Project Day 2: 28 February 2011
I wasn't feeling well this morning, so I took the day off to rest. CJ, Ken, and Dave returned to the same site as yesterday in order to take samples from the experiment one day after the "pulse" exposure to carbon and nitrogen isotopes. CJ explains that we won't know the results from this experiment for another few weeks, as detailed lab work is necessary to analyze the samples. Today's dive was not intended to be a coordinated effort between rebreather divers and the submersibles, but because of a slight mixup in communication, the divers entered the water before the submersible had moved off from the site. To avoid any possible risk to the divers, submersible pilot Maximilian ("Max") Cremer stablized the Pisces V until he had a clear visual on the divers. As a result, we have revised the communications protocol to make sure that the submersible pilot confirms that the sub is ready before any divers enter the water. Otherwise, the dive was successful in that CJ was able to collect a series of samples from the corals, and the dive team was able to send one of the acrylic domes up to the surface. The Pisces V went on to complete a series of collections of algae specimens, by observer Heather Spalding of the University of Hawaii. During the decompression, the divers reported seeing Humpback Whales swim by at a distance. There are MANY Humpbacks in the area, which are easily seen from the dive boat. Dave Pence took the photos and videos for today's dive.
As these blogs have been somewhat hastily organized, some important details have not been included. For example, the funding of this project has mostly been provided through a research grant from NOAA's Mesophotic Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies (CRES) program and a grant from NOAA's Undersea Research Program (NURP) and Coral Reef Conservation Program, and the Hawai'i Undersea Research Laboratory; with additional support from the Association for Marine Exploration, the United States Deep Caving Team, and the Schmidt Ocean Institute. Research partners in the project include Bishop Museum, the University of Hawai'i Botany Department and School of Ocean Earth Science and Technology, the Hawai'i State Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources, and NOAA's Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), with collaboration from the University's Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) and Diving Safety Program. Our base of operations has been generously provided by the Maui branch of DLNR-DAR, and the rebreather dive team is being supported by the staff of B & B Scuba on Maui, including the excellent crew of Kilikina.
Click this link for the day's Video Highlights. Video by D.F. Pence.
| Images: | Click on the small images below to see the the full-size image file. |
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CJ Bradley (left) and Ken Longenecker collect samples from the "pulse-chase" experiment to determine what the Leptoseris corals are feeding on at this depth. Photo: D.F. Pence. |
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Ken Longenecker prepares to send the acrylic dome to the surface using an inflatable buoy. The domes were needed on the first day of the project in order to expose the coral samples to stable isotopes of nitrogen and carbon (the "pulse" part of the experiment). These markers will help track the source of nourishment for the corals as they are sampled over the course of several days (the "chase" part of the experiment). Photo: D.F. Pence. |
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The acrylic dome on its way to the surface. Photo: D.F. Pence. |
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CJ Bradley glides along above a spectacular coral reef, 275-290 feet deep off Maui. These "mesophotic" reefs are among the most extensive ever documented, and are the subject of an ongoing research project funded by NOAA and the Hawaii Undersea Reseach Laboratory. Photo: D.F. Pence. |
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Ken Longenecker hangs from his "decompression line" -- a thin but strong line attached to an inflatable buoy -- connected to the reel that Ken is holding. As the divers ascend from the depths, they must return to the surface very slowly, to allow the dissolved helium and nitrogen in their blood and tissues to escape safely. This process, known as "decompression", can last several hours. Photo: D.F. Pence. |