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Brief
Summaries of Expressions of Interest to February 15, 2000.
We
are having a hard time keeping up!
| Neil Banerjee, University of Victoria,
School of Earth and Ocean Sciences |
| NEPTUNE offers the opportunity
to study hydrothermal processes at mid-ocean ridges. By monitoring vent
fluid chemistry short-term changes in the vents can be observed. Information
can also be gained about flow rates, episodicity of hydrothermal plumes,
element cycling at ridges, and temperature variability. |
| Michael Bostock, University of British
Columbia |
| We are interested in seismological
observations from NEPTUNE that would complement our upcoming work on the
seismicity and structure of the Cascadia subduction zone. |
| Andrew Calvert, Simon Fraser University |
| Multichannel ocean-bottom
cables would be used for long –term earthquake monitoring and/or short
duration seismic reflection surveying of seismogenic faults in the Strait
of Georgia and off the west coast of Vancouver Island. The objective of
this work would be to accurately locate earthquakes and to be able to position
them precisely on 3-D seismic reflection images of subsurface faulting,
providing continuous monitoring of local crustal deformation. Information
could also be gathered on seismic constraints on structure of oceanic crust
and convergent margins offshore of Vancouver Island. |
| Ross Chapman, University of Victoria,
School of Earth and Ocean Sciences |
| A seismo-acoustic observatory
offshore of Vanvouver Island using NEPTUNE for data transfer could monitor
gas/fluid seepage sites associated with submarine gas hydrates in Cascadia
accretionary prism. The benefits from this idea include submarine gas hydrate
resource assessment and observations on the geohazard of slope stability.
Also the sea floor hydrophones and geophone arrays could be used to investigate
upper oceanic crust at Juan de Fuca Ridge and the long term monitoring
of microseismic activity offshore. |
| John Cullen, Dalhousie University,
Department of Oceanography |
| Researchers from the Department
of Oceanography, with partners from local industry and government, plan
to establish the Centre for Marine Environmental Prediction at Dalhousie
University. Our focus is on using real-time measurements to describe and
predict physical, chemical and biological variability in the ocean as influenced
by the atmosphere and the land. Our approaches toward ocean observation
and modelling would fit in well with the Neptune vision. |
| Don Deibel, Memorial University |
| Hyperbenthic zooplankton
are zooplankton that can be found from several meters above the ocean floor
to the ocean floor itself. These organisms may be important as prey for
demersal fish and shellfish and as sinks for heavy metals. Unfortunately,
due to difficulties in sampling, and despite their importance in the ocean’s
food web, little is known about them. Dr. Deibel would use instrumentation
attached to NEPTUNE to observe the abundance, distribution and life cycle
of hyperbenthic zooplankton. |
| Ken Denman, Institute of Ocean Sciences |
| NEPTUNE can be used to
help answer two important questions in biological oceanography that could
not previously be answered due to limitations in sampling. There is great
controversy relating the production of sinking organic particles in the
surface euphotic zone and the capture of organic particles at depths of
150 to 300m below the euphotic zone. A NEPTUNE network/grid of water column
current meters would map the current field continuously at spatial resolutions
hereto for impossible. In this manner NEPTUNE could go a long way towards
resolving the question of the sequestering of organic carbon particles
at depth. Secondly, there is accumulating evidence that the structure of
planktonic populations is at least as important in determining the future
behavior of those populations as are the more difficult to measure rates
- of growth, death, grazing, etc. NEPTUNE offers the possibility of dense
sampling (in time and space) of the zooplankton community both optically
and acoustically at the same time. This is an unparalleled opportunity
to obtain high quality simultaneous in situ color spectral information
and species composition information and samples. |
| Greg Eaton, Applied Microsystems Ltd. |
| Our company has experience
with a vast array of networked sensors (Smart Sensor Series) and data collection
platforms. Some of the projects we are currently working on include: a
hydrocarbon sensor, that could be adapted to sea floor observations, a
heavy metal ion sensor using in-situ PSA and a long deployment NO3 and
PO4 sensor for continuous time series measurements. |
| Ann Gargett, Institute of Ocean Sciences |
| Present theories and observations
indicate that much of the winter deepening of ocean mixed layers occur
during one or two of the most extreme winter storms. This has been difficult
to observe due to the storms’ unpredictability and the difficulty of sampling
during storms. Operating a sub-surface ocean "observatory" for extended
periods of time would ensure that the effects of these powerful but sporadic
events are captured. As well, addition of ZAP sensors would provide a long-term
assessment of the behaviour of the zooplankton communities, which fuel
marine fisheries, and allow observations of any changes in these communities
under global warming. |
| Kathryn Gillis, University of Victoria |
| Dr Gillis is interested
in research on the root zones of hydrothermal systems, which would include
observations of off axis areas in the Mid-Ocean Ridge. She would also be
interested in extending her observations to the active areas of the Mid-Ocean
Ridge environment. |
| Phil Hill, Universite du Quebec a
Rimouski |
| If a Strait of Georgia
node were established, I would be interested in developing a sediment transport
monitoring network of sensors on the Fraser Delta slope and nearshore zone.
