Robert Oddo

August 10, 2009April 5, 2021

Robert Oddo, August 10, 2009

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Robert Oddo
Onboard NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown
July 11 – August 10, 2009

Mission: PIRATA (Prediction and Research Moored Array in the Atlantic)
Geographical area of cruise: Tropical Atlantic
Date: August 10, 2009

Weather Data from the Bridge
Outside Temperature 28.21^oC
Relative Humidity 78.32%
Sea Surface Temperature 27.62^oC
Barometric Pressure 1019.42 inches
Latitude 23 41.483 N Longitude 80 40.363 W

Personal Log

I just finished watching my last sunset on the Ronald Brown and it is time that I reflect a little on this entire NOAA Teacher at Sea experience. The cruise gave me a first-hand look at some of the important work that atmospheric scientists and physical oceanographers examine. I discovered that the ocean system is huge and scientists around the world are compiling information about the ocean so we can better understand it. This work is like putting one of those big 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles together. The more pieces that you are able to put together, the better you understand how the pieces fit into the entire picture. Also because the system is so large, it takes the collaborative effort of many different scientists to really get some sort of understanding about what is happening. This cruise would never have been possible without the crew, the scientist and the NOAA Corp officers working as a team. There was science happening 24 hours and everyone did his or her part.

I feel particularly lucky to be selected as the Teacher at Sea on this cruise and I would like to thank everyone that made it possible. The crew, the scientists, the NOAA Corp officers were friendly, helpful and always willing to explain things about the ships operation and the science that was happening on the ship. Thank you to the Teacher at Sea support staff that helped with logistics and information pertaining to the cruise. Special thanks go to than Dr. Rick Lumpkin, the chief scientist, for coordinating the cruise, explaining the science, and reviewing sea logs and Field Operations Officer, Nicole Manning for reviewing sea logs and coordinating things.

Finally thank you to all the people that followed along with this adventure. It was always nice to see how many people were viewing the journal and photos. The questions were great and thanks for all the emails. The impacts that these experiences have on teachers and their students have implications that are far reaching. This has really been a special summer for me and thank you to everyone that made it possible.

August 8, 2009April 5, 2021

Robert Oddo, August 8, 2009

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Robert Oddo
Onboard NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown
July 11 – August 10, 2009

Mission: PIRATA (Prediction and Research Moored Array in the Atlantic)
Geographical area of cruise: Tropical Atlantic
Date: August 8, 2009

Weather Data from the Bridge
Outside Temperature 28.71^oC
Relative Humidity 77.91%
Sea Surface Temperature 27.94^oC
Barometric Pressure 1020.21 inches
Longitude 70 01.463 W Latitude 19 23.205 N

Everyone anxiously awaiting arriving in San Juan (left) and the Capital Building (right)

Personal Log

After being on the ship for 25 days, people were happy to have a day in San Juan, Puerto Rico as the ship refueled. We pulled into the Coast Guard station in Old San Juan around 9:00 am and then had the next 24 hours to explore. I got a chance to roam around town sample the local cuisine and visit a few historic spots. Visited the capital building, the Castillo San Cristobol, and San Fillipe de Morro Fort.

The narrow streets of Old San Juan (left) and Fillipe de Morro Fort (right)

We pulled out of the harbor at approximately 4:00pm on 8/7 and now are steaming to our final destination Key West. It is a bit quieter on the ship now since 9 of the scientists departed in Puerto Rico. The rest of the scientists are staying on to help unload their equipment in Key West.

August 3, 2009April 5, 2021

Robert Oddo, August 3, 2009

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Robert Oddo
Onboard NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown
July 11 – August 10, 2009

Mission: PIRATA (Prediction and Research Moored Array in the Atlantic)
Geographical area of cruise: Tropical Atlantic
Date: August 3, 2009

Weather Data from the Bridge
Outside Temperature 28.03^oC
Relative Humidity 78.65%
Sea Surface Temperature 28.005^oC
Barometric Pressure 1018.02 inches
Latitude 19 23.243 N Longitude 52 34.624 W

Science and Technology Log

We deployed our last CTD and last buoy a few days ago. Two XBTs are deployed daily but that is nothing compared to the 10-12 we were doing a few weeks ago. The atmospheric group is still sending up radiosondes and ozonesondes but it seems now that most of the scientists are wrapping up their work and trying to take a preliminary look at the data they collected. The analysis will really begin when they get back to their labs once we return to land. In the meantime, the work of packing things up has begun.

We are now steaming directly toward San Juan, Puerto Rico. The crew has begun to stack all the equipment that will be eventually unloaded on the fantail of the ship. We will be arriving in Puerto Rico on the August 6^th to refuel, and then we will be off to Key West on August 7^th for the final leg of this cruise. It was my turn a few days ago to give the nightly science seminar. I talked about teacher-researcher collaboration, which included the NOAA Teacher at Sea Program and other programs I have participated in.

