Coordinated Simultaneous Physical-Biological Sampling Using ADCP-Equipped Ocean Gliders

Coordinated Simultaneous Physical-Biological Sampling Using ADCP-Equipped Ocean Gliders
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Expedition Plan

From August 27 to September 20, 2021, a team from the University of Washington Applied Physics Lab carried out an expedition at the shelf break off the coast of Washington. The main goal of this expedition, funded by NOAA Ocean Exploration via the Fiscal Year 2020 Federal Funding Opportunity for Ocean Exploration, was to collect data for developing new acoustics-based methodologies that will pave the way for persistent, distributed observation of organisms that occupy the middle levels of the ocean food web (mid-trophic organisms), such as zooplankton and small fish, using gliders.

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Recent Updates

The past and present of ocean exploration. (Left) The HMS Challenger was a late 1800’s research vessel that made many of the discoveries that laid the foundation for ocean science. (Right) Engineer Christina Ramirez affixes Seaglider’s antenna which will allow the glider to communicate with her and other scientists on-shore.

Exploring From Shore

Much of what we know about the ocean today comes from expeditions that rely on ships to collect data. However, this approach is constrained by many factors which impacts our ability to collect critical data about these important ecosystems. In response, researchers are using creative technologies to enable more efficient exploration methods.

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Members of the Coordinated Simultaneous Physical-Biological Sampling Using ADCP-Equipped Ocean Gliders expedition deploy an echosounder that is attached to a mooring and be used to collect data about organisms that occupy the middle levels of the ocean food web (mid-trophic organisms), such as zooplankton and small fish.
Sending the Power of Sound to the Seafloor
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(Left) Each night, zooplankton perform the greatest migration on Earth as they travel higher in the water column to feed on even smaller phytoplankton. To collect samples of these organisms, researchers wait until dark to deploy zooplankton nets that are towed behind the boat. (Right) The Coordinated Simultaneous Physical-Biological Sampling Using ADCP-Equipped Ocean Gliders expedition team collects zooplankton specimens from nets that were towed at a depth of 120 meters (394 feet). These zooplankton samples will be analyzed under the microscope for species identification and length measurements and serve as ground truth for the acoustic data.
Small But Mighty: The Importance of Tiny Organisms in Marine Ecosystems
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(Left) An acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP)-equipped Seaglider. The ADCP is the circular instrument in the middle of the glider. The orange antenna allows the Seaglider to transmit its data and position when it comes to the surface. (Right) The Seaglider is deployed by engineers Christina Ramirez and Kira Smith offshore of La Push, Washington.
Live! From the Field: A Successful Start
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Video Highlights

Fixing a Seaglider

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Deploying an Echosounder

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Glider Deployment

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Expedition Plan
Expedition Plan
Image and Video Gallery
Image & Video Gallery
Expedition Features
Expedition Features
Meet the Explorers
Meet the Explorers
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