Journals 2008/2009

Jeff Lawrence
Lowrey Middle School, Tahlequah, OK

"Factors Controlling Coccolithophore Calcification in the Ocean" R/V Roger Revelle December 4, 2008 - January 2, 2009

Journal Index: December 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10                 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17                 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 23 - 24                 25 - 26 - 27 - 28 - 29 - 30 - 31 January 1 - 2

December 8, 2008
Deep Profiling

ARMADA Teacher Jeff Lawrence helping to deploy CTD with styrofoam cups

Scientist look for any chance to deploy instruments when at sea even if it doesn't relate to exactly what they are doing at that time. We are looking for coccolithophores blooms to study the effects of increased CO2 levels on their habitation. However, when we are on our way to another sample site we may drop the CTD in between to get a profile of the ocean in that particular area. This will give these oceanographers valuable information for them and others to use for other studies. We dropped this particular CTD about 2:30 pm to a depth of 5245 meters. It took 4 hours for the CTD to make the round trip.

"Before" photos of styrofoam cups and head		Nicole Benoit's before and after

Mesh bag full of styrofoam

Aboard this CTD Dave Drapeau included an experiment from students and teachers at Boothbay Elementary in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Dave has a couple of kids that attend school there. The students decorated Styrofoam cups and a Styrofoam head with markers before Dave left for this cruise. The Styrofoam was attached to the bottom of the CTD in a mesh bag to join the journey of the CTD to a depth of 5,245 meters. It will take several hours for the CTD to travel that far before it returns to the surface. Upon arriving we will take the Styrofoam figures out of the mesh bag and determine what pressure has done to their shape. Below are before and after pictures. Dave allowed me to decorate a cup; others also decorated cups inside the mesh bag. I will be bringing my home with me to my students at Lowery after the cruise. Thanks Dave!

After the 5,246 meter drop, Nicole's cup		I have a pressure headache!

You think you're feeling the pressure with semester test coming up!

1. What is the average depth of the Atlantic Ocean?
2. How many feet is 5246 meters? Convert
3. Where is the deepest spot in all the oceans, what is its name?
4. How many inches are in a meter?
5. How many feet are in a meter? (Round to second decimal place)

We hope to do a Skype test run today, and if all goes smoothly, I will set one up for next week.