National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – Page 8

August 14, 2013August 20, 2021

Katie Sard: My Tidal Adventure and a Look into the Power Behind This Mighty Ship, August 13, 2013

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Katie Sard
Aboard NOAA Ship Rainier
July 29, 2013-August 15, 2013

Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical Area of the Cruise: Shumagin Islands, AK
Date: August 9-13, 2013

Weather Data from the Bridge:
GPS location: 54°49.910’N, 159°46.159’W
Sky condition: OVC
Visibility: 5 nm
Wind: 10 kt, 135 true
Water temperature: 7.2°C
Air temperature: 11.0°C

Science and Technology Log

At the beginning of my time aboard the Rainier I couldn’t believe it when one of the hydrographers told me that it takes almost two years for the data that we are collecting right now to go into print. After spending time with the scientists trying to understand the process, I have a better idea of why the data can take up to 24 months to appear on a chart. There are numerous things to take into account: variables that need to be controlled for, inclement weather that may restrict completing data collection, limited personnel to process the data, reports that need to be written to accompany the data, and so on. The point being is that it is not as simple as surveying the ocean floor and making a chart.

The FOO, Meghan McGovern, leads a morning safety meeting prior to sending out the launches. — The FOO (Field Operations Officer), Meghan McGovern, leads a morning safety meeting prior to sending out the launches.

The tides are one important variable that hydrographers must control for when they are collecting data. Tides constantly cause the depths of the water to change, but it is important for the charts to show the shoalest (most shallow) depth possible for safe navigation.

Notice how one low tide is lower than the other low tide.

It’s not practical to only conduct surveys during low tides, so the data must be corrected to take water depth to a universal constant. For most of the charts, NOAA uses Mean Lower Low Water as the control. To explain Mean Lower Low Water, I have to review a bit about the tides themselves. Most places, including Alaska, experience semidiurnal tides meaning that in one day, there are two high tides and two low tides. If you look at the two low tides in one day, one of the two will be lower than the other one. An average should be taken of the “lower low” water levels for 19 years. This is how long the earth, sun, and moon to go through their various orbital eccentricities. Typically, it is not reasonable to have a gauge installed for 19 years so by acquiring one 30 day cycle of tide data we are able to get approximately 90% of the solution and the remaining 10% is solved for using “primary stations” (ones which have a 19 year record) that are nearby. This calculated average of the lower low tides is called the Mean Lower Low Water and all data is corrected to this value.

Before the water depth can be corrected to Mean Lower Low Water, the tides must first be measured. The National Water Level Observation Network has stations all over the United States which give data on how to figure out local tide conditions. The closest one to use in the Shumagins is at Sand Point on Popof Island. In order to verify that the tides are being accurately predicted, the crew on the Rainier installs their own tidal gauge to verify the tidal data.

The tide station that the Rainier crew installed on Bird Island.

A tide gauge is installed on the sea floor near the coast line by divers. It must be fairly deep so that it is always covered by water. In order to verify that the tide gauge is working, a tide staff is installed nearby for the crew to take visual water level measurements every week for 3 hours in 6 minute increments. They use this manually collected data and compare it to the tide gauge to make sure that the gauge is functioning accurately and also to ensure that the gauge has not moved relative to the land after it has been installed.

One of the five benchmarks that was cemented into the bedrock at the tide station on Bird Island.

It is a complicated process to install one of these tidal gauges, and they have to be calibrated to that Mean Lower Low Water. In order to assure that we have a reference point on land, benchmarks are put in near the tide gauge. These benchmarks should be able to be utilized for centuries by anyone who wished to come back to set-up a tide gauge.

Last Friday I was assigned to the skiff (small boat) as part of the crew of people who would go observe the tide staff and complete other necessary tasks at the tide gauge station on Bird Island. It was a 30 minute ride in the skiff from the ship, and when we got the island, the coxswain pulled the boat next to the rocks so we could quickly transfer ourselves and our gear onto the island. A total of five benchmarks had been put into the bedrock during the last visit to Bird Island, and it was our job to verify the location of each benchmark.

I had the important job of pointing at the benchmarks to note their locations for the pictures. The benchmark is embedded in the bedrock near my left hand. — I had the task of pointing at the benchmarks to note their locations for the pictures. The benchmark is embedded in the bedrock near my left hand.

We took GPS locations, measured from benchmark to benchmark, and took pictures with detailed notes telling where each of the five was located. If something happened to the primary benchmark, there would be four back-ups that could be used to reference the location of the tide gauge. It was also the responsibility of our crew to do the 3 hour tide staff observations, but bad weather only allowed us to complete one hour of data collection before we were required to return to the ship.

LT Mike Gonsalves takes a GPS location while sitting on one of the five benchmarks.

Measuring from one benchmark to the next.

LT Mike Gonsalves begins taking tide staff observations.

It constantly impresses me how many variables these scientists need to control for in order to get accurate depths to place on the charts. I have only received a snapshot of the work that goes into one of these projects during my time aboard the Rainier. I have begun to see a problem when so many people of this generation expect instant results and instant gratification. From now on it will be important for me to show my students that the scientific process is slow and arduous, but the overall results are impressive when you learn to appreciate and understand the steps that it takes to get there.

Personal Log

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to visit the engine room as the ship was getting underway. Evan McDermott , a 1^st Assistant Engineer on board, was kind enough to let me to follow him through the heart of the ship. As we walked and ducked under the various equipment, I began to realize just how naïve I am about how the ship is powered. As I began to observe and ask questions, I realized just how much time and effort it takes to get the ship in motion.

When I first went down to the engine room they had just turned the pumps on. These pumps are used to help turn the rudders. Each time the pumps are powered on, it is required that the engineers do a steering test. I went with Joshua Parker, a GVA (General Vessel Assistant) in the engineering department on board, as he showed me how to complete the steering test with the rudder.

GVA Josh Parker helps to show me around the engine room.

