation on El Nino: http://www.learningdemo.com/noaa/ Lesson 8 Ocean currents will have the presentation.
The following video clips are very short, understandable and informative on El Nino and La Nina:
El Nino- http://wbztv.com/video/?id=24134@wbz.dayport.com
La Nina- http://wbztv.com/video/?id=17029@wbz.dayport.com
PERSONAL LOG
We crossed the Equator last night!!
We've now been out at sea for 10 days! It's hard to believe it's been that long. It has been wonderful hearing from kids and teachers out here on the open ocean. Please keep all of your questions and comments coming. I was able to help Sean measure the distances from the meteorological instruments to the top of the buoy this morning. It was a great view of the ocean from up on top!! Don't worry, I had on a life jacket and always held on with at least one hand- remember 1 hand for the ship and 1 hand for you!! I am also continuing my SST project. My class will be happy to know that upon my return they will use the data to create Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and graphs! I am also on my way to a meeting so I can learn how to launch radiosondes attached to weather balloons!! More to come tomorrow....
GO SOX!!!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
SCIENTIFIC BLOG
I find the study of oceanography to be incredibly fascinating! The Upper Oceans Processing Group (UOP) at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is performing cutting edge research on the relationship between the ocean and atmosphere. The group uses meteorological and ocean current data collected from buoys strategically located and volunteer ships with meteorological sensors placed on them. The group also works on calibration of meteorological and ocean instruments as well as the new Air-Sea Interaction METeorology (ASIMET) sensors which are now available for ships and buoys.
The UOP has a few different projects they are currently focusing on, and our trip is the Stratus project. Off the coast of Chile there is a spot at about 20' south where there is a constant layer of stratus clouds. The Stratus 8 buoy, which we will deploy, will take real time measurements for one year. While out in the Pacific for a year, the buoy will measure sea surface temperature, air temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, wind speed and direction, short and long wave radiation and temperature. This data will be sent back via satellite so that it can be studied. Below the surface of the ocean, the buoy will also have current meters and temperature and conductivity devices attached to the mooring lines. These instruments will collect temperature and salinity of the ocean water. This data will also be sent back throughout the year. Please visit
http://uop.whoi.edu/projects/Stratus/stratusdetails.htm for a more detailed description. (Information courtesy of WHOI)
PERSONAL BLOG
Why do Birds Migrate?
As we are traveling south to perform our scientific research, the birds are traveling south toward their winter homes. When we work out back on the fantail, it's not unusual to see many birds flying along with the ship. In fact, many of them take up residence on the ship for a period of time for a little rest and relaxation. With your class, research a bird from your home area and determine whether or not they are a migratory species. If they migrate, where do they go? How long do they stay? How do you think the birds know where to go year after year? When can you expect their return?
The following is a great site: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/MigratoryBirds/
A great article: http://www.wickedlocal.com/brewster/homepage/x428369793
Migration game: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/MigratoryBirds/Education/Kids_Stuff/Woth_game
FYI- We have almost traveled 2,000 NM on our trip so far. Find a location that is 2,000 NM away from your school and let me know where that is... You can reach me at MeganOLeary1@gmail.com
THE PANAMA CANAL
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
SCIENCE LOG
After traveling through the canal last night, we welcomed seven scientists to the RONALD H BROWN for the next leg of the trip. They were brought to the ship from Rodman, Panama, and have begun to settle in. Our chief scientist, Bob Weller, is very pleased that we are able to share this cruise with scientists from Ecuador and Peru. Luis Morales, from the Oceanographic Institution and the Ecuadorian Navy will be studying the El Nino event. Carmen Grados, a physical oceanographer from Peru, will also be working on El Nino research. Jorge Piana is a Naval Officer working with the tsunami stations off the coast of Peru. Lisan Yu, from WHOI, will be working with global flux and crunching the numbers from the reference data on the buoys throughout the trip. Last but not least, Chris Fairal and Simon DeSzoeke are aboard to work with atmospheric sampling by launching radiosondes. It is important for oceanographers around the world to collaborate on projects such this so that all of the information can be shared throughout. I am really looking forward to working with all of these scientists and sending back lesson ideas for you to use in your classroom from the work we do on the RONALD H BROWN!
