Research Vessel Research Articles

The Sugar‐To‐Flower Shallow Cumulus Transition Under the Influences of Diel Cycle and Free‐Tropospheric Mineral Dust

AbstractA shallow cumulus cloud transition from a sugar to flower type of organization occurred under a layer of mineral dust on 2 February 2020, during the multinational Atlantic Tradewind Ocean‐Atmosphere Mesoscale Interaction Campaign (ATOMIC) and the Elucidating the Role of Clouds‐Circulation Coupling in Climate (EUREC4A) campaigns. Lagrangian large eddy simulations following an airmass trajectory along the tradewinds are used to explore radiative impacts of the diel cycle and mineral dust on the sugar‐to‐flower (S2F) cloud transition. The large‐scale meteorological forcing is derived from the European Center for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis Fifth Generation and based on aerosol measurements from the U.S. Ronald H. Brown Research Vessel and the French ATR‐42 Research Aircraft during the field campaigns. A 12‐hr delay in the diel cycle accelerates the S2F transition at night, leading to more cloud liquid water and precipitation. The aggregated clouds generate more and stronger cold pools, which alter the original mechanism responsible for the organization. Although there is still mesoscale moisture convergence in the cloud layer, the near‐surface divergence associated with cold pools transports the subcloud moisture to the drier surrounding regions. New convection forms along the cold‐pool edges, generating new flower clouds. The modulation of the surface radiative budget by free‐tropospheric mineral dust poses a less dramatic effect on the S2F transition. Mineral dust releases longwave radiation, reducing the cloud amount at night, and absorbs shortwave radiation during the day, cooling the boundary‐layer temperature and increasing the overall cloud amount. Cloud‐top radiative heating because of more clouds strengthens the mesoscale organization, enlarging the aggregate areas, and increasing the cloud amount further.

海洋マントルカンラン岩から探る海洋リソスフェアの熱化学状態

The life cycle of the oceanic lithosphere commences in the spreading axis and ends in the subduction zone. To trace the cooling and evolutional history of the Earth, the change in thermochemical state during the life cycle of present‒day oceanic lithosphere is desired to be elucidated. In terms of the material science, spatial limitation of human‒accessible Earth interior is a bottleneck in reconstructing the thermochemical state of the oceanic lithosphere. Yet, by combining active sampling methods using ocean research vessels (ocean drilling, ocean bottom dredging, submersible survey, etc.) and passive sampling methods using Earth’s deep materials exposed to the surface owing to tectonic forces and volcanoes, we can collect samples that cover a considerable dimension. Here, I present efforts toward the elucidation of the thermochemical state of the oceanic lithosphere during its life cycle from the spreading axis to the subduction zone. The Oman ophiolite is presented as an analogue of oceanic lithosphere formed in the vicinity of a fast‒spreading axis, whereas the peridotite xenoliths from Tahiti Island are treated as an analogue of thermochemically disturbed oceanic lithosphere by a mantle plume, and those from petit‒spots are considered as an analogue less affected by thermochemical disturbance considering the lack of mantle plume beneath the petit‒spots. A heterogeneous thermal state corresponding to the segment structure is inferred in the fast‒spreading axis. The thermochemical state of the aging oceanic lithosphere is modified by mantle plume and petit‒spot magmatism, but pristine state can be reconstructed by using suitable peridotite xenoliths whose heating‒cooling and melting history is well characterized. The peridotite xenoliths from the petit‒spots can enhance a step toward reconstructing the thermochemical state of the deep oceanic lithosphere because deep‒rooted garnet‒stable peridotite xenoliths can be found.

Microbiome and virome on indoor surfaces of an Antarctic research ship.