While we were anchored, the engines were powered down and we were running the basic functions of the ship with two generators which stay on 24 hours a day while the ship is underway. When I came back to the engine room it was time to turn the engines on, and Evan walked me through how to do this. Really all I did was push two buttons that he showed me, but it was neat to hear the engines come to life.

The two 12-cylinder engines that we have on board.

While I was in the engine room, I remembered several of the questions my students had when the CO came to speak to my class last year. I seemed to remember a lot of students asking questions about the fuel that the Rainier uses. I decided to do some investigating by asking some of my own questions. It turns out that the ship is able to carry a total of 103,000 gallons of fuel at a time. On a typical 18 day leg, the ship will burn about 30,000 gallons of fuel. Evan pulled up a detailed Microsoft Excel sheet and showed me how they keep track of the fuel being used. He showed me that while underway the ship typically burns about 2,000 gallons each day, but if the ship is anchored it is more like 600 gallons.

Something else I learned while in the engine room was how this ship uses fuel as ballast. Normally on a ship, ballast is water that is taken in to help keep the ship balanced. The Rainier has 17 fuel tanks all around the ship, and one of the reasons for this is to give the ship stability.

A diagram of the 17 fuel tanks on the Rainier. Notice how they are low as they help with the stability of the ship.

For this reason, it is important that the fuel is burned in a certain order based on which tank it is in. Once the engineers decide that they need to use fuel from a certain tank, it is transferred into two settlers. This is where the water is allowed to settle out of the fuel before it is purified and transferred to the day tanks. These two-day tanks are where the two engines suck fuel from directly.

The last thing that grabbed my attention in the engine room was the process on how the sewage is filtered. I know it sounds gross, but it is such a simple chemical reaction that I feel compelled to share it! The machine that is responsible for this treatment uses salt water and DC current. The current is run through the water and breaks the salt (NaCl) into the ions Na⁺ and Cl^–. The Cl^– ions go on to reform with the OH^– ions from the water forming sodium hypochlorite. This substance acts to kill the bacteria in the sewage. Chemistry at work!

Just another Day at the Office

Evan McDermott, 1^st Assistant Engineer

After touring the engine room, I sat down with Evan to talk about his job and how he came to work for NOAA as a 1^st Assistant Engineer. He told me that he graduated from Massachusetts Maritime Academy with a BS in Marine Engineering as well receiving his US Coast Guard license. I didn’t know what a Maritime Academy was until I came aboard the Rainier, so I asked him how he originally heard about this field. Evan told me that in high school he went through a unique program where he spent two days each week doing marine engineering outside of his school. A guidance counselor told him more about the benefits of marine engineering, and that’s when Evan decided to apply to Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

During our conversation, Evan told me that what he enjoys most about his job is the variety of hands-on work that he gets to be involved in, and he also enjoys the scenery here in Alaska. He is required to stand watches in the engine room for two 4-hour shifts while the ship is underway, and he also plays a supervisory role. The engineering department on the ship is mostly responsible for the maintenance and operations. I asked him to share the advice he would give to students hoping to get into this field of work, and he said that it is important to keep up on your math to become a marine engineer! Evan told me that the Maritime Academy was a tough four years of his life, but that his hard work has paid off as he has now secured this job with NOAA.

Evan appreciates the fishing that is available in Alaska, and when not on the ship he enjoys snowboarding.

Your Questions Answered!

A friend from my high school, Derek Cusimano, works with similar technology that is being utilized on the Rainier. I was excited to see the questions he had for me, and also to realize that I actually understood how to answer some of the more technical questions. First he asked about the program that is used to collect and process the data on board. It is my understanding that on the ship, Hypack is the navigation software that is used. The bridge sees this screen, and the hydrographers use it to draw the lines to show where the ship needs to be navigated in order to collect the data. Seafloor Information Systems (SIS) is the sonar software for the EM710. Finally, CARIS is the software that is used to process the data once it is collected.

Derek also asked me about what positioning the crews use for their surveys. The tidal gauges that I discussed in this post are used for vertical control, as the water moves up and down with the tides. The scientists also have to take into account horizontal control. They need to accurately be able to tell where their position is, because without that information the water depths that we are gathering with the sonar are useless.

ENS Bill Carrier and HST Brandy Geiger work to set-up part of the horizontal control station on Bird Island.

Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) is used from the Coast Guard station in Kodiak Alaska to gain accurate latitude and longitude. However, the Rainier crew also installs their own GPS base stations to correct the GPS positions acquired on the ship and launches during “post processing”. For this project, a GPS base station was installed on Bird Island near the tide gauge and data is down loaded via a VHF radio. These stations listen to all GPS signals and correct the locations for each satellite down to the decimeter. This allows the Rainier to correct their GPS positions to have an accuracy of just a few centimeters.

The next question comes from my 2-year old nephew Ollie Burgeson. He wanted to know what I was eating on the ship. My answer to him is a little bit of everything! I can’t say that I’ve had the same meal twice while out at sea. Meals are at 0700, 1130, and 1700, and each day a menu is posted that tells what will be available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The stewards also provide a stocked ice cream freezer and other snacks 24 hours a day. Many know that I eat mostly vegetarian food, and each meal there is always a vegetarian option which several crew members and I enjoy. While out on the launches, the coolers are packed full of food for the crew of each boat. Sandwiches, fresh fruit, chips, and dessert are all included on the launches.

Did You Know…

humpbackwhale_noaa_large — Photo courtesy of NOAA.