Personal Log

I have found it important to get some exercise everyday on the ship. I try to work out everyday in the ships fitness room. It has a rowing machine, treadmill, elliptical, bike and some free weights. You usually can find me there in the mornings before I get to work in the lab.

July 25, 2009April 5, 2021

Robert Oddo, July 25, 2009

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Robert Oddo
Onboard NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown
July 11 – August 10, 2009

Mission: PIRATA (Prediction and Research Moored Array in the Atlantic)
Geographical area of cruise: Tropical Atlantic
Date: July 25, 2009

Weather Data from the Bridge
Outside Temperature 26.94^oC
Relative Humidity 81.85%
Sea Temperature 27.84^oC
Barometric Pressure 1013.74 inches
Latitude 13^o 07.114N Longitude 23^o 00.000W

Science and Technology Log

I have continued to help out on the 11:30 am to 11:30 pm watch with CTDs and XBTs. Why do so many CTDs and XBTs? The scientists on board are developing a subsurface profile of the water temperature, salinity and density. Based on these data, models can be constructed and refined that can help us better understand what is happening in the Tropical Atlantic.

Removal of radiometer and anemometer from buoy

The Brown arrived at the second buoy that needed to be serviced on July 24^th. I was lucky enough to get on the small boat sent out to take some equipment off the buoy before it was pulled up on the boat. Once at the buoy, the radiometer and the anemometer were removed. An acoustic message is then sent from the Brown to release the anchor on the buoy. The buoy is then attached to a rope from the Brown and pulled up onto the fantail. All the instrumentation and sensors below the buoy are pulled up on the Brown and exchanged. I attached a picture of the buoy to the right so you get an idea of all the instrumentation that is attached to these buoys. I could not believe all the fish that were around the buoy. Apparently, the buoy creates a small ecosystem, where all kinds of marine organism congregate. Algae and small crustaceans attach to the buoy and some of the cables that are underneath. Small fish eat the algae and crustaceans, larger fish eat the smaller fish and before you know it you have a food web. Some of the fish are huge. Yellow fin tuna, triggerfish and mahi mahi. This actually causes a big problem. Fishermen come out to these buoys and damage the buoy instrumentation when they are fishing and we end up losing valuable data.

This figure shows all the instrumentation attached to the buoy.

Personal Log

Once the buoy is pulled up onto the ship, the fish that were around it looked for a place to go. Sometimes they come under the ship. We threw a few fishing lines in after the buoy was pulled up on the fantail and the tuna were biting like crazy. We caught a few that afternoon and had them for lunch the next day!!

July 23, 2009April 5, 2021

Robert Oddo, July 23, 2009

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Robert Oddo
Onboard NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown
July 11 – August 10, 2009

Mission: PIRATA (Prediction and Research Moored Array in the Atlantic)
Geographical area of cruise: Tropical Atlantic
Date: July 23, 2009

Weather Data from the Bridge
Outside Temperature 26.77^oC
Relative Humidity 74.89%
Sea Temperature 27.64 ^oC
Barometric Pressure 1013.98 inches
Latitude 07^o 59.993 N Longitude 22^o 59.767W

Science and Technology Log

We arrived at the first buoy two days ago and exchanged the “package” which is kind of like the brains of the buoy. Four people went out with a small boat and exchanged the package. This is not an easy task since you have to climb off the small boat onto the buoy in what can be pretty rough seas and change instruments. We also deployed the “CTD” for the first time. After the deployment, we collected seawater from various depths for salinity and dissolved oxygen analysis. We also are deploying XBTs every 10 nautical miles on a 24 hours schedule as the ship steams along its course. There are two shifts. I am on the 12 noon to 12 midnight shift. The XBT (Expendable Bathythermograph) is dropped from a ship and measures the temperature as it falls through the water. Two very small wires transmit the temperature data to the ship. When it gets to about 1500 meters, the small wire is cut and the operation is over. By plotting temperature as a function of depth, the scientists can get a picture of the temperature profile of the ocean at a particular place.

Preparing to service a buoy (left) and recovered buoy on deck (right)

Yesterday, we got to the second buoy and had to pretty much exchange it with a new package, sensors and an anchor. This took over 8 hours to do and takes a lot of manpower. The buoy is actually pulled up on the deck as well as the instrumentation below the buoy and then new instruments, buoy and an anchor are deployed. If this is not done exactly right, everything can be destroyed.

Personal Log

Wow, there is a lot of action right now on the ship. The atmospheric scientists are releasing sondes, collecting dust and smoke samples, and measuring incoming solar radiation at different wavelengths. There are people getting instrumentation ready for the next buoys we are steaming towards. People are deploying CTDs, XBTs, and drifters. Behinds the scenes the crew lends all kinds of support, from preparing food, working the winches and cranes, navigating through the ocean and working in the engine room It is really teamwork that makes this all work and not any one person could do all of this work. There are a lot of very dedicated people onboard this ship and all their hard work make this work!!

Here I am deploying an XBT (left) and collecting seawater samples from the CTD (right)