Few studies have focused on microbial diversity in indoor environments of ships, as well as the role of the microbiome and its ecological interconnections. In this study, we investigated the microbiome and virome present on the internal surfaces of a polar ship in different stages (beginning, during, and at the end) of the Brazilian Antarctic expedition in order to evaluate abundance of microorganisms in different periods. We used shotgun metagenomic analysis on pooled samples from sampling surfaces in the ship's interior to track the microbial diversity. Considering the total fraction of the microbiome, the relative abundance of bacteria, eukaryotes, viruses, and archaea was 83.7%, 16.2%, 0.04%, and 0.002%, respectively. Proteobacteria was the most abundant bacterial phyla, followed by Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. Concerning the virome, the greatest richness of viral species was identified during the middle of the trip, including ten viral families after de novo assembly: Autographiviridae, Chrysoviridae, Genomoviridae, Herelleviridae, Myoviridae, Partitiviridae, Podoviridae, Potyviridae, Siphoviridae, and Virgaviridae. This study contributed to the knowledge of microbial diversity in naval transportation facilities, and variations in the abundance of microorganisms probably occurred due to factors such as the number of passengers and activities on the ship.

Correspondence: Debating China's Use of Overseas Ports

Correspondence: Debating China's Use of Overseas Ports

Probabilistic estimation of the large heel due to broaching associated with surf-riding for a ship in short-crested irregular waves and its experimental validation

The International Maritime Organization started using a numerical simulation to quantify the probability of a ship's stability failure as a direct stability assessment for broaching associated with surf-riding. Some of the authors proposed a critical wave method to estimate such probability, and its numerical verification and experimental validation in long-crested irregular stern-quartering waves were already published. The remaining issue is numerically verifying and experimentally validating the methodology applied to short-crested irregular stern-quartering waves. The work described in this paper is an attempt to resolve this remaining issue by executing numerical simulation and a free-running model experiment in both short-crested and long-crested irregular waves. The subject ship used in this work is an ocean research ship similar to the one lost in actual stern-quartering waves with higher speed, which was used in our previous study in regular waves. The experimental results indicate that the direct counting in the numerical simulation shows stochastically sufficient agreement with the model experiment, and the critical wave method provides reasonably conservative estimates even in short-crested irregular waves.

Stratigraphic Drilling in the Northern Kara Sea: First Case and Preliminary Results

Abstract —Until recently, the sedimentary cover age and composition of the marginal North Kara Basin (northern part of the Kara Sea, Russian Arctic) remained uncertain because of the absence of direct data from parametric and exploration wells. Taking into consideration the absolute importance of these issues for understanding the regional geology of the Arctic shelf and evaluating its petroleum potential, Rosneft Oil Company, together with AO RosGeo, drilled ten shallow stratigraphic wells in fall 2020 using the research vessel (RV) Bavenit to reveal the complete stratigraphic range of the North Kara Basin. The ultrahigh-resolution (UHR) seismic survey was carried out by the RV Kapitan Voronin to adjust the well site locations and integrate the well sections into the regional geological model based on 2D seismic data during the drilling campaign. As a result, 300 m core was recovered from 11 Paleozoic and two Mesozoic stratigraphic units, previously investigated by 2D seismic and outcrop studies of the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago. Lab analyses (biostratigraphy, lithology, sedimentology, geochemistry, and other types of core analysis) were performed at Lomonosov Moscow State University. We present obtained lab results confirming that the main part of the North Kara Basin section belongs to the Paleozoic; late Cambrian–Late Devonian rock ages have been derived. Several Paleozoic units tend to be older than those in previously published models. Core samples include mainly terrigenous rocks with insignificant carbonate presence. Paleozoic units are overlain by a thin Mesozoic terrigenous section dated from Middle Triassic to Middle Jurassic above a distinct angular unconformity. After a thorough analysis of all the lab results, we will obtain data on the ages of sedimentary units, as well as their lithology and depositional environments, and establish elements of the hydrocarbon system (source rocks, reservoirs, and seals) to evaluate the North Kara Basin petroleum potential with lesser uncertainty. We suppose that our results will significantly contribute to establishing a stratigraphic framework, reconstructing the basin history, and evaluating the petroleum potential of the whole Arctic region.