On Sunday I saw at least a dozen whales while I was looking out over the waters of the Shumagins. The ship was anchored while the launches were out gathering data. It was such a clear day that I decided to spend time on the bridge whale watching. It didn’t take long before I saw several breach in the distance. I was told by some of the crew that I was observing humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae. I didn’t know much about them, so I decided to do a bit of research. Here are some of the interesting things I learned about humpback whales:

Humpback whales can be found in all major oceans from the equator to sub-polar latitudes
The humpback whale’s lifespan is about 50 years
They eat mostly krill, plankton, and small fish
Humpback whales can consume up to 3,000 pounds of food per day
Females are typically longer than males, and they can reach up to 60 feet in length
Newborns weight about 2,000 pounds and adults can grow to be between 50-80,000 pounds

August 11, 2013August 20, 2021

Katie Sard: A Brief History, and the “Simple” Science of Sonar, August 9, 2013

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Katie Sard
Aboard NOAA Ship Rainier
July 29-August 15, 2013

Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical Area of the Cruise: Shumagin Islands, AK
Date: August 5-8, 2013

Weather Data from the Bridge:
GPS location: 54°49.402’N, 159°33.182’W
Sky condition: Overcast (OVC)
Visibility: 5 nm
Wind: 210 true, 15 kts
Water temperature: 8.3°C
Air temperature: 11.0°C

The NOAA Ship Rainier. This has been my home for the past 12 days! — The NOAA Ship *Rainier*. This has been my home for the past 12 days!

Science and Technology Log

While I was speaking with ENS Rosemary Abbitt, a Junior Officer on board, she used an analogy to describe the amount of information that she takes in every day while on the job. She said that it is like trying to get a drink from a fire hose. I thought that this was fitting as each day as a Teacher at Sea I am constantly trying to take in and process the huge amount of new information I am learning. I have jumped in to the heart of hydrographic surveys, but in this post I would like to take a step back and look at a brief history of how the use of sonar has evolved.

Before coming on the Rainier, I knew that the use of sonar on ships had something to do with sound waves traveling in the water in order to map the ocean floor. After gathering information from the crew, and a bit of my own research, I found out that sonar actually stands for Sound Navigation and Ranging. I also found out that sound waves travel better in water as compared to radar or light waves, so that is why they are used for this type of work.

The top-side unit of the sonar system that is used on board. This machine acts as the "brain" of the sonar system. — The top-side unit of the sonar system that is used on board. This machine acts as the “brain” of the sonar system.

The NOAA Ship Rainier is equipped with a Kongsberg EM710 Multibeam Sonar System which falls in the category of active sonar. The system emits acoustic signals into the water, and when the sound bounces off of an object it returns an echo to the sonar transducer. By determining the time between emission and reception, the range and the orientation of the object can be determined. The range of an object is equal to the sound speed times the travel time divided by two.

On the left you can see the machine that is used to drag the MVP in the water behind the ship while we are surveying. On the right, the MVP is ready to go in the water.

It is extremely important that the hydrographers using this technology have accurate measurements for sound speed. The Rainier is equipped with a Moving Vessel Profiler (MVP) which generates sound speed profiles. These profiles include information such as temperature, salinity, depth, and most importantly, sound speed. These measurements are applied to real-time sonar data in order to make sure that these variables are controlled for.

Sonar was first used during World War I as a way of detecting submarines. The US Coast and Geodetic Survey were the first to use sonar to map deep water areas in the 1920s. As I discussed in a previous post, lead line surveys were the primary way to gather bathymetric data up until that point. It astounds me to see all of the technology on board, but it also leaves me wondering where we’ll be in another 10 to 20 years. I suppose only time will tell what new technologies will allow for the continued exploration of our Ocean!

Personal Log

The beauty of Alaska has truly come to life for me in the last few days. Last night, the CO was kind enough to take a group of people to a nearby beach on Chernabura Island. From time to time he will do this, and the crew calls these events “Beach Parties”. It took me several minutes to gain my land legs as my body has acclimated to life on a ship. I walked the beach, but I soon turned to hike up one of the peaks that I had been seeing from a distance for so many days.

My footsteps on the beach at Chernabura Island. It's crazy to think how few people have walked on this land. — My footsteps on the beach at Chernabura Island. It’s crazy to think how few people have walked on this land.

The hike up to the top was HARD! The ground beneath my feet was not solid earth, but rather soft, boggy terrain that required a great deal of energy to hike through.

The view from a stop along the way. Looking out over Chernabura Island.

When I made it to the top I could not believe my eyes. The beauty of this untouched land was overwhelming, and I realized how very lucky I am to be on this wonderful adventure.

A hidden lake in the background at the top of the ridge on Chernabura Island.

The ship in the distance from the top of the ridge on Chernabura Island.

Just another Day at the Office…

Christie Reiser, Hydrographic Assistant Survey Technician

I began getting to know Christie while I was out on my first launch with her last week. Before this time, I had heard her mentioning that she is currently doing an internship with NOAA. This immediately caught my attention as I am always interested in how students are able to involve themselves with real-world organizations such as NOAA. As I began interviewing her I found out that she is working on her bachelor’s degree through the University of Colorado with hopes of someday becoming a physical scientist. She began her internship with NOAA last field season, and she is now a permanent employee while also completing her internship. Before her current school work she obtained an associates degree in business marketing and worked for an oil company as an executive assistant. During that time, her boss asked if she wanted to learn Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for her work, and so she was signed up for a crash course which allowed her to begin using the software to make maps. Unfortunately, she was laid off but during this time she was able to move to Europe because she has dual nationality in Germany. While overseas, she spent a year working as an apprentice in a saddlery in Austria. When she came back to the states, she decided to go back to school at the University of Colorado. She enjoyed her previous GIS experience, so she began her work in the geography department which led her to the internship with NOAA.

Christie told me that has truly enjoyed her time in Alaska. She loves seeing the marine life and getting to know the people she works with so well. Her favorite part of the work is the night processing where she is able to work directly with the data in order to see the sea floor come to life. When asked what advice she would give a young person trying to break into this field, she said that she would recommend waiting to go to college until you are ready. Wait to find something that makes you happy and that you have a passion for.

When not on the ship, Christie enjoys leather working, saddle making, and book binding.

Your Questions Answered!

