So you want to know what really goes on aboard the R/V Langseth?
Some times we have random dance parties, other times we are quietly reading books. A majority of us blast music & have sing-a-long sessions while others play video games or blog on various websites. The game “Who Am I?” is played amongst the girls during their midnight shift to pass the time. While people are on watch others are sleeping (or attempting to), watching movies in the movie room, snacking in the galley, pumping some iron in the gym, playing ping pong in the dry lab, reading a book in the library, or joining others on watch because they’re bored and want some company. I know I know, this seems like all fun & games. I’m sure you’re all wondering what we are actually doing out here considering it seems like we are aimlessly traveling hundreds of miles offshore. No we are not here just to have fun & meet new people. It’s all about the SCIENCE!
I am currently participating as a Intern aboard the R/V Marcus G. Langseth while the Science Party led by Fernando Martienez & Armann Hoskuldsson propose a month-long geophysical expedition. This expedition will include collecting the multibeam, magnetics,& gravity data that will provide us with a definitive test between the fundamentally different thermal & tectonic hypotheses for how exactly the Iceland plume caused the reorganization of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge of South Iceland. The results will help ensure that the thermal Reykjanes Ridge models are providing accurate information about Earth’s behavior. If their models are wrong they will now be able to provide everyone with a corrected model.
Sounds fun right? How do we go about doing that you ask? WELL, there are tons of different electronic & electromechanical equipment on board as well as sonars which we use to record data that is vital to our trip. The expedition requires sonars such as: the Kongsberg EM122 12kHz multibeam echosounder & the Knudsen 3260 3.5kHz Sub-Bottom profiler.We are also required to collect data from the Bell Aerospace Gravimeter & from the T-5 Expendable Bathythermograph (XBT) Probes. The XBT’s are launched on a daily basis throughout the journey. We also collect data from the LDEO PCO2, LaCoste & Romberg portable Gravity sensor, & the SBE-45 TSG for temperature saliniograph data purposes.The information is collected automatically by the computers but is also logged by humans to ensure that humans remain a factor in scientific research. Thirty minute data collection of wind speed/direction, air temp/humidity, & barometric pressure using the RM-Young Weather Station will also be a duty. Last but certainly not least, we are also involved in the deployment & recovery of research equipment such as “Maggie” the magentometer.
Speaking of Maggie, there was a casualty last week due to the rough weather we had encountered. Maggie is no longer with us anymore, she was lost while making a turn which had caused the cable to break & set her free. She is now swimming with the fishes, RIP beloved Maggie. Luckily her twin sister Maggie II was on board & deployed within an hour of the casualty of our beloved Magnetometer Maggie. Maggie II has been in the water ever since & has been recording some stellar data.
Every now and then we run into some rough weather which causes a lapse in our data. When this happens, you find frantic scientists who start to panic as soon as we have the slightest amount of missing data. Unfortuantely it happens & there isn’t much we can do about it. Mother Nature has a way with the seas, sometimes she really likes to challenge us with 10 meter seas. American equivalent of about 33 feet! These seas result in falling off chairs backwards, the Chief Scientist Fernando sliding from his table all the way into our Co-Chief Scientest Armann’s office, playing slip & slide in your bedroom while your roommate is yelling “I’ll save you,” & the navigating through the fun house hallways AKA walking through the corridors to travel around the ship.
Well now you’re all up to date on what really occurs aboard the R/V Langseth. Hopefully we have some other interesting things happen within our final strecth of the trip so that I can keep blogging.
-Ashley Paradiso