All Aboard! Virtual Ocean Exploration

Recognize those islands?

Last week, Megan let the Knaussers in on a neat event happening at the Silver Spring campus highlighting recent activities and accomplishments within NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration.  If you've been hiding under a rock, in your cubicle, or simply experiencing a momentary brain lapse, you (like me) might have been thinking to yourself, Wait - we have an office for that?  While not a program we hear about every day, these folks might be the most passionate marine nerds among us.  As we all sat in the NOAA command center, these aquatic adventurers gave us a unique and fascinating window into the complexities and wonders of their underwater world aboard the Okeanos and the Nautilus.

At this event, the NOAA command center was receiving live feeds from not one, but two underwater exploration vessels.  First, we spoke with researchers aboard the Okeanos, NOAA's primary exploration vessel.  Investigating hydrovent formation in the Caymen Trench was not the only item on the agenda for its expedition throughout the Caribbean.  Last year, the ship documented changes in biodiversity in the coral triangle of the Indonesian Archepelago.  The captain explained to us that none of these beautiful discoveries could have been made or shown to the world were it not for telepresence, fiber optics, and satellites.

AUV takes ocean measurements on its own.

On the other side of the world, the Nautilus was exploring the Black Sea on its expedition through the Mediterranean, stopping along the coasts of Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey, and Israel researching underwater volcanoes, methane seeps, and seamounts.  This work truly is integrated with other NOAA operations and programs and even produces the bathymetric data that underlies Google Ocean maps.  The coordination effort behind this type of communication is almost daunting.  But, the bedecked ROVs and hard-working technicians have created virtual underwater research stations and classrooms, with scientific experts and teachers accessing it from the comfort of a computer screen.  While less exciting (and less cramped) than experiencing it first hand, this telepresence really has revolutionized the exploration process. 

Global Okeanos missions.

As budding marine conservationists and resource managers, we've probably all heard the complaint that we know more about the surface of the moon and Jupiter than we do about the depths of our oceans.  After having experienced the challenges of prioritizing research projects in the U.S. and even bemoaning the lack of "sufficient data to inform management decisions" a few times myself, I now have a better appreciation for the politics and sensitivities of dedicating entire vessels (and immense funding) to exploration, simply for discovering unimagined or unexpected truths in the name of scientific progress. 

East coast missions, mouse-over online to see the name!

While the arguably indulgent nature of this work and its intangible benefits might keep it near the bottom of the funding priorities in lean budget times, their maps express the need for continued exploration better than any speech or grant proposal could.  They have conducted so many missions around the world and along the coasts, each requiring immense time, effort, and money.  But, the ocean really is tremendously large, and as can be seen, so much of their efforts have been dedicated to exploring the depths of our own coastal backyards.  It seems that these technicians, biologists, and vessel operators may be helping us take a big step toward improving public awareness by actually helping people see (and then hopefully care) about the underwater environment.  But there is still so much left to be explored!


Big thanks to Megan for the invitations!

Earthquakes and Hurricanes and Reviews - oh my!

August sure is going out with a bang!

Earthquake: On Tuesday afternoon at 1:51pm the DC area was rattled by a 5.8 magnitude earthquake centered in Mineral, VA. Where were you?

Fellows at the NOAA campus in Silver Spring felt a pronounced shaking on and off for about 10 seconds and were instructed to leave the building before being sent home about 30 minutes later. Kate, Matt and I took the opportunity to grab some ice cream while we waited for the Metro to clear up (which was running at a max speed of 15mph for safety).

Nicole was just coming in from having a late lunch near the Capitol, and thought she was feeling dizzy. Which seems logical - surely I'm dizzy and it's not that the Earth itself is moving. Buildings downtown were also evacuated and many were sent home. Some had to wait a few (or more) hours before being allowed back into their offices to get their things. 

Abby was at her desk at the Naval Observatory when plaster began to rain down. She and a co-worker ran into the doorway to wait it out, at that point hoping it was an earthquake and not something worse. She later attended an earthquake party and made a recreation of the event.

Megan was at a Senior Research Council meeting in Princeton, NJ. She thought someone had just stomped by in a huff, shaking the floor (as senior researchers are known to do).

Hannah may have been the farthest away and still felt the building wiggle all the way up at the Portland, Maine, district office.
More info on why this one traveled so far here. Though not a particularly enjoyable experience, I'm glad everyone made it through unscathed.

Hurricane: Get ready for an exciting weekend, Ladies and Gents, because Irene is paying us a visit! Right now she's a Category 2 making her way for North Carolina and ultimately up the east coast. It's unclear at this point exactly what effects we'll feel in DC, but I'm going to to out on a limb and predict power outages at the least. Those of us doing the CA Marine Sanctuaries trip have rescheduled our flights to hopefully beat the storm tomorrow morning but for those of you sticking around (or for Matt in NC) - keep an eye out and stay safe!

Mid-Year Reviews: Hopefully not as stressful as the aforementioned natural disasters, it's time for Knauss mid-year reviews! If you haven't already made arrangements to meet with Chelsea and your supervisor to go over you progress so far, be sure to do it soon. I found it to be reassuring that I'm following my Professional Development plan pretty well and any experiences I'm still looking for are now on the table with plenty of time left to do them.

It has been a big week - take some time to relax this weekend (though likely indoors).

Field Notes: Knauss in Norfolk

This week's notes from the field spotlight Abby's recent adventure with the Navy.  Read on to learn more about her experiences and thoughts on some of our nation's defensive centers and ships!

"On 18 August, I traveled to Naval Station Norfolk with three co-workers/Naval Officers, a Captain, and two Ensigns. Our tour began at 0830, so we had a bright-and-early wakeup call at 0315 to leave the Naval Observatory at 0400...coffee was definitely a must when we got on base!  After coffee was taken care of, the first order of the day was to board the USS Enterprise, which is the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the oldest active warship in the U.S. Fleet, and the world’s largest active warship. 

She is quite impressive, to say the least…but even more impressive are the men and women who are stationed on the ship, working long hours of physically- and mentally-demanding labor. I met a Petty Officer First Class who saved the life of a pilot when he became unconscious from vertigo while flying – the Petty Officer took control of the airplane from the ship, when all he could see was the dot of the plane on a radar screen. It was an immensely humbling experience as I met and saw these amazing men and women, and all I could do to express my gratitude was shake their hands and tell them thank you. 

After walking up and down the many ladders on the USS Enterprise, standing on the flight deck, and observing the flight deck from the bridge, it was on to the USS Iwo Jima, an amphib whose main duty is to transport U.S. Marines, where ladders were replaced with ramps to accommodate the difference in function. On this tour, I was taken down to the women’s berthing area, which is where the enlisted women get their precious sleep. I was shocked at the exceptionally tight living quarters and small storage space. Light sleepers don’t stand a chance.

After lunch at the Officers’ Club, the final tour was to the Fleet Weather Center Norfolk, where weather forecasts are made to warn and protect Navy installations and personnel. As a 24-hour center, about 21 people work 12-hour shifts forecasting weather and answering phone calls from the ships and bases. A sister-center is stationed in San Diego and provides full coverage for the Navy. 

I had been looking forward to this trip since the beginning of my fellowship, but I never expected to take away the experience that I did – I left with an even greater appreciation for the Navy and the rest of our armed forces. They are incredibly dedicated people who really do give up their lives for their country – something I’ve always known, but never really understood. I now appreciate my private, civilian lifestyle even more, and hold a greater respect for these amazing Americans." 


Thanks to Abby for sharing her thoughts on this adventure.  Tune back in for more stories from our Knaussers!