NOAA Teacher at Sea Elizabeth Bullock Aboard R/V Walton Smith December 11-15, 2011
Mission: South Florida Bimonthly Regional Survey Geographical Area: South Florida Coast and Gulf of Mexico Date: December 15, 2011
Weather Data from the Bridge
Time: 3:15pm
Air Temperature: 23.6 degrees C
Wind Speed: 15.8 knots
Relative Humidity: 56%
Science and Technology Log
Here I am taking a water sample from the CTD.
Let’s talk about the flurometer! The flurometer is a piece of equipment attached to the CTD which is being used on this cruise to measure the amount of chlorophyll (specifically chlorophyll_a) in the water being sampled. It works by emitting different wavelengths of light into a water sample. The phytoplankton in the sample absorb some of this light and reemit some of it. The flurometer measures the fluorescence (or light that is emitted by the phytoplankton) and the computer attached to the CTD records the voltage of the fluorescence.
The flurometer can be used to measure other characteristics of water, but for this research cruise, we are measuring chlorophyll. As you know, chlorophyll is an indicator of how much phytoplankton is in the water. Phytoplankton makes up the base of the marine food web and it is an important indicator of the health of the surrounding ecosystem.
At the same time that our cruise is collecting this information, satellites are also examining these components of water quality. The measurements taken by the scientific party can be compared to the measurements being taken by the satellite. By making this comparison, the scientists can check their work. They can also calibrate the satellite, constantly improving the data they receive.
Combined with all the other research I’ve written about in previous blogs, the scientists can make a comprehensive picture of the ecosystem with the flurometer. They can ask: Is the water quality improving? Degrading? Are the organisms that live in this area thriving? Suffering?
Nelson records data from the CTD.
Collecting data can help us make decisions about how better to protect our environment. For example, this particular scientific party, led by Nelson Melo, was able to inform the government of Florida to allow more freshwater to flow into Florida Bay. Nelson and his team observed extremely high salinity in Florida Bay, and they used the data they collected to inform policy makers.
Personal Log
Today is my last full day on the Walton Smith. The week went by so fast! I had an amazing time and I want to say thank you to the crew and scientific party on board. They welcomed me and taught me so much in such a short time!
Thank you also to everyone who read my blog. I hope you enjoyed catching a glimpse of science in action!
Answers to Poll Questions:
1) In order to apply to the Teacher at Sea program, you must be currently employed, full-time, and employed in the same or similar capacity next year as
a. a K-12 teacher or administrator
b. a community college, college, or university teacher
c. a museum or aquarium educator
d. an adult education teacher
2) The R/V Walton Smith holds 10,000 gallons of fuel. By the way, the ship also holds 3,000 gallons of water (although the ship desalinates an additional 20-40 gallons of water an hour).
The Surface Fluxes group consists of James Edson, University of Connecticut, Ludovic Bariteau, University of Colorado Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), and June Marion, Oregon State University. This group measures the amount of radiation and heat into and out of the ocean and was covered in the November 12, 2011 blog posting.
The purpose of this posting is to highlight the work of Ludovic Bariteau who is measuring the carbon dioxide flux between the atmosphere and ocean. For redundancy and testing, the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is measured with several infrared instruments pictured below. Two of the instruments are in the pilot stage and were developed for this research cruise. The equipment used for measuring carbon dioxide in seawater is done in collaboration with Wade McGillis from Lamont-Doherty-Earth Observatory (LDEO). Ludovic plans to refine the instrumentation based on the pilot test. The carbon dioxide data will be correlated with surface flux data to present a complete picture of ocean atmosphere fluxes.
Photograph of flux instruments on the mast. The instruments measuring air CO2 are indicated by the black arrows. Image credit: James Edson.
Ludovic Bariteau in front of the specialized instrument to measure carbon dioxide fluxes between the ocean and atmosphere.
The above photograph is a close-up of the apparatus used to measure the carbon dioxide content in the ocean water.
Photograph of Ludovic Bariteau pointing to one of the air CO2 measurement devices in the pilot stage.