The development and applications of a controllable lander for in-situ, long-term observation of deep sea chemosynthetic communities

Understanding the evolution of chemosynthetic communities and environmental changes near fluid seepages in the deep sea requires in-situ long-term observation data. However, in-situ detection or sampling for the investigation of cold seeps, hydrothermal vents, and nearby chemosynthetic ecosystems, by manned submersibles and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), has great restrictions in terms of time. The observation parameters of a free-fall mode Lander cannot be adjusted in real time because there is no communication channel once the Lander is separated from the vessel. A long-term ocean observation platform (LOOP), that uses a new controllable mode for launching and recovery with the aid of a research vessel and submarine vehicles, has been developed and used in the cold seep area of the South China Sea. The LOOP can be operated in an online real-time control mode allowing landing site selection and adjustment of observation parameters during the launching process, with subsequent switched to an offline stand-alone operation mode for long-term, continuous observation. The effective observation times were 375 days and 414 days, respectively, during the 2016 and 2018 deployments in the cold seep area in the South China Sea. Results of these deployments show that salinity and dissolved oxygen parameters have strong spatial heterogeneity in both the horizontal and vertical directions within the cold seep vent. The spatial heterogeneity of environmental parameters may be one of the main driving factors for the uneven spatial distribution of chemosynthetic communities in cold seep areas. Overall, the LOOP provides an innovative and controllable launching and recovery mode and is expected to become a universal underwater observation platform for in-situ, long-term, and continuous data acquisition.

Blowing in the Wind: Using a Consumer Drone for the Collection of Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) Blow Samples during the Arctic Polar Nights

Analysis of cetacean blow offers a unique potential for non-invasive assessments of their health. In recent years, the use of uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) has revolutionized the way these samples are collected. However, the high cost and expertise associated with purpose-built waterproof UAVs, paired with the challenges of operating during difficult meteorological conditions, can be prohibitive for their standardized use worldwide. A pilot study was conducted in a Northern Norwegian fjord during winter, to assess the feasibility of using a minimally modified and affordable consumer drone to collect blow samples even during the polar nights’ challenging weather conditions. For each flight, six petri dishes were attached with velcro to a DJI Mavic 2 Pro. The flights were conducted under temperatures ranging from -1 to -18 degrees Celsius, wind speeds ranging from 9 to 31 km/h, and with the absence of the sun. During the 6-day-long boat survey, 16 blow samples were successfully collected from 11 distinct groups of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). With this study, we further validated the use of a consumer drone as a practical, affordable, and simplified tool for blow collection, functional under harsh meteorological conditions.

Marine GIS as a Tool to Support Backscatter Data Analysis for Zooplankton Investigations

Echo-sounders and Vessel-Mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (VM-ADCP) are widely operating onboard research vessels with the aim of providing real-time backscatter and ocean current profiles along the route, while the vessel is moving. Backscatter data are exploited to infer important information about zooplankton presence and distribution. Nevertheless, as these organisms daily vertically migrate even below the depth of the instrument range, the combination of space and time variability make their mapping from a moving vessel quite complex. The objective of this work is to describe a GIS application developed for the management and analysis of these data. The GIS capability as a tool to facilitate zooplankton investigations is assessed by means of a test-case in the area of the Ligurian Sea (Western Mediterranean) by using VM-ADCP backscatter data made available during oceanographic campaigns. The system, which includes a high-resolution bathymetry, environmental parameters, ephemeris, allows to select and visualize data sorted according to all the possible layer combinations. Moreover, different backscatter profiles, characterizing the identified migration phases can be enlightened by means of false color scale representation.

Distributions of Cisco (Coregonus artedi) in the upper Great Lakes in the mid-twentieth century, when populations were in decline.

The restoration of the once abundant Cisco (Coregonus artedi) is a management interest across the Laurentian Great Lakes. To inform the restoration, we (1) described historical distributions of Cisco and (2) explored whether non-indigenous Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax) and Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) played a role in the decline of Cisco populations across the upper Great Lakes (i.e., Lakes Superior, Michigan, and Huron). Our source data were collected from fishery-independent surveys conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's research vessel R/V Cisco in 1952-1962. By analyzing data collected by gill-net surveys, we confirmed the importance of embayment and shallow-water habitats to Cisco. We found that Cisco was abundant in Whitefish Bay and Keweenaw Bay, Lake Superior, and in Green Bay, Lake Michigan, but we also found a sign of Cisco extirpation in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron. Our results also showed that Ciscoes generally stayed in waters <80 m in bottom depth throughout the year. However, a substantial number of Ciscoes stayed in very deep waters (>150 m in bottom depth) in summer and fall in Lake Michigan, although we cannot exclude the possibility that these Ciscoes had hybridized with the other Coregonus species. By comparing complementary data collected from bottom-trawl surveys, we concluded that the spatiotemporal overlap between Rainbow Smelt and Cisco likely occurred across the upper Great Lakes throughout 1952-1962. These data were consistent with the hypothesis that Rainbow Smelt played a role in the decline of Cisco populations across the upper Great Lakes in the period. We also found that the spatiotemporal overlap between Alewife and Cisco likely occurred only in Saginaw Bay in fall 1956 and in Lake Michigan after 1960. Thus, any potential recovery of Cisco after the 1950s could have been inhibited by Alewife in Lakes Michigan and Huron.

