NEWSLETTER WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION FEBRUARYIMARCH 1997
R/V Atlantis Heads Home! 1EI~~8~~~ [I~~~
RN Atlantis Is scheduled to arrive In Woods Hole Friday, April 11, between 2 and 3 p.m. A brief ceremony Is planned on the Iselin Mall, after which Captain Gary Chlljean and the Atlantis crew Invite WHOI employees aboard for selt-gulded tours of the ship. Commemorative T-shirts, hats and mugs will be on sale on the pier, and there will be a beverage and snack kiosk. Shuttle service will run from 2 to 6 p.m. between the Clark Lab and the Village.
An., departing a Mississippi shipy8IrJ Man;/! 25, Atlantis st"!'f"'d in the Gulf of Mexico to conduct a variety of engine and equipment tests (more Captain Gary Chlijean (far right) and Third Mate Richard Bean photos pages 4 and 5). (len) wrlh AB Jerry Graham (center) on the bridge of the Atlantis during Voyage #, Leg I.
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Nation's Newest Research Vessel Almost Home After more than a decade of behalf of the Chief of Naval Research and control system checks, making a planning and nearly three years of and a second plaque from the Ocean box core/gravity core station and construction, the Institution's new ographer of the Navy, Rear Admiral conducting a SeaBeam survey of the 274-1001 Research Vessel Atlantis is Paul Tobin, who at the last minute Hudson Canyon off the New York! on its way home to Woods Hole. The was unable to attend. Both plaques New Jersey coast before the vessel ship left a Halter Marine shipyard In now hang in the ship's library. arrives In Woods Hole. Pascagoula, Mississippi, about 2:30 Director Bob Gagoslan presented Atlantis was officially turned over p.m. March 25 on Voyage #1 Leg I everyone with an Atlantis cap and an by the Navy to the Institution to bound for Woods Hole, where" Is ornament depicting the ketch Atlan operate on March 3. Once under scheduled to arrive April 11 between tis. Senator Loti also received a WHOI operation, the crew worked 2 and 3 p.m. A brief welcoming book of Henry Stommel's Starbuck hard learning about the ship. loading ceremony is planned on the dock, essays; Admiral Gaffney, John Dane the necessary supplies for the trip and employees are invited to take and other guests received copies of home, and getting accustomed to self-guided tours of the new vessel. former employee Dana Densmore's their new home. The sh~'s departure from Mssis book "A·Boat-8ix Oceanographic Atlantis is one of the most sophis sippi was far from routine for ship Cruises In the World's Biggest ticated research vessels afloat, yards on the Gu~ coast, which usually Ketch". The group then posed for equipped with precision navigation, see new vessels quietly slip away for photos near the ship, and both bottom mapping and satellite tele their home ports. Unlike Navy ships Senator Loti and Admiral Gaffney communications systems. Atlantis which have a formal commissioning spoke briefly with members of the will not only support Alvin operations ceremony, Atlantis began its career local media. as the National Deep Submergence of discovery with fanfare of its own. Shortly after the Senator and other Facility but also remotely operated Mississippi Senator Trent lott, guests departed, the shore cables (Iethered) and autonomous explora Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate, were removed and the gangway lifted. tion vehicles, including the RADM Pa'" G. Gaffney, II, Chief of A#an~s stowly moved out into the Institution's own Medea/Jason Naval Research, and John Dane, channel headed for the Gulf of imaging and survey system and its President of Halter Marine Group, Inc. Mexico. Scientific research began new Autonomous Benthic Explorer Joined Director Bob Gagosian, Senior almost immediately as Greg Eischeid ' (ABE), both of which can reach 98 Associate Director and Director of of Marine Chemistry and GeochemiS percent of the world's ocean floor. Research Jim Luyten, and Chairman try got a partial pressure CO, experi "This ship provides the U.S. of the Board Frank Synder for a tour ment in the Hydrolab up and running, ocean sciences research community of the vessel wkh Captain Gary using water and air pumped from the an unprecedented capability for deep Chiljean and lunch in the mess. ship's bow. ocean expioration," Director Robert During lunch the small group had a During its trip through the Gu~ of Gages/an said. "Research vessels chance to speak informally before Mexico and into the Atlantic Ocean on named Atlantis represent a long exchanging some mementos to mark Leg I the ship's engineering and tradttion of worldwide ocean explora the occasion. control