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Teacher
Logbook:
Thursday, June 29, 2000
1800 hrs.
We're speeding along at
13 knots toward the Juan de Fuca Ridge aboard the R/V RONALD H. BROWN,
a research ship owned and operated by NOAA. Over the next 19 days our
expedition, NeMO 2000, will be studying the Juan de Fuca spreading center
which is located 250 miles off the OR/WA coastline. This expedition is
a continuation of 20 years of scientific study on the volcanically active
ridge. Bookmark this site and join me, Jeff Goodrich, a science teacher
at Lake Oswego High School, as I keep you updated daily on our deep sea
adVENTure.
Our research will center
around Axial Volcano, an active hot spot along the ridge. Lava flows as
recent as Jan. 1998, superheated hydrothermal vent systems and odd creatures
await exploration by ROPOS, our ROV that will descend to the bottom of
the ocean. The submersible will take geological, chemical and biological
samples at the vent systems.
Right now most of the scientists
and engineers aboard ship are doing last minute preparations for the research
or relaxing and establishing their "sea legs." The weather hasn't been
too bad but that's not to say there aren't any waves. The ship pitches
from fore to aft and I can periodically hear the water ram up against
the bow as it makes a series of loud BOOMS. Enough to remind me who is
boss. My stomach is holding out but I might need some cliff notes to get
around the 274 ft. length of the ship. There are passageways and doors
all over that lead to who knows where. I anxiously await our adventures
tomorrow.
Jeff
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Jeff on the bridge of Ron
Brown, preparing to depart.
Home sweet home: Jeff's
stateroom he'll be sharing with a roommate for the expedition.
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