Occurrence, site fidelity, and abundance of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Western Ligurian Sea

This study represents the first complete assessment of the population dynamics and residency of common bottlenose dolphins in the Western Ligurian Sea, an area where bottlenose dolphin sightings have been rare in the past. Despite being greatly affected by human pressure, information about this population is poor and sporadic. The study took place from April 2018 to December 2020. One hundred and seventy‐one dedicated boat surveys were performed year‐round resulting in 95 sightings, and 123 individuals were identified through mark‐recapture photo‐identification techniques. Dolphins were found to be present year‐round. Most of the animals (79) used the area sporadically and only 19.5% of the dolphins (24) were seen regularly. Bottlenose dolphin abundance was estimated at 248 using open POPAN population models (CI 95% = 217–284). These results help fill a knowledge gap by highlighting the regular presence of bottlenose dolphins in the study area. Moreover, they represent a baseline for future studies investigating abundance trends and the conservation status of this population

Modeling of Ship DC Power Grid and Research on Secondary Control Strategy

Compared to alternating current (AC) grids, direct current (DC) grids are becoming more and more popular. A power distribution approach is suggested in order to solve the issue of uneven power distribution of distributed generation (DG) in a ship DC microgrid. Power control is carried out using a tracking differentiator (TD), while the output power change rate is not greater than the maximum power ramp rate permitted by the battery, and state-of-charge balance is attained quickly. The proposed strategy also reduces the communication pressure on the power grid. A distributed hierarchical control model of a DC microgrid based on a consensus algorithm is created in order to validate the suggested methodology. The simulation results demonstrate that the established model is capable of simulating the DC microgrid accurately, that the states of charge values of the five batteries gradually converge under the adjustment of the secondary strategy, and that the suggested strategy is reasonable and efficient.

CAGE18-5 Cruise report : Remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) investigations of active gas seepage sites in the Barents Sea

Cruise CAGE18-5 was the first research expedition under the helm of UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø with the new ice-going research vessel R/V Kronprins Håkon. This new vessel provides new opportunities to collect cross-disciplinary data for addressing the objectives of the Norwegian Centre of Excellence for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate, CAGE. CAGE investigates Arctic gas hydrate and methane seepage systems in order to better understand the effects they may have on our oceans, ecosystems and global climate. The new research vessel and its facilities allows CAGE access to a state-of-art remotely-operated vehicle, the ROV Ægir 6000, opening a new domain for experimental work and acquisition of sample material from the seafloor. The overall goal of cruise CAGE18-5 therefore was to utilize the ROV in order to provide guided video imagery and to study active gas seepage systems at the gas-hydrate pingo (GHP) site located in the outer Storfjord Trough, and at Storbanken in the northeastern part of the Barents Sea. The cruise may be known as: CAGE18_5

Cruise CAGE-18-4

Cruise CAGE18-4 with UiT’s research vessel R/V Helmer Hanssen was carried out to collect cross-disciplinary data for addressing the objectives of the Norwegian Centre of Excellence for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate, CAGE. The cruise was split into two legs with a port call in Longyearbyen. Leg 1 targeted the Vestnesa Ridge on the western Svalbard margin and acquired 2D and 3D high-resolution P-Cable seismic data in close proximity to the Molloy Ridge in order to better understand tectonic impacts on fluid flow and gas hydrate accumulations. Leg 2 continued our investigations of the newly discovered gas seepage field in the Leierdjupet Fault complex (see CAGE17-3 cruise report) focusing on a better understanding of its complex leakage and source-to-sink plumbing system using seafloor photo and video imagery, water and sediment sampling, multibeam mapping and hydroacoustics. The cruise may be known as: CAGE18_4

