Tides and the Moon

     Tides are caused by a gravitational tug-of-war between the sun, moon, and earth. All objects exert gravitational pull on each other. The closer they are, or the larger they are, the greater the pull. All of the planets exert some gravitational pull on the earth. However, the pull of the moon and sun are most noticeable because the moon is so close to us and the sun is so big. It takes the earth 365 days to revolve around the sun. As it revolves around the sun, it spins, or rotates on its axis once every 24 hours. At the same time, the moon revolves around the earth once every 29 days. The gravitational pull of the sun holds the earth in orbit, while the gravitational pull of the earth keeps the moon in orbit.As a result of this gravitational attraction between the earth and the moon, the side of the earth facing the moon is pulled towards it. Solid objects like the ground and buildings are not distorted as much as liquids like the ocean. A bulge of water occurs on the side of the earth facing the moon. As the earth rotates around the sun, centrifugal force causes an equal bulge of water on the opposite side of the earth. Water is pulled away from these two sides of the earth to form these bulges, or high tides. This leaves a depression, or low spot, in the oceans between. These are the
areas of low tides.

Global Wind Patterns

1.)Earth has uneven heating because of the earths titled axis, sphere shape, and earths rotation.The angle at which the sun's rays strike the earth's surface is a major factor in the amount of energy received per unit of surface area. More direct rays provide more concentrated energy. Sun angles are also useful in navigation for determining latitudinal position.

From the global winds lab i learned about all the different wind patterns there are. They all have different wind directions as well as rotations. Not one wind pattern is the same. 

2.)The earths rotation affect the air and water masses by the Coriolis Effect. The Coriolis force is quite small, and its effects generally become noticeable only for motions occurring over large distances and long periods of time, such as large-scale movement of air in the atmosphere or water in the ocean. The Coriolis Effect is an effect whereby a mass moving in a rotating system experiences a force acting perpendicular to the direction of motion and to the axis of rotation. A Hadley Cell is a large-scale atmospheric convection cell in which air rises at the equator and sinks at medium latitudes, typically about 30° north or south. Deserts are at 30 degrees latitude because The equator has more heat than the North and South poles. Air sinks at the poles and rises at the equator, sinking air causes drying which is what deserts are all about. Deserts by definition are places which receive very little rain every year.

3.)Prevailing winds are winds that blow predominantly from a single general direction over a particular point on the earths surface. Trade winds are winds blowing steadily toward the equator from the northeast in the northern hemisphere or the southeast in the southern hemisphere, esp. at sea. Doldrums are a state or period of inactivity, stagnation, or depression. Horse latitudes are a belt of calm air and sea occurring in both the northern and southern hemispheres between the trade winds and the westerlies.The Westerlies are the prevailing winds in the middle latitudes between 30 and 60 degrees latitude, blowing from the high pressure area in the horse latitudes towards the poles. I didnt realize there were so many different wind patterns i thought that there were different patterns of wind everyday.Prevailing westerlies in the Northern Hemisphere are responsible for many of the weather movements across the United States and Canada.

http://www.climatecentral.org/blogs/climate-in-context-global-warmings-potential-impact-on-wind-energy 

They expect that as global warming continues, the temperature difference between, say, the equator and the North Pole is expected to shrink, because the Arctic is warming much faster than the tropics.

Loggerhead Island

On the side of the island with the sea turtle nesting we needed to consider the precautions of the public being a disturbance, and we also needed relocate the police and fire station on one side of it and the research center on the other for patrol. We made a timer on the street lights so that they do not disturb the nesting. We placed our fishing dock on the lagoon side of the island because its calm  and peaceful over there and lots of fish will stay over there.Our golf course could be flooded by the oceanic side of the island but its close tot he lagoon as well so it may not have any issues. We placed a large netting around the sides so that the golf balls don't enter the ocean. The economic benefits are the public housing is mostly on the lagoon side away from the economic stuff. Humans negatively impact the coastal ecosystems with there rowdiness, pollution, and the electricity distributed around the streets. With healthy vegetation and economy we can severely prevent the issues of storms starting. I wish that made the gold course larger, had more public attractions, and more security of sea turtle nesting