Data printout of Carbon dioxide values of air and water measured from instrumentation aboard the Revelle provided courtesy of Ludovic Bariteau
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What about the MJO?
Previous postings described the work being done by the 7 science groups and the instrumentation being used to measure the various characteristics of the ocean-atmosphere interaction that may be part of the active phase of the MJO. Readers of this blog may be asking the same question that some of my students are now asking, “Did you experience the MJO?”
Data collected to date by the science groups suggests that we experienced an active MJO phase. Although It will take years to analyze and correlate the data collected from the various organizations involved in Project DYNAMO, the Revelle experienced high winds, colder surface water surface temperatures, and the intermittent storms separated by quiescent periods that are believed to accompany the active phase of the MJO. Based on initial data this active phase may have occurred between the approximate dates of Nov. 24 through Dec.2.
Wyrtki Jet Current
Before discussing the effects of the MJO on Indian Ocean circulation, it is useful to provide a brief background on the currents in the Indian Ocean which are more complicated than those in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in several ways:
Indian Ocean currents are poorly defined
They are influenced by the presence of the Eurasian continent
They are more variable than the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean currents. Some Indian Ocean currents vary with the seasons. For example, on the top diagram below, notice there are two unnamed gyres located in the northern hemisphere west and east of India.
The Revelle left station on December 2, and began north south transects across the equator to delineate the extent and the speed of the Wyrtki Jet Current. The Wyrtki Jet is a narrow jet-like surface current that flows eastward during the transition periods between the Northeast and Southwest Monsoon currents and is believed to accompany the active phase of the MJO.
A summary of the monsoon system in the Indian Ocean taken from the pdf version of Regional Oceanography: An Introduction by Tomczak and Godfrey. The Wyrtki Jet may be the Equatorial Jet identified on the below diagram.
Wyrtki jet speeds of 150 cm/s eastward at the surface were identified during the cruise. In addition a current flowing westward was identified at a depth of 100 m. The purpose of the transects is to delineate the lateral and vertical extents of these currents. The currents are measured using four Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCPs) located in the hull of the ship (these are Doppler sonars, analogous to Doppler radar and lidar measurements discussed in previous blogs).
Personal Log
I worked the winch for the last drop of Chameleon on Leg 3 of Project DYNAMO aboard the R/V Revelle. I must say that I am proud of my work as a “Winch Winder”. In the past 5 weeks, I experienced a range of emotions regarding the winch. I initially felt fearful of working solo on such a valuable instrument. Once I began working solo, I was still intimidated because the winds and currents are so variable at the equator. Intimidation was finally replaced by competence after operating the instrument in 40 knot winds without slamming it into the ship! Aurelie Moulin was kind enough to shoot this video of me just before Chameleon was pulled out of the water on the last drop.
I would like to share my interview with Jude Irza, Ordinary Seaman aboard the R/V Revelle who provides extremely thoughtful advice and insight regarding career choices and preparation that may be helpful not only for students unsure of their future, but for those who may desire a career change at any stage in life.
Question: What made you decide on a career in this field?
That question is straight forward enough but my answer is a little bit convoluted. I never woke up one day and decided that I wanted to become a Merchant Marine and work on Oceanographic Ships. In fact, I have been fortunate to have had two careers before this one: Naval Officer and Finance Manager. Here’s how I embarked on my first two careers.
First, I attended college on a Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Scholarship. After college, I went to Flight School in Pensacola, Florida, and flew as a navigator in the United States Navy. While in the Navy, I decided to expand my horizons and earn a Masters in Business Administration. While completing my MBA, I decided that a career in finance would be challenging and rewarding. So I resigned my commission and I worked at a large telecom company in San Diego. Later, I had the opportunity to join a telecom start-up and later a consulting company. Although I enjoyed working in finance for fifteen years, I was ready to do something exciting and different. I had always thought working as an Officer in the Merchant Marine would be fun. Expecting to be too old for this career, I was surprised and pleased when my research uncovered a new program where I could go to sea and work towards a Third Mate License through a two-year program offered by the Pacific Maritime Institute (PMI) in Seattle, Washington. So, approximately two years ago, I joined the program and was partnered with the Scripps Institute of Oceanography. I joined the R/V Revelle as an Ordinary Seaman. Already, this is my fourth trip on the R/V Revelle and I am close to finishing PMI’s program. I hope to take my Coast Guard License exams next summer and have my 1600 ton 3rd Mate License shortly thereafter.
