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Hello everyone,

My name is Tyler Hackett and I have been choosen to be the MATE intern aboard the RV Langseth. I am currently a senior in Ocean Engineering at Florida Institute of Technology. My main focus within the field of Ocean Engineering is Marine Technology which includes Remotely Operated Vehicles, Instrumentation, and sub-sea technologies. My senior design project that was completed last year invloved a mechanical and electrical overhaul of ROSCo (Remotely operated sea crawler).

I am very excited to have this opportunity to spend time at sea doing research that I have a passion for. I have already started packing for my departure next tuesday. While on board the Langseth we will be testing and using several different types of marine instruments. Some of the instruments that will be used include ADCP (Acoustic doppler current profiler), 3D Siesmic scanners, 2D seismic scanners, gravimeters, and magnetometers. Throughout my internship I will be going more into depth on how each of these instruments work and the data that can be obtained from them.

Adios San Diego, Hola Portland! What we do while in transit …

By Pamela Ward

On May 15, 2015

In MATE Blog Archive, R/V Thomas G. Thompson, University of Washington, School of Oceanography

During our stop in San Diego, many things on the ship changed. We disembarked the science techs and all their gear, which I must say makes the ship look so much bigger, garnered provisions and got the ship’s winch back. The secondary marine techs were switched out and once under sail, we fired-up all that data acquiring equipment that we run and maintain as SOP (standard operating procedure). So now what? Today has been a day like any other while in transit. We made work lists and knocked out the items on the list. For example, we removed sensors from the CTD that are due for calibration, replacing them with ones from the ship stores, ordering replacements for the store from shore to be brought with the oncoming tech and updating all the logs that pertain to that activity. We trained on CTD terminations, so in the event there is a problem during operations, we will be prepared to make that happen efficiently. We spend our day ensuring that all the details that make operations efficient and smooth are addressed before the heat is turned up. We prepare. We anticipate. We pay close attention to the details, so the details don’t come back to haunt us at a critical moment. In addition, as we are headed for dry dock we have to coordinate with the engineers that power requirements are meet as we have certain equipment that needs to remain online no matter what state the ship is in. And, for me personally, it’s time to start tidying up my internship and personal details, like this final blog and laundry. The party’s over, so turn the lights out. Adios, Thomas G. Thompson.

Pre-Internship Excitement

By Maia Garcia

On May 13, 2015

In MATE Blog Archive, R/V Hugh R. Sharp, University of Delaware, College of Earth, Ocean and Environment

Hello!

Tomorrrow is the big day, the day I start my internship aboard the R/V Sharp! It has been a whrilwind few weeks with the end of finals and packing but it has been worth it. I am honored that I was selected for this opportunity and am so excited for it. I want to thank Nandita for all her help in getting ready and making sure all the paper work is in order.

See you next week,

Maia

Reflections

By Pamela Ward

On May 8, 2015

In MATE Blog Archive, R/V Thomas G. Thompson, University of Washington, School of Oceanography

Since joining the vessel, I have learned how to cast a CTD, deploy ARGO floats and drifters, and what the processes entail to launch and recover TAO buoys; and those lessons, were mostly closely associated with the maintenance aspects specific to this expedition. However, those maintenance tasks were the easier part for me to absorb as I am not a novice sailor, nor do I lack mechanical skills. I also learned a lot about how to operate a plethora of electronic equipment that allows us to collect meteorological and oceanographic data; these are the ones I feared the most and all the while being fully aware that these are the bread and butter of a marine tech’s job description. Working as a marine tech is a lot as I anticipated and really stretched the limits of my knowledge base. See, the one aspect of the internship that gave me the most cause for pause, even while I was applying for the position, was knowing that the depth of my computer skills would be my Achilles; and, it has been. Yet, I have strengthened that weak spot and overcome some of the hesitation that is hallmark to such inadequacies. The picture I’ve chosen to accompany this article is a collage of all the different equipment that minimally, I have learned how to operate and maintain, and some, I have even learned how to troubleshoot and repair. From the multibeam that sends signals to the ocean floor for mapping, to maintaining our internet for communications to shore, which is so important professionally (and for a happy crew), to the SCS (Scientific Computer Systems) which monitors and logs no less than 168 sensors (at the moment), I can walk into the computer lab, and know when something is amiss, what that something is, why and how it is monitoring, how critical it is to operations and sometimes, EXACTLY what to do to fix it! Take that Achilles!

