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Seafloor Characterization of the U.S. Caribbean |
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« Cruise Intro
Web Update
Day 1: 03/21/2006
On Tuesday 3/21 at 9:45 am the NOAA ship Nancy Foster got underway departing from the east end pier at Frederiksted, USVI to Buck Island on the northeast side of St. Croix. Transit time to the study site was approximately 3 hours.
(NOAA ship Nancy Foster at the Frederiksted Pier, St. Croix)
Before getting underway, Hydrographer Jay Lazar conducted a lead line test to verify the lever arm measurements for the multibeam unit. The multibeam team will conduct a patch test and outer beam angle offset calibration at sites located surrounding Buck Island once the ship completes its transit to the study area. Multibeam operations will commence upon satisfactory completion of these tests.
(Scientists conduct lead line test)
ROV Operators made the final preparations of the gear necessary to deploy the ROV. The ship moon pool will be used to lower a pole through the ship with an acoustic transponder attached to allow the ship based equipment to communicate to the ROV deployed in the water column below. This communication will allow the ROV operators to track the position of the ROV on the seafloor.
(ROV operator and engineer install transponder equipment)