Educational Activities

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9-8-03

Question 1:
Several people and students have asked what our path in the Pacific Ocean is so they can look it up on a map. Well, to date (9/8/03) we have stopped at 15 stations, and Midway. We did not take any samples at or near Midway, so that is not considered a research station for this cruise. Have fun looking us up! We've crossed the international date line at two locations.

Answer:
station #, latitude, longitude
1 28N, 159W
2 28 N, 161.76W
3 28N, 164.23W
4 28 N, 166.5W
5 28 N, 168.65W
6 28.02 N, 170W
7 28.02 N, 172.29W
8 28 N, 174W
9 27.98 N, 176.98W
10 28N, 179.48E
11 27.31N, 177.44E
12 28N, 175.43E
13 27.27N, 177.045E
14 26.59N, 179.341W
15 26.5N, 175.96W

Josh
Mr. Praytor’s Chemistry
Maysville, Oklahoma
Question 2:
What exactly are you trying to discover by studying the plankton?

Answer:
There are several different studies taking place simultaneously. All of them deal with how the plankton is coping so well in a nutrient poor environment. We are looking at things like how the plankton metabolizes iron (which is in very short supply in this part of the ocean), how much photosynthetic potential they have, and how that potential varies throughout the day and night. Our lead scientist is working on several things, including some research that, although fairly technical, could have a far reaching impact on how research of this type is conducted. Since plankton is the main producer in the ocean food chain, it is extremely important to understand how it works.

Jo Anna
Mr. Praytor’s Chemistry
Maysville, Oklahoma
Question 3:
How will this experience help you in everyday life and will it help you teach us better?

Answer:
Dora and Daryl and I were talking the other evening about how much we have learned on this voyage. I had no idea that I was so ignorant about how an ocean going ship functions. I also had very little perspective on scientific field research. This new world of experience has changed the way I think about what scientists do and how they do it. I hope it will make the way I teach more relevant to the way research is actually done. As far as everyday life, the friendships and memories will be something I will treasure for the rest of my life.

Skylar
Mr. Praytor’s Chemistry
Maysville, Oklahoma
Question 4:
How many hours a day do you work and study on all the things you and your crew are working on?

Answer:
Well, here is a rundown on yesterday’s schedule. Breakfast is at 7:30, and then Daryl and I did the analysis of chlorophyll on the forty eight water samples we had taken from the CTD the night before. This usually takes about two hours including cleanup of the methanol, which is handled as toxic waste. Next, I was on the headache ball when we launched the dive boat. I had the same job when the boat was retrieved. Next, I pulled and labeled the twenty four sample bottles I would need that night for the nutrient samples I collect. After that, I was working on a lesson plan until lunch. After lunch, I finished my lesson plan, and took some time off to read and listen to a little music. Some time in there, I helped Dora and Daryl with the MOCNESS nets. After the MOCNESS, I helped Mike launch the one meter net over the side, and then cleaned it up after we were done. After dinner, when the CTD was brought back on board, we collected water samples, and then did our filter preparation necessary for the chlorophyll analysis which would be done the next morning. This only takes about ninety minutes. Tracy taught me how to do the analysis that Dora usually does, since he was running a forty-eight hour test and would need samples analyzed every thirty minutes for a full forty-eight hour period. While Tracy took a break, I ran the samples until midnight, when he came back on and he did them until six the following morning. A fairly typical day and I’m not sure how many hours we were working. There are lots of little things also going on. It makes for a full day, but we’re having a blast.

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