Category: MATE Blog Archive Page 30 of 89

Posts that were imported from the historical MATE blog at marinetech.org

It has been slow and steady progress getting the R/V Atlantis ready after she’s been on ‘vacation’ for a better part of the year. Old furniture either being thrown out or reused, new furniture being placed or fitted, totes being emptied then filled again with more stuff that happens to get dumped there by another person also in a hurry to finish a task, just absolute chaos. However, through the sweat and frustrations we are finally seeing big leaps in progress around the ship. It finally feels like all the labor we’ve been putting in for nearly a month straight is finally coming together for some seblance of order! I just wish I had taken some before and after pictures of the entire floor we have been focusing on.

The highlight of this week for me was not the fruits of our labor paying off at a visual observation, but some pretty spectacular inginuity and environmental manipulation. I finally had the chance to go through the Panama Canal (something I learned of as a child from ‘Animaniacs’, guess my age), observing and learning about how the canal actually functions. Pretty exciting stuff, tried to stay up for the majority of it but quickly ran out of steam around 1am. We began going through roughly 8:30pm and from what I was told we didnt finish getting through until 2:30am. Needless to say, the entire crew was pretty wiped from either staying up to watch/having to deal with the canal workers that had to come on board to handle the line.

Right now, we are close to Cuba and it’s gorgeously blue over here. Sea turtles have been spotted a couple of times, just need to be out there at the right time with my camera out!

Bella Dina Lax and I working on putting together one of the many benches around the labs (Thanks for the great shot Grace Fulton!)

Before getting to the canal, I was outside watching the city get closer and a HUGE pod of dolphins came to play. I’m talking like a pod of 50 at least. Quite a magical moment, you can hear these guys when they’re around. I didn’t know they were so loud with their prolific squeals and clicks!

Outside Panama Canal waiting for our turn in the que.

Starting to go through the canal, what you don’t see is all the fun and noisy blackbirds, tons of bats, and a croco-gator (couldn’t tell) off to the right.

Day 23

By Grace Fulton

On August 4, 2021

In MATE Blog Archive

Since I last wrote 5 days ago, a few things have happened. First off, a fellow intern and I finished a project which I am proud of the end result. We assembled the Flow Through System, located at the bow thruster, which allows the ship to have constant real time data for the sea surface water. We added new instrumentation to the system, like a transmissometer, flowmeter, thermosalinograph, rotor flow sensor, a fluorometer, and a de-bubbler. After installing them in order based on water flow, we connected it all with tubing, quick releases, and fixed some leaks and hiccups. It took us two full working days to finish it but I am glad we did because it looks great.

On day 21, August 2nd we arrived in Panama. We were not scheduled to cross the canal until the evening of the 3rd, so we dropped anchor and hung out along with dozens of other ships in the bay. On the evening on the 2nd I spent my time outside admiring the ships passing by and the surrounding landscape. Panama looked beautiful; tall hills, huge city, emerald green jungles. I would have loved some port time in Panama but unfortunately we didn’t have that option. Nevertheless I am thankful to have been able to enjoy the view for a full day. On the 3rd there was a lot of excitement on board as we prepared to go through the canal. We took on inspectors, more food, and finally at 1630 we took on the pilot and began the journey down the canal. Almost immediately after we started moving it began pouring rain so hard that we couldn’t even see the city as we passed by it. Thankfully that only lasted 45 minutes, and once the rain let up it didn’t rain again the entire night, it was great! This was my first time going through the canal and it was really interesting to observe. It was also weird to think at the moment we were cutting straight through an entire country. It was a long night, but I am thankful I stayed up watching from the 01 deck for the entire canal along with others. All in all, we were in the canal from 1630- 0230- that was 10 hours and 3 cups of coffee! Needless to say I only got 4 hours of sleep that night… worth it!

And this morning, I woke up in the Atlantic Ocean!

Nowadays we are focusing on emptying out vans filled with furniture, moving the furniture around into different labs, and then packing the furniture back up into the van.(ish). We have finally cleared out the main lab and will begin working on that. Another little side task I had earlier this week was assisting the Chief Engineer. He was testing out the hydrographic winches on the 01 deck from a new control panel in the computer lab. I worked the control panel to lower and hoist the winches while he observed the winches in person and confirmed they were doing what they were supposed to. This reminded me of when I had worked the A-Frame on my school ship, the R/V Cape Hatteras.