systems were checked and a tion at Woods Hole Oceanographic. Rear Admiral Paul Gaffney variety of tests were conducted on Institution. This ship Is the third to presented the ship with a plaque on winches, cranes and other scientific bear the name Atlantis. which carries equipment. A brief port call was with it a rich legacy of contributions made at Ft. Lauderdale, FL, to ooean research. The U.S. Navy The Newsletter is published monthly or March 29 to disemball< techni has had a long-term commitment to bimonthly for employees, st1.dents and cians, agency and other pers0n- oceanography and to ocean re members of the Woods Hole Oceancr nel. search. so it is most appropriate that graphic Institution coomunity. Ideas for Leg II March 29 to April 5 this particular ship be funded by the stories, photos, and other nems of Involved calibrating the Navy. Atlantis and its unique interest to the community are wekx>me SeaBeam bottom mapping capabilities embodies the close and and should be sent to: Newsletter Editor, system, with work in deep water essential relationship between the News Office, MS #16, Woods Hole norlh of the Bahama Islands. A Navy and academic research and Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, brief stop was made at Norfolk. between the Navy and other federal MA 02543. Telephone 506-289-2270 or VA, to change scientific engi- funding agencies. such as the 289-3340. neering and agency personnel. National Science Foundation, that I Writer/Editor: Shelley M. Lauzon Work on Leg III will include will enabfe ocean scientists to vastly Staff Support: Kathleen Patterson continued ship's engineering Continued on page 8
2 WHOI NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY/MARCH 1997 WHOI Staff/Equipment Seek to Explain Staff Honors and Awards Loss of British Vessel Members of the Institution's Deep Submergence Senior Scientists Mark Kurz of the Marine Labor~~ory.(DSL) are conducting a search and survey Chemistry and Geochemistry Department and Jack expedition In the western Padfic for the wreckage of the Whitehead of the Physical Oceanography Depart M/V Derbyshire. a 964-foot British bulk orB carrier which ment have been elected Fellows of the American sank near Okinawa in September 1980 while carrying Geophysical Union (AGU). Selection as a Fellow is some 157,000 tons of iron orB concentrate from Canada one of the highest honors bestowed by AGU and is to Japan. All 44 people on board died. The vessel, built awarded to "those scientists who have achieved in 1976, is the largest British merchant ship, in terms of widely acknowledged eminence in a branch of tonnage. ever lost at sea geophysics." Each year, a Committee of Fellows Several inquiries and searches have been conducted reviews nominations and conducts a rigorous but the cause of the sinking has never been establiShed: ~election process to choose new Fellows, a distinc A formal investigation in 1989 concluded that "the tion conferred upon no more than 0.1 % of all AGU Derbyshire was probably overwhelmed by the forces of members in any given year. nature in Typhoon Orchid ... The evidence avai1able does Senior Scientist Robert Ballard of the Applied not support any firmer conclusion." According to British Ocean Physics and Engineering Department has newspaper reports families of those lost, trade unions been selected to receive the first Excellence in and shipping experts have argued that structural defects Geophysical Education Award of the American not weather, caused the disaster. ' Geophysical Union (AGU). The new award is The wreckage of the Derbyshire was found frag given for significant and lasting contributions to mented on the seafloor in nearly 4,300 meters (about geophysical sciences education through the 14,000 feet) of water in 1994 by an expedttlon funded by innovative training, support and encouragement of the International Transport Worker's Federation (ITF). students. Ballard was honored for his role "in the Following the ITF eXpedition BritaIn's Lord Donaldson conception and development of the JASON Project was appointed to assess whether further work should be as well as the extraordinary impact of that project." undertaken to establish the cause of the ship's loss. Lord The award will be presented at the AGU Spring Donaldson recommended that a further survey should be meeting in Baltimore in late May. undertaken, and the European Commission agreed to contribute towards the cost An initial survey of part of the wreckage site was "This is a truly international cxroperative effort, conducted in July 1996 by three Independent Assessors, drawing on the expertise of specialists from the 'United