Best laid plans …

By Pamela Ward

On May 1, 2015

In MATE Blog Archive, R/V Thomas G. Thompson, University of Washington, School of Oceanography

The dynamic fashion of the marine environment makes the idea of placing something like a grid (or a buoy) in a spot and expecting it to be there the next day, let alone a year later, a special task. The buoy, or what’s left of it in the photo, is just one of the issues we encountered that caused our route and plan to be adjusted. We had set this buoy and did the obligatory checks to ensure it was functioning properly before moving on to out next destination, just to be recalled to it within a day; we had lost all transmissions. In route to another maintenance recovery, we were informed just about a day before scheduled arrival that the buoy had moved 12nmi before losing contact; we didn’t find that one. Add to the fluid nature of the ocean, the corrosive environment and punishing ultra-violence of the sun, it’s little wonder that buoys have been such a reliable source for data at all. For instance, we’ve had to cut the mooring line twice now as the release mechanism did not respond properly to the release code, yet we recovered the buoys and most of the moorings. We cannot say with any certainty why the mechanisms did not release as average depth for these two devices hover around 3500m. The ocean is a world filled with hazards and unknowns. In spite of all these variables and possible derailments, the science team, through triangulation, determined that the last two buoys were located within 3m and 1m respectively of their designated stations, and we have managed to stay on schedule, pretty impressive. I believe these accomplishments speak volumes about the entire team’s ability to communicate, prioritize and function as a unit to fulfill our best laid plan.

Understanding Wire and Rope (Part 1) – Wire

By Sonia Brugger

On April 28, 2015

In MATE Blog Archive, Oregon State University, CEOAS, R/V Oceanus

As an intern on the R/V Oceanus I have had the pleasure of watching experienced marine technicians not only work on deck but also work on cruise planning logistics in the office. On my last internship I never had the ability to see how cruises were actually planned and how marine technicians worked through logistical issues with the science party. What I have witnessed is both amazing and slightly daunting to a new technician. A constant flow of emails with questions and concerns are often waiting for us each morning, and it can be frustrating as you must research whether or not a scientist’s supplied gear will work on your vessel. If the gear the science party wants is not personally supplied then you must look into the different UNOLS equipment pools. Two of the pools I am quickly coming familiar with are NORCOR operated by OSU and the West Coast Winch Pool operated by Scripps. NORCOR primarily offers coring and dredging gear for the UNOLS fleet while the West Coast Winch Pool offers various winches and spoolers.

While planning a cruise a marine technician and chief scientist must assess what sort of winch and wire, if any, are needed for their operations. Currently the Oceanus is outfitted with two small starboard winches (DESH-5 and COM-15 models) and one stern winch (Dynacon HT). Generally there are four standard categories of oceanographic cables, trawl, hydrographic, electro-mechanical/CTD, and fiber optic. Below is a chart of the general characteristics:

Trawl

Hydro

E-M/CTD

Fiber Optic

Size

9/16”

1/4″

.322”

.681”

Construction

3 x 19 galv.

2 armor galv.

3 armor galv.

R.B.S

32,500 lbs.

6,750 lbs.

11,600 lbs.

46,000 lbs.

Yield

24,375 lbs.

5,063 lbs.

5,000 lbs.

—

2% Yield

28,600 lbs.

5,900 lbs.

—

S.W.L

14,300 lbs.

2,950 lbs.

4,500 lbs.

14,000 lbs.

Below are three figures showing the internal slice of the Trawl, E-M, and Fiber Optic wires. I was unable to find a diagram of the 1/4 “ Hydrographic wire.

Trawl wire and hydrographic wire are both generally used on the aft winch as a means of deploying and/or towing various scientific insturments. Trawl wire (9/16″) is used for heavier objects due to it’s size and breaking strength while hydrographic wire (1/4″) is used for smaller applications.