Until next time-

Before: Flow Through System

After: Flow Through System

Controls for the hydrographic winches

Dozens of ships outside of Panama Canal

Panama City

Radar showing how just how many ships(yellow triangles) were around us outside of Panama

Raining as we entered the Canal.. wouldnt let it damper my mood

The bridge to enter the Panama Canal

When we first get hooked up in the Canal

View from the Main Lab into the Main Deck

Week 4 with the Alvin team

By Angeline Deluca

On August 3, 2021

In MATE Blog Archive

This week with the Alvin team gave me a chance to show off some of my mechanical skills. First, I was given the task of refitting the backing plate onto the pilot controls in the sphere. The plate that I was given had overlapping edges and the mounting needed some modification as well. To fit the plate, I marked and filed down the edges to the desired shape and size. I drilled holes in the plate for the mounting screws and then had to drill out and tap the mounts to the correct size for the screws used. Once all modifications were complete, the plate was a perfect fit; no overlapping or rough edges, and all mounting holes aligned without issue.

My next task for the week involved the motor controller bottles or motor pods. These pods are what holds the electronic control equipment for the thrusters. Inside the pods are multiple boards each with a variety of connectors running different circuits within the motor controller. During testing, the electrical team lead found that some of the wires were beginning to break off the pins in the connectors. I set up a little repair station and spent a day going through each of the pods and replacing the pins in the connectors to repair the damaged ones and prevent any others from separating. By doing this I learned the differences between the styles of connectors we use, which are Molex and c-grid, and the tooling used for each specific brand. This type of electrical work will carry over into my usual job after my internship as well as into my schooling when we get to any hands-on lab work with electronics.

To ensure the safety of the Alvin team members and scientists in the sub during a dive, the group adheres to a Navy safety standard for certain components. These components are specified by something called the Scope of Certification or SOC. To work on and install any of the parts that are designated SOC, the person performing the work must be SOC certified. Part of the repair and inspection process includes verifying that the components meet all specified requirements listed in the SOC Notebook, the use of SOC specific tooling with current calibration (if the tool can be calibrated), and the completion of varying forms and tags which gives each part an easy to track paper trail. This involved an hour-long class and an open book test. This week I was able to attend the class, complete my test, and receive my SOC cert. I am now able to perform work within the scope as well as complete and submit the involved forms. My first task on SOC components was cleaning the connectors and connecting the wiring for the frangibolts. Frangibolts are a specific brand of what used to be known as an exploding nut and are most commonly used in aerospace applications. These nut/bolt combos are designed to physically break and separate to allow components to be released and dropped when electronically triggered to do so. For the sub, this means releasing components in the case of an emergency, such as, letting go of a thruster or manipulator arm that has gotten physically caught up or tangled that could prevent the sub from resurfacing. There is also a frangibolt that will release the emergency buoy when needed. Though small, these components are vital for the safety of the team.

Each the day the Alvin gets closer to completion and the anticipation to see the final product continues to grow. Getting to initial the official paperwork for the frangibolts gave documented proof of my contribution which, for me, was a proud moment. I am still loving my time here with WHOI and am proud to be a part of this amazing team. As always, I look forward to what the next week brings.

3rd Week at Sea (In Route to Panama)

By Bella Dina Lax

On August 2, 2021

In MATE Blog Archive, R/V Atlantis, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Another week aboard the RV Atlantis has gone by, and we have begun falling into a routine. Recently, we secured lab equipment and started to set up the labs. I am currently sitting in one of the labs typing my blog.

Grace, my fellow intern, and I were tasked to set up the sensors from the saltwater intake at the hull of the ship to the sinks. The system line up from the intake to the outlet is a debubbler (a tool for removal of visible bubbles from water flow streams), flowmeter (allows for the monitoring of a range of fluids), thermosalinograph (measure sea surface temperature and conductivity while the ship is in motion), fluorometer (an instrument that detects fluorescence), transmissometer (measures the fraction of light, from a collimated light source, reaching a light detector a set distance away), pump, and rotor flow sensor. We had to figure out a way to mount the sensors on a 45.5”x21.5” panel in the bow thruster room. We enjoyed working on this project and reading about how the sensors worked while learning how to set them up properly. The data collected from the sensors are displayed in real-time in each of the lab spaces.