two appointed by Britain's Department of TrWlsport and Kingdom. France, Greece, Italy and the United States one by the European Commission. That survey con and with the support of the European Commission," said cluded that conditions were suitable for a comprehensive Lord Goschen, Britain's Minister of Shipping. "We hope photographic survey of the wreckage. WHOI was ap that the results of the expedition will allow the causes of proached by British Government officials and asked to the loss of the Derbyshire to be established. The under conduct an independent survey. Through a memoran water investigations will be undertaken so as not to dum of understanding betWeen the Department of disturb the last resting place of those who tragically died Transport and the National Science Foundation the with the ship. The results from the expedition should second and final survey is being undertaken by WHOI make a major contribution to the development of deep using the Thomas G. Thompson, operated by the Univer sea accident investigation and assist in helping to sity of Washington. improve the future safety of bulk carriers." A 13-member WHOI team Is working aboard the Many questions have been raised since the four-year Thompson, along wtth 15 people from the British Gov old vessel was last about "s design and the possibility ernment Assessor's team. The ship left Guam March 9 there was a structural failure. The WHOI team plans to to travel to the site some 400 miles off Okinawa. The spend three weeks collecting 6O,()(J().1 00,000 overlapping team is expected to spend 52 days at sea before amvlng digitai images of the wreckage and surrounding debris rlBld In Yokohama, Japan, April 29. and at least rifteen days using MedealJason to examine The DSL team is using Argo-II, a high attitude towed indivk1ual items of wreckage, taking close-up images of imaging system, and OSL-120, a high resolution fracture surtaces and some samples to verify the Images. sidescan sonar system, as well as the remotely operated The ship's cargo and the nature of the seabed af the site MedealJason.system·\o locate the wreckage and debris will also be studied. All the information collected will be field and then conduct a detailed photographic survey of tumed over to the British Assessors'team. ' the site and examine individual pieces of wreckage. ConffnuecJ on page 8 FEBRUARY/MARCH 1997 WHOI NEWSLETIER 3 Atlantis at sea In the Gulf of Mexico, starboard side view.
Trent Lott (secondfrom left) checks out the sh Scenes from Atlantis Voyage #1 Leg I bridge. Captain Gal}' Chiljean is at right. Dire< March 25-29, 1997 Bob Gagosian at left. Photos by Shelley Lauzon
The crew tests winches, cranes and other Jerry Cotter works at the computer In the shlp's Uibrary. The folding doors c ship's equipment. open into the mess half, which seats 30.
4 WHOI NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY/MARCH 1997 The first drill. hardhat in the foreground . ,•
Grew members move a pulley _atd the ROV boom, shown at far leff (above the ROV hangar). The pulley was later installed on the boom.
to , the Sporting Atlantis hats were Rear Admiral Paul Gaffney (Iefl), ChIef of Naval Research. and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott.
leff Stem view, showing the submersible A-frame and Alvin hangar (large grey door) Port side view of the ship
FEBRUARYIMARCH 1997 WHOI NEWSLETIER 5 New Faces Women in Science Honored A large crowd was on hand March 13 in Clark 507 for a panel discussion by fifteen women members of the Institution's scientific and senior technical staffs. held in recognition of Women's History Month and sponsored by the Women's Committee. Panelists in wHonoring Women in Science at WHOI" shared their backgrounds, research, directions and detours they have taken to careers in science, along with the rewards and challenges they have encountered.
Human Resources News Sherry H. Carton Glen Crossin Co.RA Staff Assistant III Research Assistant II Two changes to CosRA (benefits continuation) were enacted Development MC&G November 1, 1996: 1) babies born and children adopted during Fenno, MS #40 Clark 447, MS#25 the period of CosRA coverage are covered immediately; and 2) Ext. 3556 Ext. 2350 individuals who became disabled during the first 60 days of D. Gallo K. Beusseler COBAA coverage are eligible for an 11-month extension.
FIDELITY Fidelity Online Services are available on the Internet at http:// www.flCl-inv.com and America Online (Personal Finance Sec tion, Keyword: Fidelity). You'U find Fidelity fund performance, interactive worksheets. two-way e-mail and an area devoted to helping you make the most of your 403(b) plan .
