MarineBuzz.com

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released the World Ocean Database 2009. The database is available at the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) operated by NOAA of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Some interesting features of World Ocean Database 2009 are:

• is an updated version of the 2005 edition.
  • OSD – Bottle, low resolution CTD, and plankton data: from 2,258,437 to 2,544,196.
  • CTD – High resolution CTD data: from 443,953 to 634,976.
  • MBT – Mechanical Bathythermograph data: from 2,421,935 to 2,427,277.
  • XBT – Expendable Bathythermograph data: from 1,930,399 to 2,109,400.
  • MRB – Moored Buoy data: from 445,371 to 566,540.
  • DRB – Drifting Buoy data: from 108,564 to 122,226.
  • PFL – Profiling Float data: from 168,988 to 520,816.
  • UOR – Undulating Oceanographic Recorder data: from 46,699 to 88,184.
  • APB – Autonomous Pinniped Bathythermograph data: from 75,665 to 89,558.
  • GLD – Glider data: from 338 to 5,857.
• is the largest collection of scientific information about the oceans with records dating as far back as 1800.
• database helps to study the global climate change and used for quality control of real-time oceanographic information.
• has approximately 9.1 million temperature profiles and 3.5 million salinity reports.
• also provides 29 categories of scientific information from the oceans, like oxygen levels and chemical tracers, information on gases and isotopes that is useful to trace the movement of ocean currents.
• compiled by scientists at the Ocean Climate Laboratory, part of the NOAA Satellite and Information Service.

Continue Reading…

Canada’s Nanosatellite Tracking of Ships (NTS) project has started showing results. exactEarth Ltd., has successfully used its space-based AIS (Automatic Identification System) technology, exactAIS, to assist the Canadian Forces (CF) and Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to monitor Illegal Unregulated Unreported Fishing (IUU) activity in the Pacific Ocean.

Some interesting features of  NTS Nanosatellite, exactAIS and IUU are:

• NTS Nanosatellite
  • Part of Canadian Advanced Nanospace eXperiment 6 (CanX-6) program to demonstrate key elements of exactEarth space-based AIS detection technology.
  • Developed by University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS)/Space Flight Laboratory (SFL).
  • Launched in April, 2008 through Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C9 from ISRO,India.
• exactEarth Ltd., and exactAIS
  • A subsidiary of COM DEV International Ltd.
  • Precise, secure, reliable global vessel tracking and monitoring system using space-based advanced AIS detection technology.
  • Capable of detecting and identifying ships from space rapidly over a wide area.
  • Announced plans to launch a constellation of larger microsatellites and offer a full-scale, commercial AIS data service beginning in 2010.
• Illegal Unregulated Unreported Fishing (IUU)
  • Nets up to 40-kilometres length are used in high seas (driftnet fishing) to catch everything in their path that results in depletion of valuable marine fish resource.
  • Driftnet fishing is being carried out in violation to the United Nations’ moratorium on driftnet fishing since 1992.
  • Canada through Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is actively monitoring IUU fishing.

Continue Reading…

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched Oceansat-2 satellite on September 23 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota, 90 km north of Chennai.

Some interesting features of the launch and Oceansat-2 are:

• Launched by ISRO’s PSLV-C14 (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) at 11:51 am IST.
• Sixteenth mission of PSLV and its fifteenth consecutive success.
• Launched as a replacement to 1050 kg IRS-P4 (Oceansat-1), that was launched on May 26, 1999 with Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM) and a Multi-frequency Scanning Microwave Radiometer (MSMR) for oceanographic studies.
• Oceansat-2 satellite
  • Weighs 960 kg and powered by 15 Sq.metre solar panels to generate 1360 W with two 24 Ah Ni-Cd Batteries.
  • Injected into orbit at 1081 seconds after lift-off at an altitude of 728 km.
  • Sixteenth remote sensing satellite of India.
  • Carries three payloads: Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM); Ku-band Pencil Beam scatterometer (SCAT) developed by ISRO; Radio Occultation Sounder for Atmosphere (ROSA) developed by the Italian Space Agency.
  • OCM: the eight band OCM images a swath (strip of land or ocean) of 1420 km width with a resolution of 360 metre and works in the Visible and Near Infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
  • SCAT: the Ku-band Scatterometer with a 1 metre diameter antenna rotating at 20 rpm, works at a frequency of 13.515 GHz; the Scatterometer covers a swath of 1400 km and operates continuously.
  • ROSA: GPS Receiver for atmospheric sounding by radio occultation.
  • Helps to identify potential fishing zones and can provide inputs for weather forecasting.
  • Mission life: 5 years

Continue Reading…

Recent media reports say that India is likely to be deprived of south-west monsoon in 150 years. Reason ? Impact of global warming.India is presently self-sufficient in agricultural production.Gradual failure of monsoon is bound to affect the progress the country.