One question that I’ve had from several people has to do with the morale of the crew. These people are out to sea for 18 days at a time, and so people wanted to know if it gets depressing out here. Also, it was asked if there is good comradery and banter among the crew?

In response, I can say this; life at sea is not for the shy or the meek. While there are many amazing advantages to this type of work it definitely takes a certain type of person. As far as the morale of the crew, from my perspective it seems like field season up here means time to get business done. Everyone has important tasks to be completed, and most of the time people are busy with work. Operations run 24 hours, and the point of being here is to gather the data. However, it’s not all work and no play. Morale on the ship is important, and I’ve heard many people speak of the crew as a second or extended family. I don’t know any other job where you work, live, and share space 24 hours a day with the same people. I’ve noticed that people on the ship really look forward to meals. It is one of the small pleasures of life at sea and it is a time to gather with everyone and take a break. The universal struggle on board is the time away from home. Nobody wants to be away from their loved ones, but the crew on the Rainier work as hard as possible to make life at sea enjoyable.

My Aunt Kathy wanted to know if I have seen any whales. The ship has had to navigate around pods of whales, but it seems to be whenever I am busy with something else. Yesterday the crew called me to the bridge as they had been seeing a lot of whale activity. Of course, as soon as I got my camera out, there wasn’t a whale in sight. However, last night I was walking on Chernabura Island during the beach party, and I saw a pod of whales out in the distance. I saw four of five spouts, but they were too far to get a picture.

The first sunset I've seen since being on board. — The first sunset I’ve seen since being on board.

Did You Know…

Here are a few ship specific terms that I have learned during my time aboard the Rainier:

To come about – to turn the ship around

Aft – the back of the ship

Helm – ship’s steering equipment, found on the bridge

Pitch – the forward and backward rise and fall of the ship as it moves

Leeward – the side of an island or a ship that is sheltered from the wind

Also, when making a call to another vessel, it is important to say the call sign of the vessel you are calling for first followed by your own call sign. When I was out on RA-6 doing survey launches, I had to call the Rainier to give hourly updates. In a previous blog I told you that the call sign for the Rainier is WTEF, but they typically shorten it when out on surveys to just ET. In this case when I was calling for the ship I would say, “Echo Foxtrot this is RA-6.” The OOD would respond with, “RA-6 this is Echo Foxtrot go ahead.” This type of universal communication system is one of the ways that the team aboard the Rainier maintains safety while at sea.

August 8, 2013August 20, 2021

Melissa George: Scraping the Bottom-Dwellers, August 6, 2013

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Melissa George
Aboard NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson
July 22 – August 9, 2013

Mission: Pollock Survey
Geographical Area of Cruise: Gulf of Alaska
Date: Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Current Data From Today’s Cruise (9 am Alaska Daylight Time)

Weather Data from the Bridge
Sky Condition: Partly Cloudy
Temperature: 15° C
Wind Speed: 7 knots
Barometric Pressure: 1019.6 mb
Humidity: 90%

August 6, 2013: Partly Cloudy or Partly Mountainy?

Sun and Moon Data
Sunrise: 5:15 am
Sunset: 9:33 pm
Moonrise: 5:33 am
Moonset: 8:45 pm

Geographic Coordinates ( 9 am Alaska Daylight Time)

Latitude: 59 ° 20.4 N Longitude: 141° 16.6 W
The ship’s position now can be found by clicking: Oscar Dyson’s Geographical Position

Science and Technology Log

Besides the mid-water trawling, information about the pollock population is gathered in other ways on the Oscar Dyson research vessel. One of these ways is direct, monitoring the pollock by trawling in other parts of the water column; the other way is indirect, evaluating the prey that the pollock feeds on.

Bottom Trawling

Scientists use acoustics to locate the signal for the fish. Sometimes this signal is noticed near the ocean floor. In this case, the PolyNor’eastern (PNE) Bottom Trawl Net is used to trawl for fish. This net is a large net equipped with rubber bobbins that allow it to get close to the benthic region of the ocean without dragging.

During this research expedition, we used the PNE net six times to survey pollock. Often times these trawls brought up other interesting sea life, that were quickly assessed (identified, measured, and recorded) and returned to the ocean. The majority of invertebrate sea animals such as poriferans (sponges), cnidarians (sea anemones), annelids (segmented worms), mollusks (barnacles), arthropods (hermit crabs hiding in mollusk shells), and echinoderms (sea urchins and starfish) were brought up in these hauls. In addition, some interesting species of fish (see this blog’s Trawling Zoology segment below) were gathered in bottom trawls.

Miscellaneous Invertebrates from Bottom Trawl

Using the Methot Trawl

We use the Methot trawling net to sample krill, a type of zooplankton that pollock feeds on. On this voyage, the Methot was used 6 times as well. The Methot is a single net with a large square opening or mouth. The net is deployed from the stern and towed behind the vessel. Inside the Methot is a small removable codend where much of the catch is deposited.

The krill is measured and counted as well. First, the water is drained out, then it is weighed, and a small sample is weighed and counted.

Bottom trawls and Methot trawls are both important aspects of the pollock survey.

Personal Log

Accomplishment

Continuing with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, I will discuss the top part of the pyramid, how self-actualization, or being involved in creative endeavors to expand one’s full potential, are met on the Oscar Dyson.

A Version of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs — A Version of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Since I am an honorary member of the am science team, I am privy to many discussions between the scientists on the team regarding a variety of topics. For example, one side project on the mission is to gather information regarding the abundance and distribution of euphausiids (krill) in the Gulf of Alaska. This research project involves the use of a smaller “critter camera,” engineered and built by two of the MACE (Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering) group members, to take pictures of krill at various ocean depths and (ideally) reconcile its distribution with acoustic and Methot trawl data. The goal of the project is to provide insight into the feeding conditions of pollock. The discussions between group members involve postulating, speculating, testing, theorizing, analyzing, teaching, and questioning; clearly this meaty dialog indicates that the process of science is an intellectually stimulating and creative endeavor.