The Underwater Soundscape of Minto Inlet, Northwest Territories, Canada

Passive acoustic monitoring is a powerful tool for observing soniferous species in remote marine environments over long periods of time, which can inform conservation planning and wildlife management. In this study, we collected seven months of passive acoustic data from early February to early September 2019 in Minto Inlet, Northwest Territories, Canada, to examine the seasonal presence of four species of marine mammals and unidentified fish species, examine drivers of underwater sound levels, and quantify underwater noise from vessel traffic. Bearded seals were vocally present from mid-March to early July. Ringed seals were present in every month. Beluga whales were present from early July until September. Bowhead whales were detected from April to August, and fish were detected from February to July. Underwater sound levels were dampened by the presence of landfast sea ice and increased with wind speed. Increased bearded seal calls also caused increased sound levels. The only vessel detected was the research vessel that recovered the acoustic recorder. Underwater sound levels were much lower in Minto Inlet compared to other areas in the region, and it appears to be an important site for many marine mammals where forage fish species, primarily Arctic cod, are abundant at depth. These results are in line with Minto Inlet being identified as an important area by the community of Ulukhaktok. At present, anthropogenic impact on this area appears to be very low, but further monitoring is required to determine if any management measures are necessary to maintain these low levels.

Consumption-reduced manual and automatic manoeuvring with conventional vessels

Conventional ships are rarely the focus of research projects on autonomous shipping. Nevertheless, the shipping companies are very interested in reducing fuel consumption. This paper proposes a gradual approach towards ship automation which starts with the intelligent assistance of common manual steering by means of a Maneuver Assistance System (MAS). The MAS displays a manually improved manoeuvre plan and the future motion based on the current actuator commands. These two assistance functions contribute to a more conscious use of actuators which can significantly reduce power consumption. For further automation, the improved manoeuvre plan is converted into a trajectory by forward simulation, which is then used by a control system. The control system includes feed-forward and feedback control as well as an allocation system based on a simplified dynamic motion model. A cascaded structure is used, where an outer track controller provides velocity and heading commands to an inner velocity and heading controller. The paper presents the necessary framework and the application of this approach to the digitised German research vessel DENEB with the aim to gradually introduce and realise automatic manoeuvring. Results from manual and assisted manoeuvres with the DENEB are analysed and compared. Finally, first results of automatic berthing with the vessel in the port of Rostock are presented.

Interrelation of individual-personal qualities and dynamics of functional states participants of the sea Arctic expedition

The issues of psychological adaptation of a person to the extreme conditions of the Arctic continue to be relevant at the present time. Dynamic monitoring of human functional states is an effective technology that allows timely identification of the level of human adaptation to the conditions of the North and implementation of preventive measures to maintain health in extreme working conditions. The aim of the study is to identify and describe the relationship of individual-personal qualities and the dynamics of the functional states of the participants of the marine Arctic expedition. Methods. Psychophysiological testing using the device UPFT-1/30-«Psychophysiolog» (variational cardiointervalometry, complex visual-motor reaction); color preference test (M. Luscher, adapted by L. N. Sobchik) with calculation of interpretation coefficients by G. A. Aminev; Five-factor personality questionnaire (R. McCrae and P. Costa, adapted by A. B. Khromov); statistical methods: descriptive statistics, frequency analysis, correlation analysis using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. The study was conducted daily in the morning and evening for 20 days on the research vessel Mikhail Somov in June 2021. The study involved 39 people, including participants in the scientific and educational expeditionary project “Arctic Floating University–2021”. Results. The dynamics of psychophysiological and projective psychological parameters of the functional states of the expedition members as a whole is characterized by favorable levels, which indicates their adaptation to the conditions of high latitudes. According to the results of the correlation analysis, statistically significant relationships were revealed between the dynamics of functional states and such individual-personal qualities as: extraversion − introversion and attachment − separation. Conclusion. The results of the study are consistent with the data of previous expeditions of the “Arctic floating university” and other polar expeditions. The revealed interrelations of functional states with different personality characteristics of the participants testify in favor of the complex nature of the study using different groups of diagnostic methods.

