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Ka'imimoana, Hawaiian for Ocean Seeker, is the only ship of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) dedicated solely to climate research, through its support of NOAA's Tropical Atmosphere-Ocean (TAO) Project. This project is designed to improve our understanding of the role of the tropical ocean in modifying the world's climate. The ship deploys, recovers, and services deep sea moorings that measure ocean currents, ocean temperatures, and atmospheric variables in the equatorial Pacific Ocean (TAO Array location map). This buoy array falls under the responsibility of the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC). In addition to buoy measurements, which are transmitted in real time to NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) in Seattle, the ship continuously measures upper ocean currents, surface salinity, carbon dioxide content, and sea-level atmospheric conditions while underway.
Ka'imimoana was originally built as the U.S. Naval Ship Titan (T-AGOS 15) in 1989 by Halter Marine in Moss Point, Mississippi. Titan was operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as an Ocean Surveillance Ship until her transfer to NOAA on August 31, 1993. Conversion to her present configuration began in May, 1995 at Maritime Contractors, Inc Shipyard in Bellingham, Washington, and she was delivered to NOAA as Ka'imimoana in April 1996. The vessel is operated by NOAA's Office of Marine and Aviation Operations. (OMAO), and is homeported in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Be sure to visit our current "cruise data" website for recent images and cruise information from the ship.
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Ka'imimoana's E-mail address is:
NOAA.Ship.Kaimimoana@noaa.govKa'imimoana's Mail address is:
NOAA Ship Ka'imimoanaKa'imimoana's Telephone Numbers
1897 Ranger Loop (Ford Island)
Honolulu, HI 96818
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URL: http://www.moc.noaa.gov/ka/index.html
Updated: June 23, 2009