A study “Weakening of lower tropospheric temperature gradient between Indian landmass and neighbouring oceans and its impact on Indian monsoon” by Mr S M Bawiskar of Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology says that

• Temperature Gradient (TG) between Indian landmass and Arabian Sea (TGIA), Bay of Bengal (TGIB) is significantly decreasing in the lower troposphere.
• TG during pre-monsoon (March to May) is reducing at a significant rate of 0.036◦/year in Arabian Sea and by 0.030◦/year in Bay of Bengal.
• There is a possibility of TG tending to zero in the next 150 years.
• Weakening of TG
  • is due to increase in rate of warming over Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal than that over the Indian landmass.
  • is confirmed by reducing number of depressions/cyclonic storms and increasing number of break days during monsoon over India.
• Pre-monsoon TG has significant correlation with All India Seasonal Monsoon Rainfall (AISMR).

Here are the maps from India Meteorological Department on South-West monsoon ‘onset’ and ‘withdrawal’.

Continue Reading…

Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) is gearing up to provide forecasts for surface currents (speed and direction) of Indian Ocean from next year. A high computing system is being installed at INCOIS for this purpose. Presently  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the U.S. provides forecasts on ocean currents.
Some interesting features of INCOIS and Indian Ocean current forecasts are:

• INCOIS
  • is located at Hyderabad as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India
  • maintains Tsunami Warning System
  • provides: Potential Fishing Zone Advisories, Web Geographical Information Systems (GIS) interface, Ocean State Forecast, Value Added services to the shipping industry on payment
  • has Ocean Tutor, Ocean Calculator, Ocean Dictionary

Continue Reading…

Whale watching is a tourist attraction at Mirissa Beach of south Sri Lanka. As terrorism is wiped out successfully in Sri Lanka, tourism is picking up.

Mirissa

• is located in between the towns of Welligama and Matara.
• is about 35 km south of the port city of Galle.
• is about 150 km south-east of Colombo.
• is also closer to Hambantota, a port being developed with massive Chinese assistance.

Continue Reading…

‘Pirates on a desert island’ is the theme for the 11th Sand Sculpture Festival going on in Belgium.

Some interesting features of the Blankenberge Sand Sculpture Festival are:

• considered as the world’s largest sand sculpture festival.
• duration: June 26 to August 31.
• being held both indoor and outdoor at the beach side town of Blankenberge, Belgium.
• this year’s star attraction is a two metre tall sand sculpture of recently deceased pop-star Michael Jackson by Russian sand sculptor Wiaczeslaw Borecki.

Continue Reading…

For the last 17 years, June 08 was observed as World Oceans Day, unofficially.

The practice of observing World Oceans Day on June 08, by many countries was initiated on June 08, 1992 during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. World Oceans Day failed to attract global attention, as the United Nations (UN) General Assembly did not formally designate June 08 as World Oceans Day.

Now, the UN has resolved that from 2009, June 08 would be designated by the UN as “World Oceans Day”. This year’s theme of the inaugural observance of the World Oceans Day by the UN is “Our Oceans, Our Responsibility”.

Here is the message from the Secretary-General, on World Oceans Day.

Continue Reading…

Today, June 05 is observed as World Environment Day (WED)2009. Mexico, the host country is looking to raise national and global awareness in the run up to the 15th Conference on Climate Change, to be held in Copenhagen at the end of 2009.

Some interesting features of WED 2009 are:

• Observed each year on June 05.
• On this occasion, the United Nations creates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.
• The theme for WED 2009 is “Your Planet Needs You-UNite to Combat Climate Change”.
• The theme reflects the urgency for nations
  • to agree on a new deal at the crucial climate convention meeting to be held in December at Copenhagen this year
  • to eradicate poverty and to improve management of forests

Climate Neutral Network (CN Net) launched by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) aims to de-carbonize our economies and societies.

Continue Reading…

U.S. Navy reports that five Chinese vessels shadowed and aggressively maneuvered close to the unarmed USNS Impeccable in the South China Sea on March 08. The United States protested the Chinese activity to China’s foreign ministry in Beijing and to the defense attache at the Chinese Embassy in Washington. China has rejected the U.S. protests and maintains Impeccable violated international law by sailing illegally within China’s Economic Exclusion Zone of 125 miles.