Scientist Team Members--- Abigail, Patrick, and Kirsten---Engaged in a Stimulating Discussion — Scientist Team Members— Abigail, Patrick, and Kirsten—Engaged in a Stimulating Discussion

Did You Know?

One of the people who views my blogs before they are posted is the Executive Officer (2nd in Charge) of the crew on the Oscar Dyson. His name is Chris and on this mission he is “augmenting” or filling in for another employee. Chris administers the day-to-day operations of the crew including logistics, payroll, and travel. Chris is a member of the NOAA Corps; he has both a BS in Marine Biology and an MS in Management Information Systems from Auburn University located in Auburn, Alabama. He grew up in various places in the Midwest (his dad was in the U.S. Airforce) and has worked in several fields including information technology and zookeeping. He applied to the NOAA Corps because he wanted to live and work near the ocean.

Chris, the Executive Officer of the Oscar Dyson — Chris, the Executive Officer of the *Oscar Dyson*

Something to Think About:

In previous posts, we have explored invertebrates encountered on this mission. Today we will look at a group of vertebrates from the class Osteichthyes, a word that comes from the Greek osteon meaning “bone” and ichthus meaning “fish.” We will focus on some of the other fish besides pollock found in bottom trawls. These bottom-dwellers are quite interesting creatures.

One of the most frequently found fish, other than pollock, is a type of rockfish called the Pacific Ocean Perch (POP); the species name is Sebastes alutus (Greek: Sebastes “August, venerable”, alutus “grow, nourish”). This fish actually was seen in many trawls, both mid-water and bottom. As the picture below indicates, the body and fins of the POP are light red; however, there are dark olivaceous areas on back under soft dorsal fin and on the caudal peducle. The maximum length of the fish is 55 cm and it is commonly found at a depth between 100-350 m.

Pacific Ocean Perch (a type of Rockfish)

A fish that belongs to the same genus as the POP is the Tiger Rockfish, Sebastes nigrocinctus ( Latin: niger, “black” and cinctus, “belt”). We found this fish once in a bottom trawl. The bottom of the tiger rockfish is light red to orange with several broad, vertical black-red bands on body. It grows to a maximum length of 61 cm and is commonly found at a depth between 55 to 274 m. Notice how similar it looks to the POP.

Tiger Rockfish, notice the similarities to the Pacific Ocean Perch

One of the most colorful fish that was found in a bottom trawl was the kelp greenling, Hexagrammos decagrammus (Greek: hexa, “six”; grammus, “letter, signal”, deca, “ten”), a fish that generally hangs out in rocky reefs and kelp beds in relatively shallow waters (up to 46 m). The fish is olive brown to bluish grey, speckled with irregular blue spots if male and reddish brown to gold spots if female (those we caught were most likely female). The fish reach a maximum length of 53 cm.

August 6, 2013August 13, 2021

Rosalind Echols: Cool Science on the Ship and Final Reflections on My Rainier Adventure, July 30, 2013

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Rosalind Echols
Aboard NOAA Ship Rainier
July 8 — 25, 2013

Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical Area of Cruise: Shumagin Islands, Alaska
Date: July 30, 2013

Current Location: 54° 55.6’ N, 160° 10.2’ W

Weather on board: Broken skies with a visibility of 14 nautical miles, variable wind at 22 knots, Air temperature: 14.65°C, Sea temperature: 6.7°C, 2 foot swell, sea level pressure: 1022.72 mb

Science and Technology Log:

Sometimes in school you hear, “You’ll need this someday.” You have been skeptical, and (at times) rightfully so. But here on the Rainier, Avery and I encountered many areas in which what we learned in school has helped us to understand some of the ship operations.

How does a 234 ft. ship, like the Rainier, float?

If you take a large chunk of metal and drop it in the water, it will sink. And yet, here we are sailing on a large chunk of metal. How is that possible? This all has to do with the difference between density (the amount of mass or stuff contained within a chunk of a substance) and buoyancy (the tendency of an object to float). When you put an object in water, it pushes water out of the way. If the object pushes aside an amount of water with equal mass before it becomes fully submerged, it will float. Less dense objects typically float because it doesn’t take that much water to equal their mass, and so they can remain above the water line. The shape of a ship is designed to increase its buoyancy by displacing a greater quantity of water than it would as a solid substance. Because of all the empty space in the ship, by the time the ship has displaced a quantity of water with equal mass to the ship itself, the ship is still above water. As we add people, supplies, gasoline and so on to the ship, we ride lower. As evidenced by the sinking of numerous ships, when a ship springs a hole in the hull and water floods in, the buoyancy of the ship is severely compromised. To take precaution against this, the Rainier has several extra watertight doors that can be closed in case of an emergency. That way, the majority of the ship could be kept secure from the water and stay afloat.

How does a heavy ship like the Rainier stay balanced?

Another critical consideration is the balance of the ship. When the ship encounters the motion of the ocean, it tends to pitch and roll. Like a pendulum, the way in which it does this depends largely on the distance between the center of gravity of the ship (effectively the point at which the mass of the ship is centered) and the point about which it will roll. Ships are very carefully designed and loaded so that they maintain maximum stability.

Ballast is often added to the hulls of ships for the following reasons:

to help keep them balanced when there is not enough cargo weight
to increase stability when sailing in rough seas
to increase the draught of the ship allowing it to pass under bridges
to counteract a heavy upper deck like that of the Rainier, which itself contains 64, 000 pounds of launches.

Ballast comes in many forms and historically rocks, sandbags and pieces of heavy metal were used to lower a ship’s center of gravity, thus stabilizing it. Cargo ships, when filling up at port, would unload this ballast in exchange for the cargo to be transported. For example, in the 1800s, the cobblestone streets of Savannah, Georgia were made with the abandoned ballast of ships. Today water is used as ballast, since it can be loaded and unloaded easier and faster. Most cargo ships contain several ballast tanks in the hull of the ship.