Question: What are the positives and negatives of this line of work?
The exact nature of the work depends on what billet or position one is filling and to an extent that determines the positives and negatives. For example, an Ordinary Seaman like me spends most of the time cleaning, removing rust and painting. Work is performed both inside and outside of the ship. Mates, however, are Merchant Marine Officers, and spend most of their time standing watch, on the bridge of the ship. Most, if not all, merchant mariners would agree that being able to travel and see the world are positives in this line of work. The biggest negative is separation from family members for months at a time. Typically, at Scripps, we are out to sea for eight months out of twelve. Moreover, especially at the lower level positions, the work can be arduous and sometimes monotonous.
Question: What advice would you give students who are unsure of their career goals?
I would give students five pieces of advice:
1. Get Information and Prerequisites – Get on the internet and research the careers in which you might be interested. Learn about what qualifications and prerequisites are necessary for each career. Try to find a person who is in that career and ask them good questions. Be realistic, but also look for unconventional pathways.
2. Inventory your Skills and Abilities – Try to determine what you enjoy doing and what you are good at. Try and see what careers other people chose that have your talents and abilities.
3. Get Real-World Experience – Try and experience careers directly without investing too much time and energy by taking a part-time, internship or volunteer position. You’ll learn an enormous amount by working alongside other people.
4. Change your Career if you find that it is not Right for You – Some people, including myself, are not suited to only one career. Don’t be afraid to try something new if you no longer find enjoyment in your current line of work. But be financially responsible and try to not incur too much debt especially in your younger years. You want to keep your options open and debt can limit options.
5. You are Never Too Old to Start Again – I am forty-five years old, but feel energized doing something new. I don’t know if I will be in this career ten years from now, but I am certainly enjoying it now.
NOAA Teacher at Sea Elizabeth Bullock Aboard R/V Walton Smith December 11-15, 2011
Mission: South Florida Bimonthly Regional Survey Geographical Area: South Florida Coast and Gulf of Mexico Date: December 13, 2011
Weather Data from the Bridge
Time: 4:45pm
Air Temperature: 23.5 degrees C
Wind Speed: 15 kt
Relative Humidity: 68%
Science and Technology Log
I'm deploying a drifter!
Last night, we deployed our first drifter. There will be three deployed over the course of this cruise. The frame of this drifter is built by the scientists at AOML (Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory). Afterwards, they attach a satellite transmitter so they can track where the drifter goes. This helps them measure the surface currents.
What are some other types of research being conducted onboard? I’m glad you asked! Two NOAA researchers, Lindsey and Rachel, are studying water chemistry and chlorophyll. They take samples of surface water from the CTD to study CO2 and the full carbonate profile. They also use water collected at many different depths to study the chlorophyll content. Chlorophyll is an indicator of the amount of phytoplankton in the water.
The particular copepod that she is studying is food for the larval stages of some commercially important species of fish such as bill fish (which include blue marlin, sail fish, white tuna, and yellowfin tuna) and different species of reef fish. If a species is commercially important, it means that many people depend on this particular fish for their livelihoods.
Here is one of the species of copepods that Sharein is studying.
Do you think you would be interested in working at sea? You would be a good candidate if you:
1) Like meeting new people and working as part of a team
2) Are interested in the ocean, weather, and/or atmosphere
3) Don’t mind getting your feet wet
Personal Log
When we were on our way to the Tortugas, we didn’t have cell service and the TV in the galley had no signal. It was nice to be disconnected for a while. Although there are still 29 computers onboard which all have the internet, so we’re hardly off the grid!
