June 3, 2010
Sailing ship with UW-led science projects on board returning to Seattle
Find out Friday, June 18, what UW scientists learned from their instruments and being on board a sailing ship that traveled 28,000 miles, all the way around North and South America.
The expedition, dubbed “Around the Americas”, concludes in Seattle June 17, some 13 months after leaving the city on a journey to raise awareness about the plight of the oceans, according to project partners Pacific Science Center and the Sailors for the Sea organization.
As one part of the expedition, researchers installed oceanographic and atmospheric instruments on board for a number of science projects. Hear reports from researchers with the Applied Physics Laboratory and the Joint Institute for Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean and scientists from other institutions June 18, 1-5:30 p.m., sixth-floor conference room, Henderson Hall.
Seating is limited, so registration is required. To register, e-mail oceanhealth@apl.washington.edu by Friday, June 4.
Public events as part of the homecoming are planned at Seattle waterfront venues and Pacific Science Center.
The journey allowed UW scientists to gather data on such things as how dust, smoke and moisture in the atmosphere can decrease the amount of sunlight that reaches the Earth, something not routinely gathered at sea. They also tested new instruments, such as a six-eye digital camera that’s unlike anything used for oceanographic observation before.
“This expedition has been a tremendous opportunity for us to demonstrate the seaworthiness of our instrument systems, which had to withstand the dual extremes of polar and equatorial conditions,” says Andy Jessup, a principal oceanographer with the Applied Physics Laboratory who led a group involved in remote sensing that had a key role in the instrumentation of the vessel.
Invited participants include speakers about the on-board science projects from the lab, Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean and the NASA S’Cool Program. There will also be a discussion of ocean threats with UW panelists Jan Newton and Kristin Laidre from the Applied Physics Laboratory and affiliate faculty member Dick Feely.
During the voyage, the crew, on-board scientists and Pacific Science Center’s on-board educators have been interacting with people living in coastal communities on both continents about marine health and ocean stewardship, using educational guides developed at Pacific Science Center. The ship is making about 40 port calls.
