CAN INCLUDE SCIENCE AND RESEARCH WORLD'S LARGEST CRUISE SHIP COMBINES OCEAN PLEASURES WITH SCIENTIFIC OCEAN TREASURES |
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FORT PIERCE, FL., 8 May 2002 Ð Imagine being able to mix business and pleasure, especially if that "pleasure" is a one-week cruise on the world's largest cruise ship!
That's exactly what one HARBOR BRANCH scientist was able to do recently when invited aboard Royal Caribbean's "Explorer of the Seas", a ship which is taking the "Explorer" part of her name seriously. Not only does it boast the ability to accommodate 1,200 crew and 3,800 passengers, but it's also the world's first cruise ship actually outfitted with state-of-the-art laboratories and facilities designed to collect data from the ocean and atmosphere around it as she travels the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Dr. Jose Lopez, a molecular biologist with HARBOR BRANCH Oceanographic Institution, was a guest scientist and lecturer during the ship's cruise April 6-13. Dr. Lopez talked informally about many of the various research activities being carried out at HARBOR BRANCH, and gave a formal oral presentation specifically on molecular biology research in the Division of Biomedical Marine Research entitled "Molecular Studies of Marine Sponges: Exemplary Treasure Chests of Biodiversity." The Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS) and NOAA (National Atmospheric and Atmospheric Administration) in conjunction with Royal Caribbean have established two laboratories on board. As the ship crosses the Gulf Stream and cruises the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, it collects data on the flow and heat transport of the currents it encounters, while the on-board atmospheric laboratory measures parameters such as air temperature, cloud ceiling height, and wind speed and direction. In the marine lab, data on seawater brought in by pumps at the bow of the ship record salinity, carbon dioxide and chlorophyll content as well as other data from the ocean. Since it is a pleasure cruise ship, there are no stops between ports and no equipment is allowed over the side. An "ADCP", or Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler under the ship sends out pulses of sound which result in data that tell scientists the speed and direction of currents below the ship. In addition, there are "eco-learning" centers on the main decks and screenings of popular Discovery Channel programs, including Forbidden Depths, Deep Sea, Deep Secrets, and Blue Mystery, which had prominent appearances by HARBOR BRANCH scientists, ships, and the Johnson-Sea-Link submersibles. Dr. Lopez said it was a unique opportunity to not only observe the research, but to talk with people about their concerns for the ocean environment as well. "Passengers who attended the lab tours were very inquisitive and even wanted to follow up on what the data was telling the scientists about the health of our oceans," Dr. Lopez said. For more information on the RSMAS/RCCL Explorer program, future cruise dates and website cameras that provide real-time video from the labs and bow of the Explorer, please visit www.rsmas.miami.edu/rccl, or www.rsmas.miami.edu/rccl/obs/ex-rt-obs.pl. For more information about HARBOR BRANCH, Dr. Lopez's participation in the cruise or his area of research, please contact HARBOR BRANCH at 772.216.0390 . HARBOR BRANCH Oceanographic Institution, Inc., is one of the world's leading nonprofit oceanographic research organizations dedicated to exploration of the earth's oceans, estuaries and coastal regions for the benefit of mankind. |