It was hard at first to adjust to the night shift, but everyone onboard was really supportive. Working the night shift means that you work from 7pm to 7am.
NOAA Teacher at Sea Elizabeth Bullock Aboard R/V Walton Smith December 11-15, 2011
Mission: South Florida Bimonthly Regional Survey Geographical Area: South Florida Coast and Gulf of Mexico Date: December 11, 2011
Weather Data from the Bridge
Time: 2:30pm
Air Temperature: 24.5 degrees C (76 degrees F)
Wind Direction: 65.9 degrees east northeast
Wind Speed: 15.8 knots
Relative Humidity: 78%
Science and Technology Log
Today is the first day of the research cruise. The R/V Walton Smith left its home port in Miami, FL this morning at about 7:30am. After a delicious breakfast, the crew and scientific party received a safety briefing from Dave, the Marine Tech. We learned about the importance of shipboard drills and we were shown the location of all the safety gear we might need in case of an emergency. This ship works like a self-contained community. The crew of the ship must also be the policemen and firemen (or policewomen and firewomen).
After our safety briefing, the science party went outside to our first station of the day. The first piece of equipment we put into the water was a CTD. The CTD is named after the three factors the equipment measures: conductivity, temperature, and depth. The CTD will be deployed at precise locations along our route. Since they conduct this research cruise twice a month, they can see if conditions are changing or staying the same over time.
Here I am, reading the data that came up from the CTD.
This is the CTD, which measures conductivity, temperature, and depth.
Question for students: What is the relationship between salt and electrical conductivity? If the salt content in the water increases, will it conduct electricity better or worse?
The next piece of equipment we deployed was the Neuston Net. This net sits at the water line and skims organisms off the surface of the ocean. The net is in the water for 30 minutes at a time. After bringing the net onto the deck, the fun part starts – examining the contents! Our Neuston Net had two main species: moon jelly (Aurelia) and sargassum. The term sargassum actually describes many species, so the scientists on board will study it carefully in order to classify which kinds they caught in the net. Sargassum is an amazing thing! It is planktonic (which means that it floats with the current) and it serves as a habitat for bacteria and small organisms. Since it is such a thriving habitat, it is also a great feeding ground for many different species of fish.
Once we emptied the contents of the Neuston Net, Lindsey and Rachel, two of the scientists on board, began to measure the quantity of each species they caught. In order to measure the weight of the moon jellies, they used the displacement method. This is because we can’t use regular scales onboard. Here are the steps we took to measure the moon jellies:
1) We poured water into a graduated cylinder and recorded the water level. For example, let’s say that we poured in 100ml of water.
2) We put a moon jelly into the graduated cylinder and recorded the new water level. For example, let’s say that the new water level read 700ml.
3) We subtracted the old water level from the new, and we could tell the volume of the moon jelly we had caught. For example, based on the numbers above, we would have caught a 600ml moon jelly!
Lindsey examines what we caught in the Neuston Net.
Both the CTD and the Neuston Net will be deployed many times over the course of the cruise.
Personal Log
Despite a bit of seasickness, I am having a wonderful time! Everyone on board is very welcoming and happy to answer my questions. Everyone is so busy! It seems like they have all been working nonstop since we arrived on board yesterday.
Answers to your questions
First, let me just say that these are great questions! Good job, Green Acres. Here are some answers, below.
1) How do the currents make a difference in the water temp? The currents play a major role in water temperature. In the Northern Hemisphere, currents on the east coast of a continent bring water up from the equator. For example, the Gulf Stream (which is a very important current down here in Florida) brings warm water from the tropics up the east coast of the United States. This not only keeps the water temperature warm, but it also affects the air temperature as well.
2) How does the current affect the different algae populations? Currents regulate the flow of nutrients (which phytoplankton needs to survive). Strong currents can also create turbidity, which means that it stirs up the water and makes it harder for light to penetrate the water column. As you know, phytoplankton rely on sunlight to grow, so if less light is available, the phytoplankton will suffer. I’m told by Sharein (one of the phytoplankton researchers) that algae are hearty creatures. This means that as long as the turbid conditions are temporary, algae should be able to thrive.