PILGRIM HEALTH CARE The Earty Intervention benefit has been expanded, effective November 12, 1996. The benefit is now a $3,200 benefit maximum per member per calendar year, up to a lifetime maximum of $9,600 Thomas Nemmers Marie-Alexandrine Siere per member. Early Intervention Services are multidisciplinary Staff Assistant III Guest Investigator services provided for children from birth UP"to 3 years ard'3!.-:, Development MC&G months of age. These services include occupational, physical and Fenno. MS# 40 Fye, MS# 4 speech lherapy. nursing care and psychological counseling. Ext. 2848 Ext. 2322 J. Neumann o. Repeta Volunteers Needed for Trail Work Promotions Volunteers are needed to help take care of a four-mile section Ellyn T. Montgomery (AOP&E) of the Appalachian Trail on the New HampshirelMaine border to Research Specialist (1/6197) during the Memorial Day weekend. According to Tom Balmer, the trail has great views from many spots and is above the James W. Moffett (MC&G) Memorial Day bug level so volunteers are bug free! Contact to Associate Scientist with Tenure (12119196) Tom Balmer at ext. 2628, Ellyn Montgomery at ext. 2492, or Jack Agnoris Collins (CIS) Bracebridge at ext. 2211 for details. to Senior Information Systems Assistant I (216197) Congratulations - to Jane and Mike Caruso on the March 18 birth of their .Kathryn L. Elder (G&G) second daughter, Carmen Alicia, at Falmouth Hospital. Garmen to Research Associate (2116/97) weighed 61bs. 10 OlS. and joins sister Beatrice, 2. Mike is a Hanumanl Singh (AOP&E) Research Associate in the Physical Oceanography Department to Assistant Scientist (2/12/97) and Jane was a former Security Officer.
6 WHOI NEWSLETIER FEBRUARY/MARCH 1997 ·Oceans Alive" Presentations Planned i Three presentations are planned as part of this lI:: year's "Oceans Alive: Plain Talk on Current Topics in Marine Science Presented for the General Public" lecture series, to be held Tues days at 7 p.m. April 15, 22 and 29 in Redfield Auditorium. The series is sponsored by the Institution's Sea Grant program. local high school students from Falmouth High School and Falmouth Academy will present their winning science projects April 15 during "Student Science in Falmouth-. On April 22 panelists in "Science Where You'd Least Expect Ir will share their experiences teaching science or scientifIC concepts to nontraditional audiences. The final presentation April 29 on "Science Bloopers and Blunders" will feature "mistakes" made by scien tists in the Woods Hole community that resulted in significant discoveries or life lessons that were turned into scientifIC and career gains. In Memoriam A capacity crowd was on hand January 31 in Clark 507 to honor Senior Scientist Bill Jenkins of the Marine Chemistry and The Institution has received word of the deaths Geochemistry Department, who received the twelfth Henry of former employees Frances Davis, Raymond Bryant Bigelow Award in Oceanography "in recognition of his Rioux, Louise Stone and Joseph Warecki. creative contributions to the understanding of ocean circula Frances Davis died in Plymouth December 2, tion, mixing, and productivity using transient tracer distribu 1996 at age SO. She joined the WHOI staff as a tions, to the development of the tritium-helium dating tech clerk-typist for Andy Wessling in Services in July nique, and to the understanding of outgassing from the solid 1969, was promoted to a secretary in 1974, and earth, which created the ocean and atmosphere." Bill educated retired in 1979. and entertained the audience, which included a group of RaYmond Rioux, a retired chief engineer, died science students from Nantucket High Sch<>rn. with an illus February 17 in Falmouth after a long illness at trated lecture entitled "Wither Oceanography: Tracing the age 83. He was raised in Fairhaven and gradu Future?" Pictured above (left to right) are Chairman of the ated from the Schoolship Nantucket, now the Board Frank Snyder. Bill Jenkins holding the award certifICate. Massachusetts Maritime Academy, in 1935. He and Director Bob Gagosian. sailed in the merchant marine during and after World War II before joining the WHOI staff in 1963. He was chief engineer on Atlantis /I before An E-Vent to Remember retiring in 1978. LouIse Stone, a secretary at WHat for many February marked the twentieth anniversary of the discovery years, died in Falmouth February 25 at age 78. of dee~sea hyaothermal vents off the Galapagos Islands in the She joined the WHat staff in 1964 in the Geo eastem PacifIC. More than 30 scientists. including geologists physics Department and retired in 1974. Dick von Herzan and Boll BaJlard of WHOI, participated in the Joseph "Whitey" Wareckl died January 13 in historic twCHllOOth expedition, wnich began