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!
Category: Vessel/Laboratory Page 80 of 89
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.
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.
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
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!
I arrived to the ship on Saturday the 4th, 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!
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.
The stress of knowing that if you forget something you’ll have to do without or rely on the kindness of strangers and the thrill of knowing a new adventure is on the horizon. I am feeling all of this at the moment. Lucky dinosaurs have no idea … but they did miss out no?
Image courtesy of Dan Regan
The bags are packed, the flight is booked, and the goodbyes have been said. Its time to return to Seattle after being gone since July. I’m somewhat sad of my departure but I know that good things are going to come along.
My time on the R/V Savannah have been some of the best I’ve ever had. I met some great people and got to help support amazing scientific goals. It is an experience that I will never forget.
While I haven’t had much luck on the job search so far, I have found a few marine technician positions to apply to…So hopefully in the near future I will be able to call myself an actual marine technician. I am very glad I got to enjoy this awesome internship.
It is Thursday, Septemeber 25th. We are currently three days into a two week long cruise off of the coast of Georgia and inside the local estuaries. The mission of the current expidition is the same as the first cruise I went on as a marine technician intern. In some ways its sort of fitting…to start and end my time as an intern with the same group of scientists. Sadly this is the same group that I had to struggle to get to understand the basic concept of safe science.
Luckily it seems like they have finally began to pick up on the fact that I’m not joking when I say hard hats, life vests, and closed toed shoes must be worn at all times when doing over the side opperations. Or that when they are running the CTD that you must subtract at least 1.5m from the actually depth to ensure the package does not slam into the seafloor.
While both of those are very concerning matters, I am currently focused on a much more stressful problem…why our SCSserver has decided to continously crash and bluescreen. I have noticed that the SCSserver has been sopratically shutting itself down for the past week+. Originally I thought it was John who shut it down while we were at dock (still sort of strange seeing we generally keep it running 24/7), however when it crashed on the first day of the cruise I realized that we have a much bigger problem on our hands.
John’s inital fix was to change out the server power supply, thinking that a dying power supply was causing the problems…however the server crashed again that night. After I did some researching on the blue screen codes, and asked some friends for help, we managed to narrow it down to a few possible issues. While troubleshooting I attempted to do a restart where I pulled out the power cord and held the power button for 30 seconds. By leaving the power unplugged for 5-10 minutes this would drain any remaining power from the motherboard and clear the NVRAM. When this solution didn’t work John took the server case off and reseated the ram sticks and cleaned out the fans to insure proper ventilation…however this also failed. The next solution I tried was to do a system restore…this is done by holding F8 while powering it up…this would supposedly give me access to a menu where I could select “Repair Computer”….the problem is whoever originally set up the server did not enable the access of this command…Finally I went back to researching the error codes in hopes of getting more insight. What I found was that one of the errors displayed had to do with a program called Sonic Solutions, which is pretty much a driver controling the DVD drive. Supposedly the sonic solutions driver is known to cause blue screen errors when used on a Windows 2003 server (mini rant= Windows 2003 is no longer supported by Microsoft…so why in the world are we using such out dated software…all the important scientific software should be able to run on a newer server setup by now= rant over). So after removing the Sonic solutions software I am currently waiting to see if the server crashes again. Honestly I have a feeling it will…I have a feeling that the server is crashing for a mix of reasons not limited to the Sonic solution program and probably a corrupted hard drive….
Anyways….computers can be evil sometimes, but if my solution works and stops the crashing it’s going to be the best feeling in the world.