PERSONAL LOG
I had a blog planned for today on migratory birds and their patterns, but that can wait until tomorrow. After spending most of the night up last night going through the Panama Canal, I changed my mind. Even though we went through at night, it truly was a remarkable experience! We started off right after sunset with a pilot boarding the ship. As we approached the canal entrance, the anticipation was building throughout the ship. Many people were gathered on the bow looking at the beginning of the Gatun Lock. After we hooked up to the mules, we were off. The Gatun Lock takes you about 85 feet above the sea level into Gatun Lake. Each time you enter a lock, the doors close and the lock fills up with water to bring you to a higher level. It is interesting to note that there are no pumps used in this process. The locks fill with water because of the setup of dams in the lake. This canal has been operating like this since it opened on August 15, 1914! After traveling through Gatun lake for about an hour, I was off for a very short nap. Up again at 4:00 AM to go out and witness the trek through the Miraflores Lock! Across the way was the largest ship I have ever seen. It was a car carrier headed from the Pacific to the Atlantic. It's difficult to tell from the pictures because it was so dark, but the ship might have had 10-15 inch clearance on either side of the lock. Below is a link to a story written this past January about a journey through the canal. Thanks to Ms. Klimkosky for sending it my way last night!
http://www.boston.com/travel/articles/2007/01/21/panama_canals_marvels_deliver_the_ride_of_a_lifetime/?page=1
October 15, 2007
MACGYVER!!
SCIENCE LOG
Have you ever thought about what happens when one of your instruments doesn't work and you're hundreds of miles from land? If we were at home and these issues arose, a quick trip to Home Depot or the machine shop would quickly remedy the situation. However, when you are out on the open ocean, you have to fend for yourself! When I realized how much gear was needed for one of these trips, I was amazed! The scientists from WHOI came prepared and brought everything but the kitchen sink! There are tools chests full to the brim, countless bins full of equipment that might be needed, and were they ever needed. The UCTD comes with a tail pin and an automatic reel. Unfortunately, both of these instruments were machined incorrectly at the shop. What to do??? Sean and Jochen to the rescue. They took bolts and made tail pins, used washers to shim up the reel, and carefully used tape and paint markers to mark the correct spot for the line. I can report that after two long and frustrating days, the UCTD was cast at sunset and everything worked according to plan!! Great work!! We have also had the virtual MacGyvers at work this weekend. Frank, Nan and Sergio were very busy trying to get all 12 radiometers to send their data to the system. Along with the radiometer work, they have been making comparisons of all of the ship board data, the buoy data, and all of the data from the new instruments they are testing! I spent a lot of time this weekend comparing sea surface temperature (SST) between 4 different instruments-- a bucket thermometer, the ship's SST, Sergio's snake SST, and the SST of the UCTD. I will be analyzing the data for the Stratus 8 report throughout the day. Bob continues to work on the new project he is heading up at WHOI. Please feel free to check it out at this link-- http://wbztv.com/video/?id=35833@wbz.dayport.com
THE PANAMA CANAL
One of the most amazing engineering feats of its time would have to be the construction of the Panama Canal. We are scheduled to be in a convoy at 2 this afternoon for our passage from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. How does all of this relate to our current trip? If this canal had not been constructed across the Panamanian Isthmus, the science party would be forced to travel south around the tip of South America through the Drake Passage in order to get to the Pacific Ocean. In fact, in 1524 Charles V thought that it would be worthwhile to cut through the isthmus in order to save time. Plans were drawn in 1529, but action was never taken. It wasn't until 1879 that deLesseps from France proposed a sea level canal through the isthmus. It was soon determined that a sea level canal was next to impossible because of the difference in tides on the Atlantic and Pacific sides of Panama. Because of disease and lack of funding, the construction of the canal was eventually taken over by the United States, a lock system was used, and it opened for sea traffic on August 15, 1914.
The RONALD H BROWN is scheduled to travel through the Panama Canal starting at 8:20 EST this evening. Please feel free to view it at the following web site--
http://www.pancanal.com/eng/photo/camera-java.html
GO SOX!!!
Friday, October 12
CURRENTS, WEATHER AND SEA TRAVEL
Weather From The Bridge:
Temperature- 29.15
Humidity- 77.19%
Wind Speed- 13
Wind Direction- NE
SCIENCE LOG
Since leaving Charleston, SC on Tuesday, we have traveled 753 NM. As far as I'm concerned, we have been very lucky in terms of the weather we have been experiencing. In fact, it's been uneventful since our departure... I know, I know, up on Cape Cod where I teach it's been a dismal week, not too good for star gazing or getting some time outside! When you are traveling by ship, the weather is critical. Up on the bridge they record hourly weather observations! In fact, the RONALD H BROWN recently won an award for outstanding ship weather reporting! Along with these hourly weather observations, they need to determine the BEST track to take based on the weather conditions and currents. We tracked very close to Florida two days ago so we could avoid the drag from the Gulf Stream which flows to the north as we were heading south. The Gulf Stream was discovered many years ago by Benjamin Franklin. Throughout his lifetime, he took eight transatlantic voyages. On those journeys, he discovered the Gulf Stream by measuring sea surface temperature (SST). The following link will take you to some more in depth information about Franklin, http://www.pbs.org/benfranklin/l3_inquiring_weather.html Throughout our trip, one of my jobs will be to use a bucket thermometer to take the SST on an hourly basis and compare it to the data coming in from the ship and the UCTD. This data will be used when we arrive at the buoy site to help in comparing to the data from Stratus 8! My last measurement for SST was taken at noon today. The temperature was 29.4 C. With your teacher, convert that to Fahrenheit and compare it to the water temperature in the north east.