February 8, 19n Lantana, Aorida, at age 76. A long-time resident with the AN Knorr departing Panama AN lJJlu with AMn of New Bedford, MA, Whitey worked as a com aboard later joined the expedition. The towed camera sled mercial fisherman for 20 years before joining the ANGUS took thousands of photographs of the bottom, locating WHOI staff in 1972 as an able bodied seaman the now famous exotic marine life in just 13 frames on a roll of aboard Gosnold. He also sailed aboard Chain 3,000. AMn later made 24 dives to vent sites scientists namedl between 1972 and its retirement in 1975 before Clambake I, Clambake II, Dandelion Patch, Oyster Bed and moving to Oceanus when it joined the WHOI fleet. Garden of Eden because of their animal populations. The first ! He was named Bosun on Oceanus in 1976 and multiOsciplinary expedition returned to the Galapagos vent site retired in 1984. in January 1979. during which the National Geographic Society made the award-winning film "Dive to the Edge of Creation:
FEBRUARY/MARCH 1997 WHOI NEWSLETTER 7 r,
Atlantis conlinued from page 3 Ship Notes improve our knowledge of the oceans and help ATLANTIS ensure their wise use for the benefit of people RN Atlantis is scheduled to arrive in Woods Hole April 11. It will worldwide. The discoveries to be made from remain at the dock undergoing final outfitting until May 13, when it this vessel and by the scientists, engineers and will depart for visits to New York and Washington, DC (see article technicians who will work aboard it during the page 2) before beginning Its first research cruise in June. next thirty plus years of its career are certain to be extraordinary and well beyond anything we KNORR can envision today." AN KnO"8rrived in Woods Hole March 21 to complete Voyage Atlantis will remain in Woods Hole for a #147 in the labrador Sea as part of an Office of Naval Research month undergoing final outfitting. Alvin, which Accelerated Research Initiative with air/sea flux and meteorologi has been undergoing routine overhaul and cal components to determine the formation of deep water via open upgrade in the Iselin high bay since last ocean convection. summer, will be loaded on to the ship April 16. The ship departed Woods Hole April 3 for a Brooklyn, NY. Trustees and Members of the Corporation, shipyard for thruster repairs and to repair damage to the bilge keel Associates, alumni and other guests will have a resulting from the difficult Labrador sea work. The ship returned to chance to see the vessel during the spring Woods Hole April 7 and departed April B on Voyage #149, a short meetings of the Trustees and Corporation in cruise to the Continental SheH south of Woods Hole for the Woods Hole May 8 and 9. Employees and coastal Mixing and Optics (eMO) Program and to Georges Bank their families will also have another opportunity for mooring turnaround as part of the Global Ocean Ecosystems to see the ship the afternoon of May 9 from Dynamics (GLOBEC) program. 12:30 to 4:00 p.m. Knorrwill return to Woods Hole April 17 and will depart April 23 Preparations are underway to showcase for continued CMO work, returning to Woods Hole May 13. AtlanUs and Hs capabilities as well as the OCEANUS importance of ocean sciences research to RN Oceanus departed Woods Hole on Voyage #300 March 16 supporters, Congress and both federal and for continued studies on Georges Bank as part of the Global Ocean private funding agencies in New York City and Ecosystems Dynamics (GLOBEC) program. The ship retumed 10 Washington, DC In mid-May. Tours and sclen Woods Hole March 29 and departed April 2 on Voyage #301 for tist-attended displays will be featured aboard the another GLOBEC cruise on Georges Bank. Scientific activities vessel when HYis~s New YorI< City May 14 and include CTD/rosette casts, MOCNESS net tows, plankton pump 15. Media, local science teachers and students, lowerlngs, bioaooustical profiling and drift buoy deployments. invited guests, Trustees and Members will visit Oceanus is due back in Woods Hole April 17 and is scheduled the ship which will be docked at Ihe Water Club to depart April 20 for a two-week cruise to Georges Bank as part of on the East River in Manhattan. continued broadscale studies for the GLOBEC program. The ship At the invitation of the U.S. Navy, Atlantis will return to Woods Hole May 3. will also vls~ Washington, DC, Mey 1~21. The ship wlil sail up the Potomac River and dock in Derbyshire conUnued from page 3 Alexandria, VA. During its two-day visit Atlantis will host members of Congress and Congres As of April 7, more than 120,000 electronic stili camera images sional staff, media, local school students and had been taken by Arg B WHOI NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY/MARCH 1997