It is thought that the capsizing of the Cougar Ace cargo ship bound for the west coast of the US in 2006, was caused by a ballast problem during an open-sea transfer. The ship was required to unload their ballast in international waters before entering US waters to prevent the transfer of invasive species carried by the stored water. The result of the Cougar Ace snafu: 4, 700 Mazdas scrapped and millions of dollars lost. Oops!

Couger Ace capsized in open ocean — Cougar Ace capsized in open ocean

Because the Rainier is not loading and unloading tons of cargo, they use a permanent ballast of steel rebar, which sits in the center of the lower hull. Another source of ballast is the 102, 441 gallons of diesel which is divided between many gas tanks that span the width and length of the ship on the port and starboard sides. These tanks can be filled and emptied individually. For stability purposes the Rainier must maintain 30% of fuel onboard, and according to the CO, the diesel level is usually way above 30% capacity. The manipulation of the individual diesel tank levels is more for “trimming” of the boat which essentially ensures a smoother ride for passengers.

Where does all the freshwater come from for a crew of 50?

If only humans could drink saltwater, voyages at sea would be much easier and many lives would have been saved. Unfortunately, salt water is three times saltier than human blood and would severely dehydrate the body upon consumption leading to health problems such as kidney failure, brain damage, seizures and even death. So how can we utilize all this salt water that surrounds us for good use? Well, to avoid carrying tons of fresh potable water aboard, most large ships use some type of desalination process to remove the salt from the water. Desalination methods range from reverse osmosis to freeze thawing to distillation. The Rainier uses a distillation method which mimics the water cycle in nature: heated water evaporates into water vapor, leaving salts and impurities behind, condensing into liquid water as the temperature drops. This all is happening inside a closed system so the resulting freshwater can be kept. To speed up this process, the pressure is lowered inside the desalinator so the water boils at a lower temperature. Much of the energy needed to heat the water comes from the thermal energy or waste heat given off by nearby machines such as the boiler.

Distillation purifies 99% percent of the salt water and the remaining 1% of impurities are removed by a bromine filter. The final step of the process is a bromine concentration and PH check to ensure the water is potable. The bromine should be about .5 ppm and the PH between 6.8-7.2.

Everyday the Rainer desalinates 2500 gallons of saltwater to be used for drinking, cleaning and showering. The toilets, however, use saltwater and if you are lucky like me, you can see flashes of light from bioluminescent plankton when flushing in darkness. It’s like a plankton discotec in the toilet!

How does the chicken cross the road when the road is moving?

The difference between a road map and a nautical chart is that a road map tells you which way to go and a nautical chart just tells you what’s out there and you design your course. Thus, navigating on the ocean is not as simple as “turn left at the stop sign,” or “continue on for 100 miles”, like directions for cars often state. Imagine that the road beneath you was moving as you drove your car. In order to keep following your desired course, you would need to keep adjusting to the changes in the road. That’s a lot like what happens in a ship. If you want to drive due west, you can’t simply aim the ship in that direction. As you go, the ship gets pushed around by the wind, the currents, and the tides, almost as if you drove your car west and the road slid up to the north. Without compensating for this, you would end up many miles north of your desired location. If you have a north-going current, you have to account for this by making southward adjustments. In a physics class, we might talk about adding vectors, or directional motion; in this case, we are considering velocity vectors. When you add up the speed you are going in each direction, you end up with your actual speed and direction. In the ship we make adjustments so that our actual speed and direction are correct.

Which way to the North Pole?

Did you know that when you look at a compass, it doesn’t always tell you the direction of true north? True north is directly towards the North Pole, the center of the Earth’s axis of rotation which passes directly to the true south pole. However, compasses rely on the location of the magnetic pole which is offset somewhat.

Compass showing true north and magnetic north

The combination of the solid iron core and the liquid iron mantle of the Earth create a magnetic field that surrounds the Earth (and protects us from some really damaging effects of the sun). If you visualize the Earth like a bar magnet, magnetic north is located at an approximate position of 82.7°N 114.4°W, roughly in the middle of northern Canada. If you stood directly south of this point, your compass would point true north because true north and magnetic north would be on the same line of longitude. However, as you get farther away from this west or east, the North indicated by your compass is more and more offset.

Our navigational charts are made using “true” directions. Because of our location in Alaska, if we were steering by compass, we would have to offset all of our measurements by roughly 14° to account for the difference in true and magnetic north. Fortunately, due to the advent of GPS, it is much simpler to tell our true direction.

Why so much daylight and fog?

Every hour, the crew of the Rainier measures the air temperature, sea water temperature, atmospheric pressure, and relative humidity. Aside from keeping a record of weather conditions, this also allows the National Weather Service to provide a more accurate weather forecast for this geographical region by providing local data to plug into the weather prediction models.

Weather in the Shumagin Islands could be very different from that of the nearest permanent weather station, so this can be valuable information for mariners. In our time out here, we have experienced a lot of fog and cool temperatures (although the spectacular sunshine and sunsets of the past few days make that seem like a distant memory). One reason for this is our simultaneous proximity to a large land mass (Siberia, in far-east Russia) and the ocean. Cool air from the land collides with warm waters coming up from Japan, which often leads to fog.

Currents of the Pacific — Currents around Alaska

However, because we are pretty far north, we also experience a lot of daylight (although not the 24-hour cycles so often associated with Alaska). At this time of the year, even though the Earth is farther away from the sun that it is in our winter season, the axis of the Earth is tilted toward the sun, leading to more direct sunlight and longer hours of illumination.