Now today, we are faced with the Loop Current. The Loop Current runs through the Gulf of Mexico- you may remember it from a couple of years ago when Hurricane Katrina passed over it and exploded into a monster of a storm. Thankfully, we are not dealing with any hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, but the current still has an effect our track. As we track past Cuba on our way to the Panama Canal, the current can slow us down. The following link has a great definition and graphic for th Loop Current-- http://www.csc.noaa.gov/crs/definitions/loop_current.html
PERSONAL LOG
As many of you know, I have been fascinated by the weather and oceans for a very long time. It is truly remarkable to be out here on the ocean living it! The science is really starting to gear up here on the RONALD H BROWN-- the GPS's are all tracking, the laptops are all humming, and the instruments are all sending data. I have to take a moment to thank all of the science party as well as the crew of the ship for welcoming me. Everyone has been so helpful answering questions and helping me get the information I need to keep my blog updated on a daily basis! Keep your eyes out for more pictures to be added today... I'll try to get a few of Cuba as we make our closest pass this afternoon.... GO SOX!!
FISHING FOR SCIENCE!
Thursday, October 11
Weather Conditions From the Bridge
Temperature- wet bulb 26 C dry bulb 29.8 C
Dew Point- 25
Wind Speed- 9 MPH
Wind Direction- NE
Swell Height- 1-2 feet
Visibility- 12+ nautical miles (NM)
SCIENCE LOG
Thanks to everyone who has been sending in questions! After hearing from a few of you, I decided that my previous blogs were rather technical and I probably need to backtrack and explain what these devices actually do. Today we will focus on the underway conductivity temperature device (UCTD). The UCTD is deployed into the ocean much like casting a fishing rod and measures conductivity, temperature and depth. From these three variables, you can determine the salinity of the water. You may be wondering what conductivity has to do with it. At a given temperature, the saltier the water, the better it conducts electricity. Think back to your school days when you were building electric circuits and determining whether or not something would be a conductor or an insulator. Water, as we know, is a very good conductor of electricity. One reason we never use anything electrical around a full bathtub or basin of water. Salt water is a better conductor than fresh water. Therefore, the UCTD will send the data to the computers in the lab of the RONALD H BROWN, and the scientists can take the data and determine the salinity of the water. It is a very fascinating process. Sean and Jochen were just practicing off the back of the fantail with a dummy UCTD. From the pictures, you can see that it looks pretty easy out there, but it's actually a very complicated process. Tomorrow's focus will be on how the loop current and weather relate to our trip.
PERSONAL LOG
Last night at 8:22 we got a real treat outside on the RONALD H BROWN. Everyone congregated out on the fantail, and we were able to view a rocket launch from Cape Canaveral! I have never seen a launch in person, and it was quite a site! This morning, Sean and Jochen invited me to observe the practice deployments with the UCTD. I really can't believe the amount I am learning as I am traveling out on the open ocean. Later on this afternoon we'll have a little bit more practice, and a few more picture updates! Stay tuned and keep sending questions....
Wednesday, October 10th
THE SETUP CONTINUES!
Weather From The Bridge:
Temperature- Dry 28 C, Wet 24 C
Wind Speed- 5 mph
Wind Direction- West
Swell Height- 2-3 feet
Visibility- 12 Nautical Miles
SCIENCE LOG
The scientists continue setting up all of equipment will track many different types of data throughout the Stratus 8 Cruise. Jochen and Sean continue to prepare the underway conductivity temperature device. With the Bluetooth technology available with with these particular units, scientists are able to download the data without actually having to take it apart. This allows for a longer life due to the fact that they only have to be taken apart for battery replacement. I have attached a picture so that you can see what they look like. Once we get to a depth 1500 meters, it will be deployed! Nan continues to work on her four computers making sure they all see each other as well as all of the meteorological sensors, global positioning systems, the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, the shipboard meteorological sensors, the buoy data being sent from Stratus 7 and the radiometers. Nan is actually expecting the delivery of a fifth computer once we arrive in Rodman, Panama and she continues to write many of the codes used to keep all of these programs up and running! Frank and Sergio continue their work on the radiometers. Attached you will see a picture of three more radiometers being installed on the deck of the ship. Bob, the chief scientist, because of our ability to be in touch with everyone back home, has been working on the Oceans Observing Systems Initiative with the scientists at Woods Whole Oceanographic Institution. I continue to be fascinated by all of the work being done in the main lab of the ship!
