Ocean Technology Notes

Ocean Technology Notes How do we study the hydrosphere? Scientists use technology to monitor oceans, rivers, lakes and wetlands to obtain data about water quality. Vocabulary: 1)Remote Sensing - the gathering of information about the Earth from a distance 2)Ground truthing - the process of sending people to the field to gather information about the Earth 1. Remote Sensing Technology: a. Since scientists can’t be everywhere they use remote sensing by satellites to monitor areas all over the earth. Many satellites can detect changes in light and energy that can’t be seen by the eye. 2. Global Positioning System (GPS): a. GPS’s use satellites to pinpoint locations on Earth b. The GPS unit on earth communicates with three or more satellites above the earth and calculates the latitude, longitude, and elevation and transmits it back to the unit. This allows monitoring site positions to be mapped accurately. GPS is also used in cars and by pilots, and in some cell phones. 3. Geographic Information Systems (GIS): a. GIS is mapping software that creates different maps for the same area. Each map contains different information about the area. i) GIS helps to map watershed locations accurately ii)GIS helps map be a good source of information because the software can add information such as: water quality, temperature, nitrates, pH, and dissolved oxygen to the maps iii) GIS can enter information such as potential pollution sources How do we study the ocean? There are many types of technology and resources that help us learn more about the ocean. Since the ocean is so vast and has great depth we are not able to go to the bottom on our own. Using technology is very helpful. Below is a description of the different types of technology. 1. Scuba: a. Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus b. Scuba helps individual divers explore the ocean up to 40 meters deep 2. Sonar: a. Sound Navigation and Ranging is a method to determine the depth of the ocean using echoes. i) How it works: (1) A ship sends a sound pulse in the ocean (2) The sound pulse bounces off the ocean floor and returns to the ship ii)Why it is important: (1) Sonar helps map features that are located on the ocean floor such as: mountains, canyons, trenches. 3. Submersibles/Remotely Operated Vessels (ROV’s): a. Submersibles and ROV’s help scientist explore the deep ocean. b. ROV’s use remote controls to steer and collect samples c. Some submersibles can carry people in them. For example, Alvin took scientist to the ocean floor for the first time. They discovered hydrothermal vents and organisms making their own food with chemicals from the Earth’s interior instead of sunlight (chemosynthesis). 4. Satellites: a. Satellites: i) Satellites produce images that are used to identify amounts and locations of: (1) Phytoplankton (tiny organisms in the ocean) a. Plankton data helps scientists understand food webs in water systems (2) Dissolved Organic Chemicals a. This data shows how nutrients are spread out (3) Sediments a. Sediment data reveals sources of nutrients ii)Satellite images display ocean water temperatures and can show the warmer Gulf Stream currents. Monitoring ocean temperature changes over time help to predict climate changes like warm ocean currents known as El Niño events. iii) Satellite images also can give signals to electronic buoys that can monitor ocean temperatures, winds, currents, and air temperatures to predict and monitor El Niño events