Earth's orbit around the sun — Earth’s orbit around the sun

One slightly bizarre fact is that all of Alaska is on the same time zone, even though it is really large enough to span several time zones. Out in the west, that means that sunset is in fact much later than it otherwise should be. Our last few spectacular sunsets have all happened around 11pm and true darkness descends just past midnight. I have on several occasions stayed up several hours past my bedtime fishing on the fantail or getting distracted wandering around the ship because it is still light out at 11pm!

Rosalind and Avery at sunset — Rosalind and Avery (with Van de Graaf generator hair) at sunset

Personal Log:

After roughly a week back on land, I have already been inundated with questions about life on the Rainier, the research we were doing, the other people I met, and so on. It occurs to me that as challenging as it was to embark on this journey and try to learn as much as possible in three weeks, perhaps the greater challenge is to convey the experience to friends, family, and most importantly, my students. How will I convey the sense of nervousness with which I first stepped from the skiff to land, trying not to fall in the frigid north Pacific? What will I do in my classroom to get my students as excited about learning about the ocean and diving into new experiences as I was on this trip? How will I continue to expand on the knowledge and experiences I have had during my time on the Rainier? At the moment, I do not have excellent answers to these questions, but I know that thinking about them will be one of the primary benefits of this extraordinary opportunity.

For the moment, I can say that I have deepened my understanding of both the value and the challenge of working in collaboration with others; the importance of bringing my own voice to my work as well as listening to that of others; and the extent to which new experiences that push me out of my comfort zone are incredibly important for my development as an individual. I genuinely hope that I can develop a classroom environment that enables this same learning process for my students, so that, like the science I discussed above, they aren’t doing things that they will, “need some day,” but doing things that they need now.

Finally, I will say that I am finishing this trip even more intrigued by the ocean, and its physical and biological processes, than I was before. When one of the survey techs declared, “This is so exciting! We are the first people ever to see the bottom of this part of the ocean!” she wasn’t exaggerating. Even after my time on the Rainier, I feel like I am only beginning to scratch the surface of all of the things I might learn about the ocean, and I can’t wait to explore these with my students. I look forward as well to the inevitable research that I will do to try to further solidify my understanding and appreciation of the world’s oceans.

I leave with fond memories of a truly unique 18 day voyage aboard the most productive coastal hydrographic survey platform in the world: her majesty, the NOAA Ship Rainier. Thank you lovely lady and thank you Rainier crew for making this Teacher at Sea adventure so magical!

August 6, 2013August 20, 2021

Melissa George: Would You Like Fries with That? August 5, 2013

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Melissa George
Aboard NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson
July 22 – August 9, 2013

Mission: Pollock Survey
Geographical Area of Cruise: Gulf of Alaska
Date: August 5, 2013

Current Data From Today’s Cruise (2 pm Alaska Daylight Time)

Weather Data from the Bridge
Sky Condition: Partly Cloudy
Temperature: 15.8 ° C
Wind Speed: Light Wind
Barometric Pressure: 1018.7 mb
Humidity: 84%

August 5, 2013 is a Cloudy Day on the Oscar Dyson

Sun and Moon Data
Sunrise: 5:13 am
Sunset: 9:35 pm
Moonrise: 4:22 am
Moonset: 8:27 pm

Geographic Coordinates ( 2pm Alaska Daylight Time)

Latitude: 59 ° 09.7 N Longitude: 141° 27.6 W
The ship’s position now can be found by clicking: Oscar Dyson’s Geographical Position

Science and Technology Log

Processing the Catch
My last blog post focused on mid-water trawling; this blog will focus on processing the catch. When we process the catch, we are processing it in a scientific way, not a food production way. The goal of any fish survey is to try to determine how many fish (in this case pollock) are in the sea in order to establish sustainable fishing limits. Ideally, trawling allows scientists to randomly select a sample of pollock to measure a good representation of the pollock population. The survey is undertaken in an ecologically friendly way with a focus to preserve as many fish as possible by releasing them alive back into the ocean. I will go through the steps of this process.

Step 1: Sorting and Measuring

Usually, fish brought in with the trawl net are placed directly on the table. If the catch is especially large, it may be weighed first by attaching a scale to a crane, and then attaching the load to the scale. The entire catch is weighed so the scientists can use the length and gender data taken from the sample to extrapolate for the entire catch. Then a sample (ideally 300 pollock) are kept to process and the rest are released. This data is combined with the acoustics data to estimate the size of the entire stock.

Delivering Fish From Trawling Net to Table

Fish are emptied out of the net and onto the table outside of the fish lab. The number of fish that land on the conveyor belt can be controlled by raising the table and opening the door. The fish on the conveyor belt are separated by species. Although in the catch there are often many types of species of sea animals present, the focus of this blog will be the pollock that are caught.

An Interested Observer Checks out the Pollock on the Conveyor Belt

In the video clip, the vast majority of the fish are adult pollock, but sometimes there are a variety of age stages; Age 0, Age 1, and Adult are what we have seen. Pollock are sorted by age, gathered into baskets, and weighed. Age 0 and Age 1 pollock are weighed and then measured with the icthystick, a magnetic fish measuring board, from the head to the fork in the tail. The icthystick is connected to a computer that automatically records the data. (The icthystick below shows how the length of capelin, a prey of pollock, are measured and recorded; the method is the same pollock).

Step 2: Sexing

Each age group has a somewhat different protocol for processing. Counts and measurements of weight and length are taken for the smaller pollock (and capelin). The larger pollock are grouped by sex. To do this, the abdomen is sliced open with a scalpel, the innards are pushed aside, and ovaries or testes are identified. After determining the sex of the fish, its length is measured with the icthystick. Finally, a subsample of fish are set aside for otolith removal. As we process a catch, samples of fish and other species are collected for various off-board scientists. For example, Age 0 pollock are kept for one scientist; ovaries from mature pollock for another.

Sometimes it is difficult to tell the testes from the ovaries. Generally, both are paired organs that lie along the vertebrae under the guts (stomach, liver, intestines). The ovaries tend to be fuller and more brightly colored; the testes, stringier and paler. However, these organs can vary somewhat depending on the maturity of the fish. Below are examples of the organs from fish that have not yet spawned (photos courtesy of Story Miller, TAS 2010).