***Flow-through system bypassing the debubbler***

For the most part, we experienced relatively calm seas, with the exception of a lightning storm which was amazing as it flashed in the sky and reflected on the water. We arrived in Panama on August 2, and I learned we needed to wait our turn to go through the canal. Smaller ships enter at night, so many of us will be pulling an all-nighter to take in this experience. Everyone I spoke to before my trip told of their time going through the canal and all were awestruck. I feel very fortunate to be an intern on the R/V Atlantis.

***Before lightning storm at sea***

Week 3: A Sweaty Set Up

By Cherisse Figueroa

On August 1, 2021

In MATE Blog Archive, R/V Atlantis, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

After saying good bye to most of the science crew back in San Francisco, there has not been any down time to relax after quick crash course on some of the many scientific equipment on board. The ship has been dry docked for about a year and a half now, and the R/V Atlantis has been fixed with all new interiors. Now everything that was originally inside has been in storage and also new eqipment has been bought to fit all new appliances and rooms, so it has been the interns job to be ready and available for any labor that is given to us or we sought after.

This is the first time being this far down the Pacific Ocean, and let me say that California dry heat is a blessing compared to the sheer humidity that all of Mexico has been providing for us. It has certainly made unpacking unventilated cargo vans full of furniture, totes of tools, and other bits and ends a extremely sweaty and laborious process! I think my crowning achievment for the past week is learning different tools and how to use them for different jobs around the ship. Whether we’re securing spaces for sea, painting, extracting various deck plugs in the floors, setting up IP addresses on transmitters/recievers, just to name a few things! I think I am most proud of the matrix-style wall of monitors for a wench control station here in the computer labs. I got to set up the measurements, best method of mounting, and execute the plan. I think that’s what I am most proud of this week.

On a brighter end of things, though I have spent a better part of the year in the Bering Sea, these oceans are just so blue and full of fun and active critters. I have seen dolphins galore (no good pictures, but some pretty spectacular videos), floating debris creating mini ecosystems for tropical fish communities, a mahi-mahi, and whales breaching. Another first for me is seeing a clear sky so far away from any lights and seeing the sheer amount of stars that has been gorgeously humbling, shooting stars every night, and the milky way. Truly a beautiful part of the world and one I feel so lucky to have the chance to experience it even after a hard days work.

Before we started

Putting up the unistraps (An all day effort…just getting them parallel…)

And a 90% completed job! Only 3 more monitors on the left side, but a job well done!

Weeks 2 and 3: Electrical Testing

By Angeline Deluca

On July 30, 2021

In MATE Blog Archive

Weeks 2 and 3 of my internship with the Alvin team have been completely overrun with electrical testing. As part of the overhaul procedure, the electrical engineering team has been tasked with resistance checking, insulation testing (megger testing), and operational testing of all the electrical circuits on board Alvin. As Alvin in technically an electrical vehicle, you can imagine how much work this demands. Most of the testing has required 2 people at a time, one at each end of the circuit. Communication has been completed using walkie talkies, and all readings are recorded into a rather large binder which will be submitted for review. We are about two-thirds of the way done and will hopefully be ready to move on by the end of next week. One benefit to this process is that I have been able to physically get my hands on many of the circuits used onboard the vehicle which has tied together a better understanding of the operation of the sub as a whole. During the testing we have also been able to correct any discrepancies between the schematics, actual wiring, and testing procedures which will make the next overhaul and any on-ship troubleshooting more organized and accurate. This entire process has been immensely beneficial to me and I am grateful for such a unique experience as an intern.