PERSONAL LOG
The captain of the ship was kind enough to give me a very detailed tour of the Bridge. It is truly remarkable how all of the equipment works together to get our vessel where we want to go. There are four different ways to steer the ship, some of which involve the use of a joystick! The RONALD H BROWN also has three propulsion generators working together with three service generators to keep the ship moving and our electricity running. The RONALD H BROWN also has two evaporators continuously working to produce fresh water for use all over the ship. The evaporators generate approximately 4,500 gallons of fresh water per day! Thankfully we will not run out of drinking water on this cruise! Please feel free to check out the specifics of the ship at the following link: http://www.moc.noaa.gov/rb/specs/apr_2004_rb_specs.pdf
As of right now, the RONALD H BROWN has traveled 240 nautical miles since leaving port yesterday morning. We are currently in 100 feet of water, and fishing vessels are all over these waters off of Florida. I was able to get a few pictures of some flying fish off the stern of the ship this morning. Have you ever seen a flying fish? The following link will take you to a site describing the flying fish-- http://oceanlink.island.net/oinfo/biodiversity/flyingfish/flyingfish.html Any thoughts as to why we are hugging the coast line of Florida at this point? Please feel free to send me an email with your thoughts.
I'm off to help the scientists with their work... I'll send an update tomorrow afternoon!
Tuesday, October 9th
WE ARE UNDERWAY!
Scientific Log
We arrived at the ship at about 7 this morning and since then all of the scientists have been gearing up for our journey. There are laptops, global positioning systems, and Ethernet cables running throughout the main lab of the ship. The Stratus 8 buoy has been tied down on the port side of the fantail, all of the on board meteorological sensors from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration are up and running, and the underway conductivity and temperature device will soon deploy. There is also an experiment happening with three radiometers mounted together as a single unit. One measures short wave radiation, another long wave radiation, and the third is a newly developed sensor measuring the direct and diffuse components of solar radiation. If all goes as planned, these radiometers may be on future Stratus Buoys! Be sure to continue checking the blog because I will begin interviewing all of the scientists and reporting back on their fascinating jobs out here at sea.
Personal Log
The RONALD H. BROWN pushed off at 11:00 this morning from Charleston, South Carolina! We have already had a fire drill, an abandon ship drill, and as I compose this blog, we are awaiting a man overboard drill. It's great to know that safety is of utmost concern to the crew aboard the RONALD H. BROWN. I can also report that my favorite lunch was served this afternoon- grilled cheese sandwiches!!!
I was able to briefly talk to my class at Truro Central School this morning prior to our departure. I have sent a few pictures to them so they can update the fifth grade bulletin board where they are tracking the trip using the pictures I send.
On our way out of Charleston Harbor, we passed Fort Sumter. With your class, research Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie-- http://www.nps.gov/fosu/. Why are these two Forts important in terms or our country's history? What do you think it would have been like to fight a battle in South Carolina in the middle of the summer, wearing your union suit with your wool uniform over it? What might you have been thinking as you looked at a British Warship approaching?
IT'S ALMOST TIME!!
When I was notified in March that I was chosen as one of NOAA's Teachers at Sea, I thought the day would never come that I would actually be thinking about leaving. Here we are a few days before departure, and I couldn't be more excited!
The fifth graders at Truro Central School share my excitement. Most of them are wondering whether or not there is a way to stow away in my luggage! Unfortunately, there isn't a way for them to come along on the trip. They can, however, follow us on a virtual journey out to sea! NOAA's Teacher at Sea program has a wonderful website where students of all ages are invited to follow along and email questions that may come up in class discussion. Please feel free to follow me on the experience of a lifetime!
While I'm away, my students and I will be participating in The Great World Wide Star Count. This will be a wonderful means of connecting with them while I am out at sea. On the left you will notice a link to this program. Please feel free to join us as we watch the night sky! I think it might get interesting after I cross the equator and need to start looking for the constellation in the Southern Hemisphere!
To the fifth graders at TCS- I will miss you while I'm gone! I have left you in the VERY capable hands of Ms. Sara Hutchings to follow along and keep up with all of your studies!
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