These are the testes of a pre-spawning male — Testes of a Pre-Spawning Male Pollock (bottom right)

These are ovaries in the pre-spawning stage — Ovaries of a Pre-Spawning Female Pollock (center)

Step 3: Removing Otoliths

Otoliths are made of calcium carbonate and are located directly behind the brain of bony fishes. They are involved in the detection of sound and the process of hearing. The age of the fish can be established by counting the annuli (small ridges on the otoliths) much like one does when counting tree rings. This age data allows scientists to estimate growth rates, age at maturity, and exposure to various environmental conditions.

The otoliths are brought to Seattle for more detailed analysis, so after extracting them from the pollock, they are placed in jars with a preservative called glycerol thymol. The jars have bar codes on the side so that the otoliths are linked to the fish’ weight, length and sex. These results will be used to correspond length to age in the stock assessment report.

Personal Log Accomplishment

Continuing with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, I will discuss some of the ways that the need of feelings of accomplishment are met on the Oscar Dyson.


A Version of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

The goal of the Oscar Dyson crew is to safely and successfully navigate the ship through the Gulf of Alaska transects collecting and processing pollock. As of Saturday, August 3 on this mission, we have traveled almost 3000 nautical miles, traversed through 33 transects and completed 26 Aleutian Wing Trawls, 6 Poly Nor’eastern Bottom Trawls, and 6 Methots. We have measured and recorded data for 4,387 fish; 2,696 of these were pollock. We have also collected 334 otoliths. These numbers give the team a sense of accomplishment, knowing that they have contributed to the data and information processing to promote sustainable fishing practices. Check out this link, the NOAA FishWatch webpage that provides information on sustainable fishing practices.

Did You Know?

Married couples can work together aboard the Oscar Dyson. Kristin and Vince met in graduate school at the University of Florida where they were working on Master’s Degrees in Fisheries and Aquatic Science. They were collaborating on a project that focused on river systems in Florida. After getting married and working in labs at both the University of Maryland and Oregon State, they applied for Survey Technician positions with NOAA. Kristen and Vince work opposite shifts on the Oscar Dyson; Kristen works mornings and Vince works evenings. As survey technicians they are responsible for the calibration and deployment of various data acquisition systems such as the Scientific Computer System (SCS) that is constantly monitoring information such as air temperature, sea temperature, salinity, chlorophyll levels and weather. Kristen and Vince work as liaisons between the science team and the NOAA Corps.

Vince and Kristen, Oscar Dyson Survey Technicians

Something to Think About:

So far we have discussed the following invertebrate animal phyla: Porifera and Cnideria. Today’s episode of Trawling Zoology features other interesting representatives of the invertebrate animal kingdom: Annelida, Mollusca, Arthropoda, and Echinodermata that have turned up in our catches.

Phylum Annelida-from the Latin word anulus meaning “little ring”

Annelids are segmented worms that have a linear series of external segments divided by septa (walls between segments) that house serially repeated nervous, muscle, and excretory systems. Their anterior segments contain jaws, eyes, and cirri (small feelers that help with feeding). Filter-feeding marine annelids capture bacteria and feed selectively on sediment particles within tubes buried in sand or mud.

Polychaete from the Phylum Annelida (found in a bottom trawl)

Phylum Mollusca-from the Latin word mollis meaning “soft”

Mollusca is one of the most diverse groups of animals on the planet, with at least 50,000 living species (and more likely around 200,000). It includes such familiar organisms as sea snails, octopuses, squid, clams, and chitons, all of which we have seen on this mission. They all have soft bodies which typically have a “head” and a “foot” region. Often their bodies are covered by a hard exoskeleton, as in the shells of snails and clams or the plates of chitons. Squid and octopuses have small internal shells.

Members of the Squid Family, Gonotopsis borealis, the Armhook Squid

Hermit Crabs (Arthropods) Inhabiting the Shells of Mollusks

Phylum Arthropoda-from the combination of Greek words arthron meaning “jointed” and pous meaning “feet”

The Phylum Arthropoda includes organisms such as insects, spiders, and crustaceans (crabs and shrimp). The vast majority of sea dwelling arthropods are crustaceans. For example, the hermit crabs emerging from the mollusk shells in the picture above are members of the most abundant family on Earth, the arthropods. Arthropods have an exoskeleton of a tough compound called chitin that forms a rigid armor with joints in between. This outer shell provides the structure against which arthropod muscles pull, reduces water loss, and protects them from environmental dangers. Below are other examples of arthropods found frequently in trawls.

Isopods (The Cockroaches of the Sea) among Krill, another type of Arthropod

Phylum Echinodermata-from the combination of Greek words echinos meaning “spiny” and derma meaning “skin”

The adults are recognizable by their (usually five-point) radial symmetry, and include such well-known animals as starfish, sea urchins, sand dollars, and sea cucumbers. Echinoderms are found at every ocean depth and contains about 7000 living species. Echinoderms are also the largest phylum that has no freshwater or terrestrial (land-based) representatives. Two unique characteristics of this phylum are the ability to regenerate tissues and their ossified limestone exoskeletons.

Various Starfish found in a Bottom Trawl

NOAA Teacher at Sea Katie Sard Aboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 29, 2013-August 15, 2013

Science and Technology Log

Personal Log

Just another Day at the Office

Your Questions Answered!

Did You Know…

NOAA Teacher at Sea Katie Sard Aboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 29-August 15, 2013

Science and Technology Log

Personal Log

Just another Day at the Office…

Your Questions Answered!

Did You Know…

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Katie Sard
Aboard NOAA Ship Rainier
July 29, 2013-August 15, 2013

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Katie Sard
Aboard NOAA Ship Rainier
July 29-August 15, 2013