Charting Terradepth's Big Ambitions in the Unmanned Vehicle Space
go to the bottom of the earth and fly through a 3D point cloud terrain we’ve built, says Kauffman. And they’re not just talking about a map. They’re looking at building multi-dimensional data set to include <1m bathymetry, but also water column data, temperature, salinity and other chemical properties, as well as organisms detected there, and how that compares with one or five years ago in the same area.“Climate change is a real thing, but a lot of people think we know why or how – and we don’t because we don’t know what’s happening on our planet because
The Ocean's Microplastics Mess: Technology & Technique to Identify & Clean Up
that consumer macro-plastic products have on aquatic ecosystems. Ranging from plastic bags and straws to bottles and fishing nets, these materials pollute harbors, rivers, lakes and oceans, all while threatening the prosperity of wildlife, natural habitats and human health. To make matters worse, the chemical structure of most plastic materials prevents its complete degradation in nature, instead leaving behind microplastic particles. Measured as smaller than five millimeters in size, microplastics can be difficult to see with the naked eye and even harder to collect and identify. Microplastics are not
Subsea Mining: The Race is On, But Effects are Unclear
release plumes of sediment that blanket or choke filter-feeding species on the seafloor and fish swimming in the water column.Mining also introduces noise, vibration and light pollution in a zone that normally is silent, still and dark. And depending on the type of mining taking place, it could lead to chemical leaks and spills.Many deep-sea species are unique and found nowhere else. We agree with the scientific community and environmental advocates that it is critically important to analyze the potential effects of seabed mining thoroughly. Studies also should inform decision-makers about how to manage
ARA Taps Coolbaugh as Ohmsett Facility Manager
remote sensing, in addition to training. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and a PhD in Chemistry, as well as a Master of Science in the Management of Technology. “We are excited to have Tom join our team” said ARA Vice President Doug Meegan. “He brings 30-plus years of experience in chemical technology and oil spill research, and is a welcome addition to our company. Tom’s extensive background will help expand the testing and measurement capabilities of Ohmsett through innovation and pursuing upgrades to the facility that benefit the research and training community.”Ohmsett
China's Polar Icebreaker Embarks on First Arctic Mission
Rise, Canada Basin and the central Arctic Ocean, Xinhua reports. The voyage is expected to cover some 12,000 nautical miles and conclude in late September.The expedition is said to be organized by China's Ministry of Natural Resources to study biodiversity and ecosystems, ocean acidification and chemical environment and new pollutants, to improve the nation's scientific understanding of climate change in the Arctic.Delivered from the Jiangnan Shipyard in July 2019, the icebreaking research vessel commenced operations in October, completing its first Antarctica expedition in April.Designed by
GOM Geotechnical Coring Program Completed for NOAA OER Expedition
Exploration and Research (OER) supports research expeditions to explore previously unvisited areas of the ocean. OER provides partnership coordination, funding, staff, tools, and expertise needed to develop mission plans that deliver rigorous, systematic observations and documentation of biological, chemical, physical, geological, and archaeological aspects of the ocean.The TDI-Brooks 3-inch-diameter piston coring (PC) system consists of various hardware assemblies designed to be safely and robustly fastened together into a working core rig and deployed to the seabed for extracting a piston core.TDI-Brooks&r
PML: Invasive Seaweed Finds New Role as Coastal Cleanup Hero
, led by the University of Exeter and the University of Bath, has developed a cheap and simple way of creating biofuel and fertilizer from seaweed, aiding in its cleanup and the removal of plastic from tourist beaches in the Caribbean and Central America.The study, recently published in the Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, aims to remove invasive seaweed, like Sargassum, which is costly to cleanup and deters tourists, while also producing biofuel in a sustainable way. Professor Mike Allen of the University of Exeter and Plymouth Marine Lab explained the need for an economically and environment
Oceaneering Lands W. Australia Order
Oceaneering has won a contract to provide a number of monobore diverless connectors for an offshore Western Australia project.Oceaneering said Wednesday it would supply 3-inch M5 connectors, which will be used for Monoethylene Glycol (MEG) and Chemical Inhibitor (CI) service on the field subsea distribution system.Nikunj Patel, Director of Engineering and Technology for Oceaneering, said: “We are thrilled to provide our high pressure, high flow ROV-flyable M5 connectors for this project located in Australian waters. The M5 is a versatile, compact, and cost-effective solution ideal for high flow
New Study Tracks Trash Found at the Ocean's Depths
with fishing gear. However, not all interactions appeared to be negative; some animals used debris for shelter or as substrate to attach to. Additionally, as these observations were only of debris larger than 2 centimeters in size, there are likely many unseen impacts, such as from microplastics and chemicals leaching out of debris.The naturally slow biological and chemical processes operating at depth, coupled with the types of materials that are used commercially, suggest that debris is likely to persist in the deep ocean for long periods of time, ranging from hundreds to thousands of years, making
