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

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

Image & Video Gallery

This page contains photos and videos associated with the Coordinated Simultaneous Physical-Biological Sampling Using ADCP-Equipped Ocean Gliders expedition. Click on any image or video to view a larger version and for additional information.

This specially designed Seaglider is secured to its cradle by the ADCP-Equipped Seagliders expedition team.

Seaglider is Safely Recovered

This specially designed Seaglider is secured to its cradle by the ADCP-Equipped Seagliders expedition team.

Captain Eric Boget and engineer Christina Ramirez work together to lasso the vehicle before it drifts away.

Seaglider Recovery is a Team Sport

Working together to lasso the vehicle before it drifts away.

When it comes to deploying instruments in the ocean, scientists have a saying: anything that goes in the water may never be seen again.

Spotting a Seaglider on the Horizon

Scientists have a saying: “anything that goes in the water may never be seen again.”

The ADCP-Equipped Seagliders team breathes a sigh of relief as the glider is secured on the deck following a successful recovery.

Glider Recovery

The ADCP-Equipped Seagliders team breathes a sigh of relief as the glider is secured on the deck following a successful recovery.

Field engineer Christina Ramirez uses her plethora of tools on Research Vessel Roberston to open the Seaglider, check for leaks, and ultimately install a new sensor cover on the outside of the glider.

Fixing a Seaglider

Field engineer Christina Ramirez uses her plethora of tools on Research Vessel Roberston to open the Seaglider, check for leaks, and ultimately install a new sensor cover on the outside of the glider.

Acoustic Release Technology

Acoustic Release Technology

This device is called an acoustic release and it was attached to the acoustic echosounder deployed during the expedition.

Communicating with the Acoustic Release

Communicating with the Acoustic Release

Captain Eric Boget communicates with a moored echosounder system that is attached to the seafloor.

Downloading Echosounder Data

Downloading Echosounder Data

Now that it has been safely recovered, Linda can plug into the echosounder and download its contents, revealing rich acoustic data on the small organisms, like zooplankton and fish, that inhabit the area in which it was deployed.

CTD Cast

A conductivity temperature depth (CTD) device is cast behind the boat during the expedition.

Zooplankton Sample

Zooplankton Sample

Zooplankton are sampled by the ADCP-Equipped Seagliders expedition team off the coast of La Push, Washington.

Acoustic Echosounder Deployment

Acoustic Echosounder Deployment

The team prepares to deploy a moored acoustic echosounder. This instrument will drop to the seafloor where it will use sound to explore the water column.

Calibrating a Transducer

Calibrating a Transducer

To ensure accurate data, scientists must calibrate the transducer using calibration spheres of known density. This calibration process can be arduous as researchers try to find this small sphere underneath the boat using the transducer — it has been compared to finding a needle in a haystack!

Fishing or Calibrating?

Fishing or Calibrating?

Using fishing rods, a calibration sphere of known density will be suspended below the boat’s transducer to make sure echosounder data is accurate.

Close Up of the Transducer

Close Up of the Transducer

Close up of the transducer that is mounted to the bottom of Research Vessel Robertson for use during the Coordinated Simultaneous Physical-Biological Sampling Using ADCP-Equipped Ocean Gliders expedition.

Seaglider is Deployed

Seaglider is Deployed

Seaglider is deployed in the waters offshore La Push, Washington.

The Past and Present of Ocean Exploration

The Past and Present of Ocean Exploration

(Left) The HMS Challenger was a late 1800’s research vessel. (Right) Engineer Christina Ramirez affixes Seaglider’s antenna which will allow it to communicate with scientists on-shore.

Members of the Coordinated Simultaneous Physical-Biological Sampling Using ADCP-Equipped Ocean Gliders expedition deploy an echosounder that is attached to a mooring and be used to collect data about organisms that occupy the middle levels of the ocean food web (mid-trophic organisms), such as zooplankton and small fish.

Deploying an Echosounder

Members of the Coordinated Simultaneous Physical-Biological Sampling Using ADCP-Equipped Ocean Gliders expedition deploy an echosounder that is attached to a mooring and be used to collect data about organisms that occupy the middle levels of the ocean food web (mid-trophic organisms), such as zooplankton and small fish.

Collecting Zooplankton Specimens

Collecting Zooplankton Specimens

(Left) Researchers wait until dark to deploy zooplankton nets. (Right) The team collects zooplankton specimens from nets that were towed.

ADCP-equipped Seaglider

ADCP-equipped Seaglider

Seaglider, an autonomous underwater vehicle, is outfitted with an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) and prepared for deployment.

An acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP)-equipped Seaglider is deployed from Research Vessel Robertson with the University of Washington Applied Physics Lab during the Coordinated Simultaneous Physical-Biological Sampling Using ADCP-Equipped Ocean Gliders expedition. Seagliders are a type of autonomous underwater vehicle that can collect data on the physical properties of the ocean. This Seaglider is special, as the ADCP allows it to collect acoustic backscatter data on the biological life of its surroundings, enabling the expedition team to study small organisms like zooplankton and fish on a larger scale than traditional ship-based methods.

Glider Deployment

An acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP)-equipped Seaglider is deployed from Research Vessel Robertson.

ADCP-equipped Seaglider

ADCP-equipped Seaglider

(Left) An acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP)-equipped Seaglider. (Right) The Seaglider is deployed.

Attaching an ADCP to the CTD and CTD Recovery

Attaching an ADCP to the CTD and CTD Recovery

(Left) Research assistant Linda Nguyen attaches an ADCP to the CTD. (Right) The CTD is recovered.

Analyzing Echosoudner Data

Analyzing Echosoudner Data

Principal investigator Wu-Jung Lee and research assistant Linda Nguyen analyze the data coming in from the ship’s mounted echosounder.

Collecting Zooplankton

Collecting Zooplankton

(Left) The team prepares the zooplankton tow net at dusk. (Right) The zooplankton from the nets are collected in jars to be analyzed later under microscopes.

Field Testing Plan

Field Testing Plan

Overview of the field testing plan.

ADCP-equipped Seaglider and Zooplankton

ADCP-equipped Seaglider and Zooplankton

(Left) An ADCP-equipped Seaglider. (Right) An example of a zooplankton that this expedition will study.