Posts Tagged ‘Global Irminger Sea Array’
Mission Accomplished, Homeward Bound
Homeward bound! The Irminger 10 team has completed all cruise objectives (in spite of high winds/heavy seas) and is heading home. All moorings have been deployed and recovered; gliders deployed; CTD casts for instrument cross-calibration, meteorological surveys, and ancillary CTD casts to support the OSNAP program were completed, and many marine mammal sightings were recorded.…
Read MoreRockin’ and Rolling but Getting the Job Done
The weather finally cleared up enough over the weekend for mooring recovery operations at OOI’s Global Irminger Sea Array to happen. Here Chris Basque directs the recovery of floats, in spite of the rocky waves and potential wet feet. Video credit: John Lund © WHOI.
Read MoreBack at it!
After a brief detour caused by heavy winds and high seas, the R/V Neil Armstrong and the OOI team are back at the array, deploying moorings during brief weather windows. They are getting the job done, even though conditions have been less-than-ideal.
Read MoreTaking Shelter from Severe Storm
Conditions forced the R/V Neil Armstrong to take shelter in Prince Christian Sound. Quite a storm is going on at the array. Peak wave heights have subsided from 15.5 m to about 11.45 m. The surface buoy is still showing wind speeds 23 m/s (44.7 knots). These conditions make it impossible to deploy the moorings…
Read MoreWeather Dictates Pause
Weather dictates pause in operations. The OOI team aboard the R/V Neil Armstrong are in Prince Christian Sound to avoid severe conditions at the array site. The weather forecast called for 70 knot wind gusts and 30 foot waves at the work site. It’s anticipated that the vessel may be able to return to work…
Read MoreGliders Begin Operations
The R/V Neil Armstrong and OOI science team start operations at the Irminger Array by deploying the gliders. This allows the gliders to be monitored by the pilots onshore and ensure all systems are operational while the vessel is still onsite performing mooring operations. Chris Basque and Jess Kozik prepare glider 575 for deployment. Three…
Read MoreVessel is on its Way
Pedal to the metal! The R/V Neil Armstrong departed Reykjavik, Iceland Aug. 28th and is enroute to the Irminger Array off Greenland as fast as possible to start glider and mooring operations ahead of storms that are closing in….
Read MoreReady to Go
Everything is loaded and the team is ready to go. The Global Surface Mooring, the largest Irminger Mooring, is placed beneath the a-frame ready for deployment. Chris Basque, John Jordan, Mackenzie Stuart prepare deck equipment and complete the final connections of all the riser components. The riser connects the buoy to the anchor, but also…
Read MoreBuoy Assembly
It can be a tight fit. Before loading, the Global Surface Buoy must be assembled, and instruments mounted and cabled. Here Mackenzie Stuart prepares to place the buoy well and tower into the buoyancy foam. Once that is done, James Kuo and Chris Basque get to work mounting the instruments and running the power and…
Read MoreArmstrong Arrives!
The R/V Neil Armstrong has arrived in Reykjavik! The team has started loading all the Irminger materials onto the vessel. Once onboard, the team will perform final assembly of the moorings and make ready for departure.
Read More