NOAA Teacher at Sea Elizabeth Bullock Aboard R/V Walton Smith December 11-15, 2011
Introduction
Hello! My name is Elizabeth (Liz) Bullock and I work for the NOAA Teacher at Sea Program (TAS). Before I worked at NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) I was in graduate school at Clark University in Worcester, MA studying Environmental Science and Policy. As my final project, I created an environmental curriculum for the Global Youth Leadership Institute (GYLI). Through this experience, I realized how much I love both science and educating others about the importance of the natural world.
What will we be studying? The scientists on this survey are very interested in knowing about the strength and health of the ecosystem. They can judge how strong it is by looking at various indicators such as water clarity, salinity, and temperature. They can also record information about the phytoplankton and zooplankton that live in the water.
Question for students: Why do you think it is important to learn about the phytoplankton and zooplankton? What can they tell us about the ecosystem? Please leave a reply with your answers below by clicking on “Comments.”
Here is a map of the route the R/V Walton Smith will be taking.
The R/V Walton Smith will be leaving Miami, FL and traveling around the Florida Keys into the Gulf of Mexico.
I am so excited and I hope you will follow along with me on this journey of a lifetime!
The TOGA (Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere) Radar Group consists of Michael Watson, NASA Contractor from Computer Science Corporation, Goddard Space Flight Center, Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia; Elizabeth Thompson, Colorado State University; and Owen Shieh of the University of Hawaii.
The following paragraphs provide a brief description of TOGA C-Band Doppler Radar.
Radar is an acronym for radio detection and ranging. Radar was developed just before World War II for military use but now serves a variety of purposes including weather forecasting. Radar is an electronic device which transmits an electromagnetic signal, receives back an echo from the target and determines various characteristics of the target from the received signal. Doppler radar adds the capability of measuring direction and speed of a target by measuring the Doppler Effect, or the component of the wind going either toward or away from the radar.
Doppler radar is divided into different categories or bands, according to the wavelength of the radar. Some common Doppler bands are:
S-band radars operate on a wavelength of 8-15 cm and are useful for far range weather observation.
C-band radars operate on a wavelength of 4-8 cm and are best suited for short-range weather observation.
X-band radars operate on a wavelength of 2.5-4 cm and are useful for detecting tiny precipitation particles
The NASA TOGA C-Band radar has a range of 300 km. In addition to the TOGA C-band radar, the ship has both S and X band radar. These three systems allow large and small-scale forecasting capabilities.
When not deployed on field campaigns, TOGA radar resides at Goddard Space Flight Center, Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia, where it gathers meteorological data and supports launches.
The large dome in the center houses the NASA Doppler C-Band radar antennae. Image credit: Jacquelyn Hams
During Leg 3 of Project DYNAMO, TOGA radar scans are performed in the following intervals:
Automated high-resolution scans for a 150 km radius every 10 minutes
Automated high-resolution scans for a 300 km radius at the top and bottom of the hour (every 59 and 29 minutes)
Vertical cross sections at 9,19,39 and 49 minutes past the hour.
Below are examples of radar scan images of a single storm cell and rainfall provided courtesy of Owen Shieh.
The TOGA Radar image on the left is a horizontal image looking down on the rain. The ship is in the center. North is straight up toward the top of the image. The radar range is 150 km. The arrow indicates a single storm cell that is located 40 km from the ship. Towards the east (right side of the diagram) are large areas of light rain, indicated by white arrows. Radar image on the right is a vertical cross-section through the storm cell (indicated by the black arrow). The top of the storm extends up to 5 km and contains moderate rain indicated by the yellow color.
TOGA Radar image on the left is the same as above, except taken 10 minutes later. Notice that the storm cell (indicated by the black arrow) is closer to the ship, approximately 37 km away.
The TOGA radar image above is taken from a range of 300 km. These images are taken every 30 minutes. There are four areas of light to moderate rain surrounding the ship (indicated by white arrows). Notice the scale of the storm cell (indicated by black arrow) looks considerably smaller. The large-scale TOGA Radar image allows a wider view of the aerial distribution of rain.
