{"id":2340,"date":"2018-10-05T06:58:31","date_gmt":"2018-10-05T06:58:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/gemmlab\/?p=2340"},"modified":"2018-10-06T19:02:31","modified_gmt":"2018-10-06T19:02:31","slug":"over-the-ocean-and-under-the-bridges-stem-cruise-on-the-r-v-oceanus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.blogs.oregonstate.edu\/gemmlab\/2018\/10\/05\/over-the-ocean-and-under-the-bridges-stem-cruise-on-the-r-v-oceanus\/","title":{"rendered":"Over the Ocean and Under the Bridges: STEM Cruise on the R\/V Oceanus"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Alexa Kownacki<\/a>, Ph.D. Student, OSU Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab<\/strong><\/p>\n

From September 22nd<\/sup> through 30th<\/sup>, the GEMM Lab<\/a> participated in a STEM research cruise aboard the R\/V Oceanus<\/a>, Oregon State University\u2019s (OSU) largest research vessel, which served as a fully-functioning, floating, research laboratory and field station. The STEM cruise focused on integrating science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) into hands-on teaching experiences alongside professionals in the marine sciences. The official science crew consisted of high school teachers and students, community college students, and Oregon State University graduate students and professors. As with a usual research cruise, there was ample set-up, data collection, data entry, experimentation, successes, and failures. And because everyone in the science party actively participated in the research process, everyone also experienced these successes, failures, and moments of inspiration.<\/p>\n

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The science party enjoying the sunset from the aft deck with the Astoria-Megler bridge in the background. (Image source: Alexa Kownacki)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dr. Leigh Torres, Dr. Rachael Orben, and I were all primarily stationed on flybridge\u2014one deck above the bridge\u2014fully exposed to the elements, at the highest possible location on the ship for best viewing. We scanned the seas in hopes of spotting a blow, a splash, or any sign of a marine mammal or seabird. Beside us, students and teachers donned binoculars and positioned themselves around the mast, with Leigh and I taking a 90-degree swath from the mast\u2014either to starboard or to port. For those who had not been part of marine mammal observations previously, it was a crash course into the peaks and troughs\u2014of both the waves and of the sightings. We emphasized the importance of absence data: knowledge of what is not \u201cthere\u201d is equally as important as what is. Fortunately, Leigh chose a course that proved to have surprisingly excellent environmental conditions and amazing sightings. Therefore, we collected a large amount of presence data: data collected when marine mammals or seabirds are present.<\/p>\n

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High school student, Chris Quashnick Holloway, records a seabird sighting for observer, Dr. Rachael Orben. (Image source: Alexa Kownacki).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When someone sighted a whale that surfaced regularly, we assessed the conditions: the sea state, the animal\u2019s behavior, the wind conditions, etc. If we deemed them as \u201cgood to fly\u201d, our licensed drone pilot and Orange Coast Community College student, Jason, prepared his Phantom 4 drone. While he and Leigh set up drone operations, I and the other science team members maintained a visual on the whale and stayed in constant communication with the bridge via radio. When the drone was ready, and the bridge gave the \u201call clear\u201d, Jason launched his drone from the aft deck. Then, someone tossed an unassuming, meter-long, wood plank overboard\u2014keeping it attached to the ship with a line. This wood board serves as a calibration tool; the drone flies over it at varying heights as determined by its built-in altimeter. Later, we analyze how many pixels one meter occupied at different heights and can thereby determine the body length of the whale from still images by converting pixel length to a metric unit.<\/p>\n