Figure 1. Construction diagram of the 9/16” 3 x 19 Trawl Wire and the 1/4″ 3 x 19 hydrographic wire. All UNOLS 3×19 wire rope are torque balanced, meaning that the rope resists rotation and on the sudden release of the load will not kink or form loops. They also have a higher strength to weight ratio when compared to conventional 6-strand rope.

The .322″ E-M cable is used for various insturments, most commonly a CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth sensor), as its internal electrical conductors, made of copper, allows data transmission to happen between an insturments and its deck box. This allows for functions such as real time variable profiles (exp: CTD display of temperature, salinity, depth) as well as triggering an insutrment to open/close (exp: closing of a niskan bottle on a rosette).

Figure 2. Construction diagram of the .322” Electro-mechanical/CTD cable

The .681″ Fiber optic cable is simialr in a way to the EM cable due to the fact it is also used to trasmit data back and forth from an insturment to a deck box with the exception that it uses thin strands of coated glass fibers instead of copper conductors. To transmit data information is digitized and coded onto light pulses whcih travel along the glass fiber at the speed of light. Once it reaches it’s destination a decoder coverts the information back into a useable format. Due to this process it is much more effiecent then copper conductors. A notable example of its use is in the deployment of ROV’s such as ROV Jason on the WHOI ships. These fiber optic cables allow the ship to send commands to Jason as well as recieve the data and images that the ROV captures.

Figure 3. Construction diagram of the .681” Fiber Optic cable

Currently the R/V Oceanus only has two types of wire on board, the .322” E-M and the 9/16” 3×9 Trawl wire. However both .680 E-M and .681 Fiber optic cables are available if requested.

Breaking Loads

When it comes to working with wire two of the most important considerations to keep in mind are breaking loads and the safe working load. Breaking loads are separated into three categories (definitions are from the UNOLS Appendix A):

-Nominal Breaking Load (NBL): Manufacturer’s minimum published breaking load for a rope or cable.

-Tested Breaking Load (TBL): The actual load required to pull a tension member to destruction as determined by testing.

-Assigned Breaking Load (ABL): Will be the lowest of the Nominal Breaking Load and Tested Breaking Load. In practice, ABL = NBL unless testing shows the TBL < NBL.

The Safe Working Load is the maximum load that is allowed to be supported during normal operation. It is derived from the Able Working load (ABL) and a Factor of Safety (FS), the Factor of Safety is selected by the operator based on rules set by the UNOLS Appendix A. So: SWL = AWL / FS

In order to determine the Test Breaking Load (TBL) of a wire the UNOLS ship is required to send a sample of their wire to the WHOI Wire pool. There they will conduct a tensile test using either fixed ends or one end free to rotate (depending on the requirments of the wire). After the sample wire is broken the ship will recieve a certifiation of testing report showing the breaking features of the wire. Below is an example test certification:

Depending on the results of the break testing and the Factor of Safety selected for the wire, testing could be required every 6 month, annually, or every 2 years.

Overall this has probably been a very technical and in some ways confusing blog post. However this is the nature of the marine technician buisness. Understanding the basic concepts of the tools given to you, as well as the guidelines setforth by the fleet and home institutions (UNOLS Appendix A) can allow you to be a better safer technician. Plus…where’s the fun in all of this stuff if it wasn’t a little confusing? Life would be boring if it was always so straightforward.

Next Post: Understanding Wire and Rope (Part 2) – Rope

Oregon Coast Marine Life

By Sonia Brugger

On April 20, 2015

In MATE Blog Archive, Oregon State University, CEOAS, R/V Oceanus

Maintenance, Sampling and Catching (because anyone can fish)

By Pamela Ward

On April 17, 2015

In MATE Blog Archive, R/V Thomas G. Thompson, University of Washington, School of Oceanography

While in transit, my mentor has shown me the ropes (no pun intended). The list of responsibilities of a marine technician seem as long as the day, but to button hole the job description, I would say, marine techs are here to serve the mission, which includes the needs of the many as well as the few, professional and personal. In addition, one tries to throw in whenever and wherever possible to get the job done. In general, we are the keeper of data, the link in communication and the glue that holds all the parts as a whole (next to the steward, of course, the food has been AMAZING!). Casting CTD’s has become mostly a night time event as the TAO buoys have to be done in the light of day. The CTD’s can acquire much more than just conductivity, temperature and depth; in fact, they can be outfitted with various sensors or equipment to measure or sample just about any parameter that the science crew requires. The one in the picture is loaded with this vessel’s standard equipment, which includes 24 bottles to sample water and oxygen sensors. Oh, and the catching? When we pull a buoy out the fish follow, and we get out the mitts because they practically jump on the deck! Fresh and local fish are a staple on this ship!