Personal Log
The day after Thanksgiving, the Ocean Mixing Group decided to pull the T Chain out of the water after discovering a couple of damaged cables. The Chief Scientist ultimately decided to move the ship to another location on the other side of the buoy. It was extremely windy that day and the team was trying to perform this task in hard hats which constantly blew off in the wind. I am sure we looked extremely comical to those who were watching. In addition, we had to juggle large pieces of foam used to protect the T Chain which promptly blew away. There were at least seven of us and I thought we probably looked like a scene from a Marx Brothers movie.
We are experiencing squalls on almost a daily basis that are separated by quiet calm periods and occasional sunshine. Weather data indicates that we may be in the active phase of the MJO. I managed to get some interesting sunset photographs with the cloud formations.
This photograph was taken at sunset on the Indian Ocean between squalls. Image credits: Jacquelyn Hams
This photograph was taken at sunset on the Indian Ocean between squalls. Image credits: Jacquelyn Hams
My students want to know how I am adapting to the lack of privacy. This is not my first time on a ship and I own a sailboat so being at sea is not an uncommon experience for me. However, being at sea this long with so much to accomplish in a short time has caused the lack of privacy to become a big issue for me. In addition to covering the 7 science groups for this blog, I am teaching the last 5 weeks of my classes via distance education and posting assignments for my students based on data obtained on this cruise.
There are little things on the ship that make the lack of privacy more tolerable. There are steak Sundays that include a tasty non-alcoholic ginger beer – a weekly treat. There is also Yoga everyday from 1:00 p.m.to 2:00 p.m. I brought one of my yoga DVDs from home as did others so we have a variety of programs and do not get bored. The standing poses are difficult on a moving ship, but I manage to get through it.
I am beginning to realize that I enjoy my time on the winch with Chameleon because that is the only time I am physically alone. I am thinking to myself how crazy and scary it is that my idea of spending quality alone time involves a noisy sampling instrument! But alas, even Chameleon cannot make up for the fact that I miss my own private bathroom.
One morning while waiting for the sunrise on the bow, I was treated to quite a show of jumping fish. The fish are tuna and are jumping to avoid predators. I have seen jumping fish many times while on the winch, but never so many and for such an extended period of time. They continued their performance until well after breakfast. I shot this video shortly after breakfast.
The Aerosols Group consists of Derek Coffman, Langley Dewitt and Kristen Schultz from the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Lab (PMEL) in Seattle, Washington. The Aerosols group measures the chemical, physical, and optical properties of sub and supermicron aerosols (liquids or solids suspended in gas) in the lowest layer of the troposphere. Aerosols are important in the study of climate change and the largest unknown due to the complicated nature of the particles. Aerosols are being studied in the MJO experiment to determine how they affect the radiative balance and how the MJO affects aerosols.
The measurements and analyses include:
real-time and filter-based analysis of the aerosol chemical composition
size distributions from 20 nm to 10 microns (aitken mode to course mode aerosols)
particle number concentrations
aerosol scattering and absorption
cloud condensation nuclei (CCN)
total mass of filtered collected aerosol
O3 and SO2 gas phase measurements.
Aerosols are captured via an opening in the inlet (mast). The base of the inlet consists of 21 individual sample lines. The inlet is designed to collect particles in average marine conditions without preferentially selecting particles and is efficient in collecting particles up to 10 microns in diameter. Each sample line connects to a specific instrument for analysis. The captured aerosols are sampled for physical, chemical, and optical properties. . In general, for the ocean, particle sizes that are <1 micron are typically more anthropogenic, while particles >1 micron are sea salts and generated by wind and rain.
Aerosols are captured through the Inlet (mast).
Base of aerosol inlet with sample lines.