One of the best benefits to having a land-based internship vs at sea is that I can explore the WHOI campus and network with other WHOI employees. Due to my background in the diesel world and some possible interest in being an engineer on a ship, I was given a personal tour of the research vessel Neil Armstrong. I was shown around the ship including the engine room, fire room, backup generator, and navigation room. The two things that surprised me the most were the steering wheel for the ship, which was roughly the same circumference as a cantaloupe, and the engine room, where all of the engines running the main generators were Cummins QSK 38s. It was nice seeing some familiar equipment and meeting the guys on board who keep the ship moving. I was also able to meet the group leader for Sentry, the autonomous ocean floor vehicle, and see a service in progress. I was also able to look around the prototype NUI which is designed to explore below the ice. These few views into some of the other projects and opportunities with WHOI have got me inspired to start applying for more internships and even some open positions.

Outside of work I have continued to play on the AOE&P team in the WHOI softball league. Our team consists of mostly engineers and, unfortunately, we are probably the worst in the league. But our spirits stay high as we continue to have fun and cheer each other on. So far since I started, we have lost to biology, geology, and carpentry. Hopefully our luck changes when we play the chemists this upcoming week.

Three weeks down and about another six to go. I am looking forward to learning more about Alvin’s unique systems and hopefully will get to explore more of the research equipment and research vessels during my time here.

Day 18

By Grace Fulton

On July 30, 2021

In MATE Blog Archive, R/V Atlantis, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

It has been 18 days since I began living on the R/V Atlantis. We are now off the coast of Guatemala. It is hot and humid outside making the shipping containers on board ovens and hard to work out of.

Since my last post we have put in a lot of work into the Bio Analytical Lab on board. It was filled to the ceiling with boxes and containers with a small walkway. We cleared it out and sanded down the walls. I painted and then worked on the floors. Next was building workbenches and finally today we assembled tons of chairs. There is still tons of work to do in that lab, along with all the others, but a lot of progress has been made. We have also installed some science fridges in the Bio lab and Hydro lab.

Now we are in warmer waters it is common to see dolphins and tons of flying fish. Captain has tried to go fishing and he caught a tuna, but a shark got to it before he did. We even saw a Mahi Mahi and Capt tried to get him but no luck. There has also been lots of bioluminescent plankton in the waves of the ship at night which has been beautiful to just stand there and watch.

Not much else has happened in the past few days, we are all working towards getting everything set up. We are also getting ready to pass through the Panama Canal which is still scheduled for August 3rd.

Until next time

Oil from building benches

Fellow Interns, Bella and Cherisse building the bench

2nd Week at Sea (Anacortes, WA to SF, CA)

By Bella Dina Lax

On July 26, 2021

In MATE Blog Archive, R/V Atlantis, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Before we sailed into the bay area to drop off Robbie (SSSG), Catie (SSSG), Jennifer (Lead Scientist), and Aaron Berry (Kongsberg), we ran a test on the EK 80, multibeam, and sonardyne USBL acoustic navigation system.

***EK 80 data*** ***Multibeam data***

Thursday, we passed under the Golden Gate Bridge and arrived in San Francisco Bay. We said our goodbyes to all those leaving the vessel and got to work. Grace and I started clearing out the bio lab and setting up monitors with raspberry pi in all the labs displaying real-time information (sea temp, latitude, longitude, speed, etc.). As we left San Francisco, we sat on the deck and enjoyed the beautiful sunset.

***Golden Gate Bridge*** ***City Skyline***

The rest of the week, as we cruised the Pacific Ocean, we cleaned, unloaded lab equipment, and started to set up the labs.

Week 2: Methane Seeps!

By Cherisse Figueroa

On July 25, 2021

In MATE Blog Archive, R/V Atlantis, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Has this been a whirlwind of different events! Much different than the boats I’m used to back in Alaska!

Meeting everyone that is involved with the program was fun, everyone has been so warm and generous with their knowlegde and specialty. Very sad when I learned that most of the key crew we would be shadowing would be leaving us when reaching San Francisco, so I took as much time being present for most of the calibrations and testing they were doing for the equipment on board. One person I got to work close to was the chief scientist Jennifer Johnson, who was overlooking calibrations with the EK80. Not only did I help her log some of her testing over an oceanic shelf area off the coast of washington at 3am, but we also had the opportunity to view methane seeps off the coast of Oregon! It was very exciting for me because using this equipment goes hand in hand with what I hope to do for future research explorations and having someone there who was passionate in her field and allowed me to shadow her made a world of a difference to me.