The objective would be to understand the seaward flux of bottom sediment
(sand) under a range of storm wave and tide conditions. There would be
a huge benefit to real-time monitoring of near-bed motions, suspended sediment
concentrations, bedform migration and sonar and photographic images of
the seabed during storm conditions. Because storm characteristics cannot
be programmed, the ability to customize data collection in real-time would
be a major step forward. Benefits would relate to the better understanding
of the erosion hazard on the Fraser Delta, plus advances in understanding
of shallow water sediment transport. |
| Louis A. Hobson, University of Victoria |
| The question, "how are
the products of near-surface photosynthesis coupled to animals on the sea
floor outside vent areas?" has not been satisfactorily answered. Recently
direct observations show that occasional large blooms of diatoms occur
in the surface water of the ocean and that many of these cells may rapidly
sink onto the deep-sea floor. NEPTUNE would allow data to be collected
regarding the amount and rate of the sinking of organic particulates from
the near surface area to the sea floor. This data could help to illuminate
the role the products of near-surface photosynthesis play on the sea floor. |
| Paula Kennedy, Sensor Technology |
| Manufactures transducers
and hydrophones for sonar and underwater communication. |
| Jacques Locat, Université
Laval |
| Earthquakes can have a
serious impact on many aspects of the ocean’s sediments. NEPTUNE would
allow us to investigate many questions relating to sediment response to
earthquakes and the monitoring of debris flows of turbidity currents. Some
examples include the geotechnical properties of sediments, the role of
gas on their mechanical properties, the impact of earthquakes on slope
stability and the initiation of debris flow. NEPTUNE will also give us
an opportunity to expand our understanding of seismic strengthening. |
| Diane Masson, Institute of Ocean Sciences |
| An array of bottom mounted
sensors in the Strait of Georgia/Juan de Fuca could be used to monitor
the water properties and circulation of this complex estuarine system.
The data collected could help monitor and understand important dynamic
processes such as deep-water exchange in the Strait of Georgia. |
| Meyer Nahon, University of Victoria |
| Dr. Nahon is interested
in vehicle design and experiments on vehicle and cable dynamics. |
| Tim Patterson, Carleton University,
Department of Earth Sciences |
| Benthic foraminifera can
be utilized as proxies of paleoceanographic and climatic change.
Although the overall conditions
that control various foraminiferal species and assemblages are known. The
telemetry provided by the NEPTUNE system would allow assessment of seasonal
and longer term controls on various foraminiferal species that would help
us to understand their response to longer term oceanographic changes. Foraminifera,
along other paleontological, oceanographic and geochemical proxies, can
also be used to assess changes in groundfish populations on the west coast
through the Holocene. This information would therefore give us a better
understanding of the relationship between the foraminifera (and other proxies
that we use) and present fish populations, helping us interpret our cores
much more accurately. |
| Tony J. Pitcher, University of British
Columbia |
| Dr. Pitcher would use NEPTUNE's
instrumentation to collect information on fish populations |
| Mark V. Trevorrow, Institute of Ocean
Sciences |
| NEPTUNE could be used to
monitor any biological responses to climate change. In concert with one
or more high-frequency acoustic devices changes in fish and zooplankton
population could be monitored. As well changes in mixing, and in upwelling
could be measured. Both of these factors are important in providing nutrients
for primary productivity on the surface of the ocean. |
| John S. Zelek, University of Guelph |
| Dr. Zelek would like to
be involved in design of the autonomous mobile robot navigation in the
ROV and in data and image pre-processing and transmission. He is also interested
in mapping the environment and environmental representations for navigation. |
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