Impactors are attached to the sample lines to separate and collect aerosols. Each impactor has a filter to capture a particular particle size range. The filters are removed from the Impactors in a clean lab for analysis. Half of the samples collected are analyzed on the ship and the remaining samples are analyzed at the NOAA PMEL Lab in Seattle, WA. Analytical methods used on the ship to measure chemical species are ion chromatography, liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (LCMS), total organic carbons (TOC), and organic carbon and elemental carbon (OCEC). The optical properties measured include scattering and absorption. Scattering is measured by an instrument called a nephelometer and absorption is measured by a Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP). The physical properties measured are total particle concentration and size distribution of the particles. Condensation particle counters (CPCs) measure the particle concentrations and size distribution is measured by a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS), The Aerosol Mass Spectrometer measures the size and chemical composition of non-refractory submicron aerosols.
Kristen removes impactor for sampling
Vacuum Pump closet houses vacuum and pressure needs for the aerosol vans.
Filters are removed from the impactor.
Example of a clean filter (left) and sampled filter containing exhaust from the ship (right).
The Aerosol Mass Spectrometer captures and analyzes the chemical composition of aerosol particles in near real time (every 5 minutes).
Derek in the Aerosol van pictured with various instrumentation.
The diagrams pictured above are based on a model prepared by Derek Coffman. The back trajectories on the left show that sub micron aerosols are dominant in the continental air mass and there is also more organic aerosol that is likely causing the absorption in the continental air mass. The clean marine diagram shows that sub micron aerosol is greatly reduced and aerosols >1 micron (coarse mode) play a dominant role in scattering in the air mass.
Personal Log
Thanksgiving week proved to be the most interesting weather of the cruise. The winds picked up to 48 knots on Thanksgiving Day. This made for a real exciting time on the winch. During several drops (each time Chameleon is lowered in the water column), I had to hold on to the canopy with one hand, and the winch with the other so I would not fall over when the swells hit the stern of the ship.
I was surprised that Chief Scientist Jim Moum continued to work on his computer and did not run out to snatch me away from his valuable research instrument! If he had that much confidence in my ability to handle the situation, I had to prevail. Just as I was convincing myself I had to prevail, I heard the bridge call on the hand-held radio. I could not understand the communication and did not want to release the winch since it was difficult to control in the wind. Someone from the Ocean Mixing Group came out to tell me that the bridge called and could not control the ship direction and to take Chameleon out of the water. By this time Chameleon was trailing behind the ship and I could not see if it had gone under the ship. A bit of chaos ensued and I saw a boat hook out of the corner of my eye as crew prepared to get Chameleon out. Somewhere in the midst of the chaos, Jim Moum came on deck and decided that profiling could continue. By that time the ship had re-positioned, however, the wind speed was the same. Jim surveyed the situation and said that he had profiled in far worse weather conditions and went back to his work. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when my shift was over that night and Chameleon was not damaged.
Thanksgiving Day was another day of collecting data. The cooks prepared a Thanksgiving Dinner and I think I speak for all of the scientists when I say we appreciated the turkey and all the trimmings.
Scott, a Wiper in the Engineering Department asked me if I would like an interesting video of a crew job for the website. Scott is a polite crew member and has an interest in education. My first question was “What is the job description for a wiper?” I was told that a wiper is an unlicensed engine room staff member. According to Scott, he empties trash, cleans, and performs other projects as needed such as needle gunning (removing paint and rust from metal surfaces) natural air vent shafts as seen in the video below. I wasn’t prepared for the noise when I shot this video.
There are no gorgeous sunrise and sunset photographs to end this blog – we are probably in the beginning stages of the MJO. There is a tropical cyclone to our north and the outer bands were reaching the ship. We are experiencing squalls with high winds. It is unusual to have cyclones during the MJO event – they usually develop in the wake of the cycle according to the Atmospheric Soundings Group. I get dressed in rain boots and gear and run to the winch and run back inside when my shift is over. Although I am sure you would like to see a photo, it is not exactly a desirable Kodak moment for cameras. Stay tuned, the weather is bound to change.
For this post’s quiz, please answer in the comments of this post:
Using the Aerosol source diagram above, what particle size aerosols are dominant in
continental air masses and what particle size aerosols are dominant in clean marine air masses?