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High school student, Alishia Keller, uses binoculars to observe a whale, while PhD student, Alexa Kownacki, radios updates on the whale’s location to the bridge and the aft deck. (Image source: Tracy Crews)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Finally, when the drone is calibrated, I radio the most recent location of our animal. For example, \u201cBlow at 9 o\u2019clock, 250 meters away\u201d. Then, the bridge and I constantly adjust the ship\u2019s speed and location. If the whale \u201cflukes\u201d (dives and exposes the ventral side of its tail), and later resurfaced 500 meters away at our 10 o\u2019clock, I might radio to the bridge to, \u201cturn 60 degrees to port and increase speed to 5 knots\u201d. (See the Hidden Math Lesson<\/em> below). Jason then positions the drone over the whale, adjusting the camera angle as necessary, and recording high-quality video footage for later analysis. The aerial viewpoint provides major advantages. Whales usually expose about 10 percent of their body above the water\u2019s surface. However, with an aerial vantage point, we can see more of the whale and its surroundings. From here, we can observe behaviors that are otherwise obscured (Torres et al. 2018)<\/a>, and record footage that to help quantify body condition (i.e. lengths and girths). Prior to the batteries running low, Jason returns the drone back to the aft deck, the vessel comes to an idle, and Leigh catches the drone. Throughout these operations, those of us on the flybridge photograph flukes for identification and document any behaviors we observe. Later, we match the whale we sighted to the whale that the drone flew over, and then to prior sightings of this same individual\u2014adding information like body condition or the presence of a calf. I like to think of it as whale detective work. Moreover, it is a team effort; everyone has a critical role in the mission. When it\u2019s all said and done, this noninvasive approach provides life history context to the health and behaviors of the animal.<\/p>\n

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Drone pilot, Jason Miranda, flying his drone using his handheld ground station on the aft deck. (Photo source: Tracy Crews)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hidden Math Lesson: The location of 10 o\u2019clock and 60 degrees to port refer to the exact same direction. The bow of the ship is our 12 o\u2019clock with the stern at our 6 o\u2019clock; you always orient yourself in this manner when giving directions. The same goes for a compass measurement in degrees when relating the direction to the boat: the bow is 360\/0. An angle measure between two consecutive numbers on a clock is: 360 degrees divided by 12-\u201chour\u201d markers = 30 degrees. Therefore, 10 o’clock was 0 degrees \u2013 (2 \u201chours\u201d)= 0 degrees- (2*30 degrees)= -60 degrees. A negative degree less than 180 refers to the port side (left). <\/em><\/p>\n

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Killer whale traveling northbound.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our trip was chalked full of science and graced with cooperative weather conditions. There were more highlights than I could list in a single sitting. We towed zooplankton nets under the night sky while eating ice cream bars; we sang together at sunset and watched the atmospheric phenomena: the green flash; we witnessed a humpback lunge-feeding beside the ship\u2019s bow; and we saw a sperm whale traveling across calm seas.<\/p>\n

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Sperm whale surfacing before a long dive.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On this cruise, our lab focused on the marine mammal observations\u2014which proved excellent during the cruise. In only four days of surveying, we had 43 marine mammal sightings containing 362 individuals representing 9 species (See figure 1). As you can see from figure 2, we traveled over shallow, coastal and deep waters, in both Washington and Oregon before inland to Portland, OR. Because we ventured to areas with different bathymetric and oceanographic conditions, we increased our likelihood of seeing a higher diversity of species than we would if we stayed in a single depth or area.<\/p>\n

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Humpback whale lunge feeding off the bow.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nNumber of sightings<\/td>\nTotal number of individuals<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Humpback whale<\/td>\n22<\/td>\n40<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pacific white-sided dolphin<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n249<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Northern right whale dolphin<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Killer whale<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dall’s porpoise<\/td>\n5<\/td>\n49<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sperm whale<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Gray whale<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Harbor seal<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
California sea lion<\/td>\n8<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Total<\/strong><\/td>\n43<\/strong><\/td>\n362<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Figure 1. Summary table of all species sightings during cruise while the science team observed from the flybridge.<\/p>\n

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Pacific white-sided dolphins swimming towards the vessel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"\"<\/a>Figure 2. Map with inset displaying study area and sightings observed by species during the cruise, made in ArcMap. (Image source: Alexa Kownacki).<\/p>\n

Even after two days of STEM outreach events in Portland, we were excited to incorporate more science. For the transit from Portland, OR to Newport, OR, the entire science team consisted two people: me and Jason. But even with poor weather conditions, we still used science to answer questions and help us along our journey\u2014only with different goals than on our main leg. With the help of the marine technician, we set up a camera on the bow of the ship, facing aft to watch the vessel maneuver through the famous Portland bridges.<\/p>\n