NOAA's Floating Laboratory Conducts Science at Sea

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NOAA's Floating Laboratory Conducts Science at Sea

by Jana Goldman

"This is the first real-time hydrophone array in the civilian acoustic network."

At sea; Ronald H. Brown is NOAA's state-of-the-art oceanographic and atmospheric research platform.

Ronald H. Brown is NOAA's state-of-the-art oceanographic and atmospheric research platform.

Singer James Brown may bill himself as the "Hardest Working Man in Show Business," but among ships, the title of "Hardest Working Research Vessel" could easily be bestowed upon NOAA's Ronald H. Brown.

Commissioned in 1997, Brown is one of the most technologically advanced vessels. Crowned by her distinctive round white "golf ball" Doppler radar, Brown is one of the best-equipped floating laboratories to conduct a variety of oceanographic, meteorological, and climate research.

While under way, Brown constantly collects weather and climate data while often performing underwater mapping duties. This is in addition to the specialized tasks that are performed as part of specific studies, such as the EPIC project under way. One of three ships being used for this climate study, Brown left San Diego Sept. 5, stopping at the Galapagos Islands before arriving in Chile on Oct. 25.

For the EPIC cruise, two white shipping containers converted to seagoing laboratories sit on the Brown's foredeck filled with equipment developed and operated by NOAA's Environmental Technology Laboratory in Boulder, Colo. This equipment, including a drum-shaped instrument, uses Lidar – a type of radar that uses lasers - to collect information about the effect clouds may have on climate and El Niños.

Each project requires different equipment, so Brown's laboratory space is often filled with wooden or metal boxes marked "Delicate Equipment" or "Fragile" awaiting scientists to unpack and install the contents. This is in addition to the thousands of feet of metal supporting miles of cable and wire that are attached to things that move in the wind or stand like silent sentries as they gather information.

Scientists test the cable before installing the hydrophone.

An engineering team from the University of Washington tested the cable before attaching it to the the hydrophone array. Photo by Brian Johnson.

Before starting the EPIC cruise, Brown participated in a project that installed a hydrophone – an underwater "ear" - onto a cable to listen for ocean sounds, such as those made by marine mammals or ships.

"This is the first real-time hydrophone array in the civilian acoustic network," said Chris Fox of the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory in Seattle, Wash., who is the chief scientist for the project.

Brown crew secures the cable end that will anchor the hydrophone.

After three hours of lifting, the cable finally surfaced. Here the Brown crew secures the cable end so the science team can begin their work. Photo by Brian Johnson.

The crew and scientists were up until 3 a.m. until the hydrophone – encased in a small canister with a large fluorescent orange ball on top - was attached to the underwater water cable and sent back down into the ocean. A land-based station started to receive data soon afterwards.

In addition to crew and scientists, Brown also hosts Teachers At Sea – a NOAA/National Science Foundation program that puts teachers aboard NOAA ships. During their time on board, the teachers keep daily logs, create lesson plans, and answer questions from schoolchildren via the Internet.

For EPIC - the current project – there are two Teachers At Sea. Jennifer Richards, a ninth and 10th grade math teacher from Vista, Calif., is on the first leg of the trip and will stay on board until the ship reaches the Galapagos Islands about mid-October. Waiting to take her place in the Galapagos will be Jane Temoshok, a science lab teacher from Alexandria, Va. To follow the journey, visit: www.ogp.noaa.gov/epic.

Life aboard Brown for visiting scientists begins with a welcome from Capt. Don Dreves, additional information from the Executive Officer, and the all-important what-to-do-to-prevent-seasickness talk from the ship's Medical Officer.

Information is attached to the door of each stateroom indicating where to gather in case of emergencies, such as fire, man overboard, or abandon ship. The opportunity to see if the emergency information has been read comes within 24 hours of the ship's sailing when a drill is called.

Standard procedure is to grab a life vest and a large orange bag that contains the red overall survival suit garment – called the Gumby suit because the wearer bears a striking resemblance to the cartoon character of that name.

Struggling to don the suit was an exercise in itself. It's advised to remove shoes before putting the suit on, but to take the shoes in preparation for wearing them once you are rescued. Designed to save lives and not to be fashionable, the Gumby suit, however, quickly becomes an indispensable part of the shipboard wardrobe.

There are set mealtimes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner when a variety of delicious entrees are served, including at least one vegetarian main course. But because the crew and scientists rarely adhere to a 9-to-5 schedule, food and beverages are available 24 hours a day. Because of erratic schedules, there is likely to be someone sleeping at any time of the day.

NOAA Research Public Affairs Officer Jana Goldman leaves one of the ship's science laboratories.

During breaks in the work, the crew and scientists are very willing to talk about what they do and what the ship can do and were very forgiving about lapses in the use of nautical terms, such as port, starboard, fore, and aft.

Two videos from the ship's eclectic collection are shown in the lounge every evening and science lectures are often given.

While Brown is a premier science laboratory, it also serves as a reminder that science often involves hard work. Heavy machinery, delicate maneuvers, precise navigation, and a spirit of teamwork among a diverse group of people all contribute to the success of any project on Brown.

NOAA conducts research at its 12 environmental laboratories and six National Undersea Research Centers across the nation, as well as in collaboration with its 11 university partners, the 30 National Sea Grant College programs, and the Office of Global Programs. The Office of Ocean Exploration was started in 2001. NOAA Research uses ships, airplanes, and satellites to gather the information that will help us better understand our weather, climate, and oceans.

[9/10/01]

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