Coordinated Simultaneous Physical-Biological Sampling Using ADCP-Equipped Ocean Gliders

Past Expedition

Dates

August 27 to September 20, 2021

Location

Pacific Ocean

Overview

From August 27 to September 20, 2021, a team from the University of Washington Applied Physics Lab carried out an expedition at the shelf break off the coast of Washington. The main goal of this expedition, funded by NOAA Ocean Exploration via the Fiscal Year 2020 Federal Funding Opportunity for Ocean Exploration, was to collect data for developing new acoustics-based methodologies that will pave the way for persistent, distributed observation of organisms that occupy the middle levels of the ocean food web (mid-trophic organisms), such as zooplankton and small fish, using gliders.

Anatomy of a Seaglider

Seagliders are autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) that dive to 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) under the water. All Seagliders are equipped with sensors that measure the temperature and salinity in the ocean and some have additional sensors that record chlorophyll, currents, sound, radiation, etc.

October 20, 2021

Recovering a Seaglider

Whenever ocean scientists put a vehicle or instrument into the water, there is always a slim chance that their equipment will not return to the surface in the same condition they deployed it in. Consequently, recovery of ocean science equipment is always an exciting, yet nerve-wracking, experience.

October 20, 2021

Exploring From Shore

Much of what we know about the ocean today comes from expeditions that rely on ships to collect data. However, this approach is constrained by many factors which impacts our ability to collect critical data about these important ecosystems. In response, researchers are using creative technologies to enable more efficient exploration methods.

September 7, 2021

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Sending the Power of Sound to the Seafloor

Bioacoustics are a powerful tool to study the marine environment. Echosounders allow researchers to use sound to collect data on the biological activity in the water column.

September 1, 2021

Small But Mighty: The Importance of Tiny Organisms in Marine Ecosystems

Despite their critical role in ecosystems, the economy, and our food supply chain, mid-trophic-level organisms like zooplankton, small fish, and invertebrates are rarely granted most valuable player status in the ocean.

August 31, 2021

Live! From the Field: A Successful Start

Early this morning, the expedition team greeted the foggy Olympic Coast while they prepared for their first day at sea. After all this preparation, a buzz of excitement was in the air.

August 28, 2021

Expedition Plan

From August 27 to September 15, 2021, a team from the University of Washington Applied Physics Lab will carry out an expedition to collect data for developing new acoustics-based methodologies using gliders.

August 27, 2021