Pioneer MAB At-Sea Tests
Seabed Survey
The OOI-CGSN team surveyed the seabed to better understand the layout of the proposed moorings sites. The RV Neil Armstrong operated a hull-mounted acoustic equipment to collect bathymetry (depth contours), backscatter imagery (seabed characterization), and subbottom data (seabed profile and geophysical layering). Chris Basque, Irene Duran, and John Lund also piloted the ROV over the…
Read MoreBig Eyes Along the Mid-Atlantic Coast
Large binoculars called “big eyes” are used to help marine mammal observers detect and identify distant sightings. Personnel from the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service were graciously included in the OOI Pioneer Array cruise as part of an exploratory survey targeting North Atlantic right whales and recording all other marine mammals encountered. The population is painfully small,…
Read MoreSafe and Sound
Here the test Coastal Surface Mooring is safely on deck after ~8 months operating at the proposed Pioneer Mid-Atlantic Bight location. The mooring was deployed in a water depth of 30m and survived storms with max wave heights of 7.5-10m, and continued to send data to shore!
Read MoreSurface Mooring Recovery
It may seem calm at the surface, but there’s a lot of action below…The OOI-CGSN team used the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to inspect the Coastal Surface Mooring and the Multifunction Node (MFN) prior to recovery. Chris Basque and John Lund then piloted the ROV over to the MFN and attached a hook and recovery…
Read MoreSunrise at Sea
Chris Basque, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution deck lead, takes advantage of the calm seas and bright sunrise to survey the work area and plan the recovery of the test Coastal Surface Mooring located at the proposed Pioneer MAB Array site.
Read MoreAs Seen from Below
Everything looks good! The Remotely Operated Vehicle was deployed by the OOI-CGSN team to inspect the underwater components of the Shallow Water Mooring after deployment. The ROV captured images of the Multifunction Node sitting on the seabed (1), the mechanical bend restrictors on the riser (2), and an image of the Prawler profiling vehicle moving…
Read MoreAs Seen from the Air
And here’s what the successful deployment of OOI’s experimental surface mooring off Martha’s Vineyard looked like from the air.
Read MoreTest is Underway
The OOI-CGSN team and the R/V Neil Armstrong successfully deployed the Shallow Water Mooring which will now collect engineering data so the team can assess the performance of the mooring and the new profiling vehicle.
Read MoreArmstrong on the Way
The OOI-Coastal and Global Scale Node (CGSN) team will deploy the Shallow Water Mooring south of Martha’s Vineyard enroute to the proposed Pioneer Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB) location. Once at Pioneer MAB, they will recover the test Coastal Surface Mooring after 8 months collecting engineering data. They will also perform surveys and ROV inspections of potential…
Read MoreLoaded and Ready to Go!
The Shallow Water Mooring has been loaded on the R/V Neil Armstrong and fully integrated. This means the buoy, riser, multi-function node, and profiling vehicle are complete, operating, and transmitting test data. The system will operate right up until departure to ensure all systems are ready for deployment.
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