KALEYA RIVER CATCHMENT REGIONAL ESTIMATION OF RESERVOIR CAPACITIES USING SONAR AND GIS APPROACHES

Small reservoirs in arid and semi-arid areas help rural communities to cope with prolonged dry spells. More recently, the construction and operation of small reservoirs has resulted in upstream versus downstream water use conflicts in some river basins. In this regard, bathymetric information could be used as a tool to monitor the available surface water, and minimize or prevent water conflicts. The challenge is that it is difficult to survey a large number of reservoirs using the traditional sounding methods. Despite the availability of new methods of conducting bathymetric surveys, their utilization in Africa is still low, particularly for depth measurements of small reservoirs. This paper presents modern bathymetric survey and analysis techniques applied for quantifying the capacities of small reservoirs, using the case of the Kaleya River Basin in southern Zambia. The objectives of the survey were to: i) create a database of reservoir storage capacities; and ii) introduce an efficient modern approach of monitoring small reservoir storage capacities. A remote controlled Coden hydrographic survey boat equipped with a SONAR device mounted with Trimble OmniSTAR VBS providing DGPS was used to capture and record hydrographic (xyz) data with greater accuracy. Data analysis was done using Surfer 13 Golden software to produce ten contoured bathymetric maps of surveyed reservoirs. From this information, the reservoir capacities were computed, thus providing information on water stored in reservoirs in the basin. It is concluded that the quantification of storage capacity of small reservoirs using SONAR and GIS provides a quicker and cost effective way of obtaining accurate bathymetric data. Such data is important in resolving water use conflicts in river basins and for decision-making in the context of multiple water uses, climate change and or variability.

Rolling Deck to Repository: Supporting the marine science community with data management services from academic research expeditions

Direct observations of the oceans acquired on oceanographic research ships operated across the international community support fundamental research into the many disciplines of ocean science and provide essential information for monitoring the health of the oceans. A comprehensive knowledge base is needed to support the responsible stewardship of the oceans with easy access to all data acquired globally. In the United States, the multidisciplinary shipboard sensor data routinely acquired each year on the fleet of coastal, regional and global ranging vessels supporting academic marine research are managed by the Rolling Deck to Repository (R2R, rvdata.us) program. With over a decade of operations, the R2R program has developed a robust routinized system to transform diverse data contributions from different marine data providers into a standardized and comprehensive collection of global-ranging observations of marine atmosphere, ocean, seafloor and subseafloor properties that is openly available to the international research community. In this article we describe the elements and framework of the R2R program and the services provided. To manage all expeditions conducted annually, a fleet-wide approach has been developed using data distributions submitted from marine operators with a data management workflow designed to maximize automation of data curation. Other design goals are to improve the completeness and consistency of the data and metadata archived, to support data citability, provenance tracking and interoperable data access aligned with FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable) recommendations, and to facilitate delivery of data from the fleet for global data syntheses. Findings from a collection-level review of changes in data acquisition practices and quality over the past decade are presented. Lessons learned from R2R operations are also discussed including the benefits of designing data curation around the routine practices of data providers, approaches for ensuring preservation of a more complete data collection with a high level of FAIRness, and the opportunities for homogenization of datasets from the fleet so that they can support the broadest re-use of data across a diverse user community.

Preliminary study regarding the positioning of the bathymetric system on a research ship

The topic of this preliminary study comes from the need to analyze the positioning of the multi-beam bathymetric system on a research vessel on the Danube River. Starting from the variants of bathymetric echo sound systems, they were discussed in advance with the supplying company and the construction shipyard to ensure the most advantageous cases of positioning the bathymetric equipment. The results of this preliminary study provide the researchers and the shipyard with several options for positioning the bathymetric system to choose a constructive solution that will ensure the requested operation conditions for recording the most relevant waterways bathymetric data regarding the safety of navigable channels on the Danube River.