Haze Gray (white) and Underway

By Pamela Ward

On April 7, 2015

In MATE Blog Archive, R/V Thomas G. Thompson, University of Washington, School of Oceanography

I arrived to the ship on Saturday the 4^th, meet the other two techs, Brandi and Jenny (behind me in the photo) and got the orientation tour. No time to waste as we prep’d the ARGO floats for use. Disappointment of the day? trying to find my cabin again! The next day was Easter, but there’s no rest for the wicked .. or in our case, the Easter Bunny! He found us in spite of our undisclosed location and was very generous, leaving sweets and coins. Easter was our last day to go ashore, so we spent some time relaxing a bit and laughing a lot. Today we pulled out of port, and I am in the umpteenth hour of my watch. I’ve been shown so many aspects of my job already but have many more to learn. My training is interesting and going very well in large part due to my mentor (Brandi) who is organized, patient, relaxed and funny; it’s gonna be awesome!

3..2..1..Start

By Sonia Brugger

On March 24, 2015

In MATE Blog Archive, Oregon State University, CEOAS, R/V Oceanus

Date: 3/25/2015

Time: 20:58

Location: Corvallis, Oregon

Quick introduction

Greetings to the few people that will probably glance over this blog post, my name is Sonia Brugger and I am the 2015 6-month MATE intern. A brief background about myself: I graduated from the University of Washington in June 2014 with a degree in Oceanography as well as Aquatic Fishery Sciences. I have spent time on the R/V Thompson, Barnes, and New Horizon as well as having had the pleasure of spending July-October of 2014 on the R/V Savannah for my short term MATE internship. Overall the majority of my past cruise experiences have been focused around biological and physical oceanography.

Log

It has been four days since I officially started my internship. The first two days consisted of checking into my housing as well as meeting the new hire for the OSU Marine Tech pool. On Sunday Rob (the new hire) and I drove down to Newport, OR where the R/V Oceanus is stationed to meet the crew and tour the ship.

Monday was my first day of actual work. Since the ship was leaving for a 4-day cruise starting Tuesday morning I spent a short portion of my day helping load gear, which consisted of a large amount of geological sampling instruments (grab sampler, gravity/piston corer, box corer). With the loading completed I learned how to terminate the .322 CTD wire and calibrated the tension sensor through load testing. There were also other small projects that I helped the other techs with such as installing sensors to the CTD package, putting up a bench in the wetlab for the science party, and troubleshooting the fluorometer. Overall it was a long day, around 14hours including the hour-long drive from our tech shop in Corvallis to the dock in Newport.

Today was relatively tame compared to Monday. Rob and I drove to Newport in the morning to bring over some paperwork and help the tech Johna with any last minute things before her cruise left. Overall there wasn’t much to finish up other then making sure the cables on the CTD package were ziptied and we didn’t leave any unnecessary gear on the ship. Afterwards we headed back to Corvallis to meet with the OOI (Ocean Observatories Initiative) group that would be sailing with us next week. We sat in a cruise plan meeting and got to check out all of their buoys/moorings. It was pretty exciting and yet rather unnerving to know that will be my first cruise as a marine technician on the R/V Oceanus. The OOI project is one of the biggest and probably could be considered as one of the most important projects currently going on in the oceanography community. The buoys that we will be deploying and retrieving are some of the largest ones built which makes them extremely difficult in a deck operation standpoint. As marine technicians for this project we will have to get one of our techs trained in the operation of a special heavy lifting winch that will be installed on the ship Saturday and is the only thing capable of working with the massive equipment. Overall it has been a thrilling start to my internship. I’ve already learned a lot of useful things and met some great people.