A Beach by its Name

Primary and Secondary coasts are very different by there natural formation. A primary coast is formed by the erosion of land. Primary coasts are generally young and are shaped by terrestrial processes, including erosion, river/stream deposition, glaciers, volcanism, and tectonic movements. Secondary coasts are shaped mainly by marine erosion or deposition due to wave action, sediment transport by currents, or building activities of certain organisms and generally these coasts are older. Secondary coasts are formed by large waves, more exposed to tropical storms, shore straightening occurs most rapidly here. Estuaries are classified into five different groups based upon there circulation and salinity. The five major groups known as,salt wedge, fjord,slightly stratified, vertically mixed, and fresh water.Bar-built estuaries are formed when sandbars build up along the coastline. The first stage in the formation of a tectonic estuary is when the rapid movement of the Earth’s crust causes a large piece of land to sink, or subside, producing a depression or basin.While strongly affected by tides and tidal cycles, many estuaries are protected from the full force of ocean waves, winds, and storms by reefs, barrier islands, or fingers of land, mud, or sand that surround them.The shallow, nutrient-rich waters of estuaries and associated wetlands create a highly productive environment for plants and animals. In fact, estuarine environments are among the most productive on earth. The high concentration of nutrients and shallow depth support phytoplankton, seagrasses, macroalgae, emergent grasses and, in tropical environments, mangroves.The economy of many coastal areas relies on the natural beauty and bounty of estuaries. When those natural resources are imperiled, so are the livelihoods of the many people who live and work along the coast. As our population grows, the demands imposed on our natural resources increase and protecting these resources for all their natural, economic, and aesthetic values becomes even more important. Dunes are natural barriers to the destructive forces of wind and waves, sand dunes are our first line of defense against coastal storms and beach erosion. They absorb the impact of storm surge and high waves, preventing or delaying flooding of inland areas and damage to inland structures. They are also sand storage areas that supply sand to eroded beaches during storms and buffer windblown sand and salt spray.

Grain of History

On this lab we were to examine many examples of sand from diffrent places in the world. These sand samples were taken by students from wherever they travelled, and it really is incredible how diffrent they all really are. I never noticed so much of a diffrence. The first sample i examined was from Brazil, it was clear and tan rocks that are most likely from a grain source. It was wells sorted and round as well as big minerals.
I then examined Cancun Mexico, and these minerals were white and medium sized. They were well sorted and most likely came from a grain source. Next was Key West, and these minerals were crystal-like with black edges. Small minerals that were very subangular and were moderately sorted. The bahamas sand strain very light colored almost white, very small and subangular, The rocks minerals were a grain source that are moderately sorted. Maui, my favorite, was black under the scope. These minerals were magnetic and subangular shaped. Minerals are well sorted and are most likely from a volvanic source. St. Martin's sand in the carribean is very beautiful and white, medium sized and subangular. It has a very poor sorting arrangement but very white minerals, most likely from a grain source. Hampton beach, the most local beach to us is very clear rock/ crystal like mineral. The minerals are big, rounded and very well sorted.Finally Gloucster is very clear and small. The shape is subangular and well sorted rocks.

Sounding of the Sea

1.)Research Questions:
Ocean floor features are measured and mapped using a variety of current acoustical technology. A bathymetry measures the depth of large bodies of water and the data obtained by the use of bathymetry, and are the depth is known as bathymetric units. Contour lines are the estimated demarking line that shows a like measurement. An isobath contour line shows the depth,  and they show temperature.The isolume lines show the light. A Fathom is used as a nautical measurement of length equal to six feet. An isobath is a line of contour that shows the same estimated depth. A side scan sonar is used of two or multiple sonar systems to provide three dimensional images of the features found on the ocean floor. As we used in class "sounding" is an individual measurement of depth. Ocean floor maps can be used in the commercial, military, and private sectors with the new technology " multibeam sonar". These produce depth soundings significant distances perpendicular to the ships track as well as directly below. This allows the development of detailed complete maps showing the bottom contour. 
Conclude and Communicate:
2.)Flat Abyssal Plain-Abyssal plains consist of beds of volcanic rock topped with sediments that are up to thousands of feet thick. Most of the sediments wash off the continents, and are carried to the depths by dense currents. Over time, the sediments spread out to provide a smooth, level surface.
Underwater Seamount or Guyot- A flat-topped, extinct submarine volcano having an elevation of over 1,000 m (3,280 ft) above the ocean floor. Guyots are thought to form as volcanoes in sea-floor spreading zones and to become extinct as they move away from the spreading zones through plate tectonic forces. Their flat tops are believed to form by the erosion action of waves when they initially project above sea level.
Continental Shelf, Break, Slope, and rise- submerged border of a continent that slopes gradually and extends to a point of steeper descent to the ocean bottom.

Submarine Canyon - any of a class of narrow, steep-sided valleys that originate on the continental shelf and cut into continental slopes and continental rises of the oceans. 