Since the other crew members disembarked, we are near Cancun in Mexico. It is balmy and sunny than what I’m used to, but I am enjoying the work I’m putting into the preparations for the boat before we arrive to Woods Hole. I also saw flying fish for the first time! Looked like shining skipping stones as the fluttered out of the ships way.

Working with Jennifer watching for noise disturbances during EK80 calibrations

Deploying a XBT

One of the 2 methane seeps we observed off the coast of Oregon. We viewed it with the EK80 and the multibeam aboard, very exciting to note the differences and similarities between the 2 equipments!

Day 12

By Grace Fulton

On July 24, 2021

In MATE Blog Archive, R/V Atlantis, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

It has been 12 days since I first stepped foot on the R/V Atlantis. Since my previous blog post (7 days ago) a lot has happened and we are moving fast. Currently, we are off the coast of Mexico-we passed the border early this morning. The weather difference between here and off of Washington is drastic in the best way. Regardless, it has remained overcast for more days than not, and we have had only a light rain once or twice.

On day 5 we had deployed the Sonardyne Compatt 6 Transponder beacon to 100ft to test if it correctly communicated to the deck unit on board the ship. The next day we deployed it again, but this time with the accessories. By this I mean we secured the beacon in a large yellow float, and attached a chain to the bottom of the beacon that was attached to a 300lb weight(picture below for reference). When it was deployed it sank to the bottom of the ocean and began transmitting information. At the bottom of the beacon was an acoustic release, which means that when we want the transponder to resurface the next morning, we send it a signal and the beacon will release the chain and weight that is holding it down and it will begin to rise. The water was so deep, it took the float 40 minutes to reach the surface!

Along with testing the transponder, we also tested the new multibeam system while we were still off the coast of Washington/Canada. The ship has been equipped with a new EM124 Multibeam that was mounted permanently on the hull of the Atlantis. Thanks to my time at Cape Fear I have had recent experience with different sonars and multibeam data before this. We spend over a day doing a patch test for the multibeam, running lines back and forth to determine the correct calibrations. The lines were 1500 meters apart and the swath of the multibeam was over 1600 meters! Ultimately this means the sonar was mapping 1600 meters of the sea floor every few seconds. And then half way through the patch test the technician changed the swath width from 30 degrees to 140 degrees and the swath width increased to 12,000 meters! It was crazy to see. The software we used to view the real time data was SIS version 5.6.0.441. The software not only showed us the normal data from the multibeam, but it made a 3D image of the data in real time too, and it even mapped the intensity of the scatter back which showed us something similar to what a side scan sonar would show. It was really interesting to be able to observe this process and I am so glad I was able to experience it. On top of the patch test for the multibeam, before we ran a line we had to launch an XBT. An XBT is a torpedo shaped device that measures temperature, sound speed, and salinity. The device is dropped into the water and sinks deep into the water(1800 meters in 3 minutes). It is attached to a thin line of plastic and copper which runs into a wire on deck that feeds real time information to a deck unit. When the XBT has reached max depth, we break the thin line of copper and plastic and bring in the launcher, but leave the XBT into the sea. This was a new piece of equipment to me and I enjoyed learning and launching it.

On day 10 we reached San Francisco around 0800. It was my first time seeing SF or California for that matter. We stayed in the bay anchor down until around 1900. We had 5 crew leave the ship by small boat that morning and we had a food order coming in that evening, mostly fresh fruit and veggies. We passed Alcatraz and tons of landmarks that the crew pointed out to me. The city looked huge, and it was a lot colder than I expected SF to be during the summer. I wish I could have seen more but I am happy to be able to say I have sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge!

On the days in between, I have been cleaning the labs, troubleshooting, setting up monitors, fixing printer problems and getting to know the ship and crew better. I start my mornings on the bridge and end the day in the movie room with some of the crew. I have seen seals and dolphins in the SF Bay, wales offshore up north, seen tuna jumping about, and some areas filled with jellyfish. I am grateful to be able to spend time on the R/V Atlantis and work directly with WHOI crew, and I am looking forward to the Panama Canal! They are estimating we will arrive there on August 2nd.

Until next time-

—Balancing Act- standing on a stepstool while on a rocking ship!