Mid- Ocean Ridge-A mid-ocean ridge or mid-oceanic ridge is an underwater mountain range, formed by plate tectonics.
Trench and Island Arc System- The oceanic trenches are hemispheric-scale long but narrow topographic depressions of the sea floor.

3)Analysis Questions
1.) The topography of our seafloor model is very rigid on the corners and has a very low trench between the two ends.
2.) I believe using the stick to survey the seafloor is definitely an advantage, because its modern and not technological at all. So when observers cant actually get into the water they can measure from the surface instead.
3.) the stretching shows the wider image and visual of the seafloor spread apart.
4)New Research Questions
1.) What is the most useful measurement of depth for seafloor measurement?
2. What is the most useful technological equipment used for mapping the seafloor for the Navy?
5.) The value and importance of this activity is so we start to learn how we actually do access the researching of the ocean floor with the use of technology so the don't always have to be physically down on the ocean floor. We must know whats going on in this whole ocean of life that takes up more than half the globe.

Dance of the Continents

     I learned that the continents are constantly moving an eventually will be arranged completely diffrent. The Mountian range will begin to line up and all alike fossil remains will be brought together. Continental drift i when continents drift over ocean floors. Seafloor Spreading is when lava come between creases and pushes the continents apart. North and South Ameria move west and Eurasia Africa to the east. The Atlantic also will get larger and wider.
     Plate Tectonics is when the earths crust i broken into six large peices an more smaller ones. Scientists with diffrent discplines share information by Peer review of publications. Many will make journals to follow there research and results for further publication. They will write scientific articles and later send these to scientific journals for peer editing before they are publically displayed as a new "theory" or idea. They get a report back within a week regarding whether it is a acceptable journal display and they will report bak there thoughts on it. Most articles are rejected or rejected with the oppurtunity to edit them.

Field Trip

During yesterdays field trip to Seabrook, i really enjoyed my time there and the experience that came with it. On the boat we got to see a variety of experiments and learn so much abut ocean life and every aspect of it. We learned about the sea creatures, there habitats, food supply, and the ocean itself ( water temp, density, salt level, depth) . I learned how much ones habitat really affects each organism.  It was fun and a good learning experience that we really got to be hands on with each activity, and even once we had our beach adventure we really all had a good time. I never thought of the sand being any diffrent at the beach in certian points just because of the ocean and its wavelike motion. Overall the field trip was a real eduacational experience and i reccomend it for next years class.

Fridays Blogg

Reflecting on todays post of installing the underwater research observatory, it would be incredibly difficult to accomplish and do all safely, you have to have all the right safety and backup equipment just in case.Getting down farther enough would be tremendously hard especially with the pressure difference, the unusual breathing technique for too much  time is risky, risking your own life down there every time. Its also very tricky because, one, you have to go 900 km down into the ocean to set up loads of safety equipment and heavy duty stuff that they need for there survival while down there for long periods of time. Technology should work down there, as well as bathroom access, sleeping, and cooking.

They must consider whats around them, like dangerous species, and even just the littlest break in any equipment could cause everything to go wrong. They must consider space for the amount of food they need to bring and have a enough until the next crew emergency team member comes to bring more supplies. They must consider the pressure difference and may choose to get a decompression chamber in the laboratory just to be safe. Safety comes first, so they must also consider there backup crew to be close by if emergency's were to occur.

Why Explore the Oceans

Learning about the Ocean and the expeditions of many ancient world explorers has really been an interesting topic. Theres actually more water than land on the earth and we dont even know whats going on in it or how we first travelled upon it and the influences each person had that prompted the voayges and easier navigation.All the bodys of land are shaped by the ocean and its movements.  The ocean has a big impact on the weather and climate as well because of the wind currents and the waves in the ocean. The ocean actually keeps us alive because where else would we get a water supply from or the sea life wouldnt be here and niether would us. The earth would dry out compeletely and have no living organisms. The ocean supports many diversities of diffrent forms of life matter and all diffrent kinds of ecosytems for the diffrent varietys of the living matter down there. The humans and the ocean are connnected because they both rely on there surroundings for there survival, as sea organsims cant live outside of the water mostly, humans cant live with the oxygen in the air we breathe. The ocean is highly unexplored because you need it so difficult to get the right technology to actually get down there safely to explore.

Why study Science?

I chose to take this course because i think its a lot different than any other science class given as a choice. The ocean life seems very interesting; my brother really enjoys the subject and has told me a lot about it, because he minors in it at U MASS Lowell. There are so many new mysteries in the ocean that we still don't even know, because you really don't know whats going on down there unless you have physical contact with the marine life.