Some of the recent developments are:

• On March 08
  • Five Chinese vessels surrounded the U.S. Navy’s Ocean Surveillance Ship Impeccable while conducting routine operations in international waters, 70 miles south of Hainan Island.
  • The Chinese ships included a Chinese navy intelligence collection ship, a Bureau of Maritime Fisheries patrol vessel, a State Oceanographic Administration patrol vessel and two small Chinese-flagged trawlers.
  • The Chinese vessels obstructed Impeccable’s passage by dropping pieces of wood in the water directly in the path and two of the ships stopped directly in front of Impeccable, forcing her to stop.
  • The trawlers came within 25 feet of Impeccable, as part of an apparent coordinated effort to harass the unarmed ocean surveillance ship. A crew member on a Chinese trawler used a grapple hook to snag the towed acoustic array of Impeccable.
  • Impeccable’s master used bridge-to-bridge radio circuits to inform the Chinese ships in a friendly manner that it was leaving the area and requested a safe path to navigate.
• On March 07, another Chinese ship challenged Impeccable over bridge-to-bridge radio, calling its operations illegal and directing the U.S. Navy ship to leave the area or face the consequences.
• On March 05, a Chinese frigate crossed the bow of the Impeccable at a range of about 100 yards. Chinese maritime aircraft buzzed the ship after that incident.

Continue Reading…

You can view real pirates at the Field Museum, Chicago. This is an opportunity to get the true tale of Real Pirates. This is a journey into the exciting world of real pirates to experience their fascinating, true adventures. Real Pirates tells the true story of the Whydah, a pirate ship that sunk off the coast of Cape Cod over 250 years ago.

Some of the interesting features of the exhibition are:

• an exhibition from National Geographic
• you can view more than 200 artifacts from the first fully authenticated pirate ship discovered in U.S. waters
  • everyday objects.
  • personal items.
  • treasure chests of jewelry, coins.
  • weaponry such as cannons, pistols, knives.
  • priceless treasures of gold and silver.
• also you can
  • find out what it was like to be a true pirate.
  • the code of conduct they lived by and the surprisingly democratic, outlaw society they created.
  • even learn the steps pirates took to fire a real cannon.
  • step on board a re-creation of the ship’s stern, walk into the captain’s quarters, and go below deck to discover what life was like aboard a real pirate ship.
• can be viewed from February 25 to October 25

Continue Reading…

What the marine species at Giant Ocean Tank (GOT) of New England Aquarium are doing now ?

To find out, have a webcam view here or click the image on right.

Some of the interesting features of GOT and New England Aquarium are:

• The Aquarium was founded in 1969 and is a global leader in ocean exploration and marine conservation.
• Located at Boston.
• Attracts over 1.3 million visitors a year and is a major public education resource.
• Four storeys tall and holds 200,000 gallons of salt water.
• Holds more than 630 individual animals representing more than 130 species, including three sand tiger sharks and several rays.
• Divers spend hours swimming with the animals in the GOT to feed the animals, help provide medical treatment and clean the exhibit.

Continue Reading…

Moviegoers, do not miss to watch the movie “Under the Sea 3D” a new IMAX 3D undersea adventure. The movie is due to be released in theaters this Friday, the 13th.

Some of the interesting features of Under the Sea 3D are:

• from Husband and wife team Howard Hall (Director) and Michele Hall (Producer).
• filmed in the Coral Triangle (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea) and South Australia.
• explores the wonders of the oceans.
• gives an opportunity to view the ocean world and helps to understand the marine life.
• bound to create awareness on the impact of global climate change and the need to protect marine life including the reefs.
• pleasure to watch in crystal clear, larger images.

Here is an amazing video clip of Under the Sea 3D.

Continue Reading…

The latest Google Earth 5.0 makes it easier to understand the oceans. It is simple to use and easy to navigate.

You can understand easily in interactive mode, the following in Ocean in Google Earth 5.0:

• Explore the Ocean
• National Geographic
  • Magazine Quiz
  • Ocean Atlas
• BBC Earth
• Cousteau Ocean World
• Ocean Sports
  • Surf Spots
  • Dive Spots
  • Kite Surfing Spots
• Shipwrecks
• Ocean Expeditions
• Marine Protected Areas
• ARKive: Endangered Ocean Species
• State of the Ocean
• Animal Tracking
• Census of Marine Life
• Marie Tharp Historical Map
• Underwater Features

Most of the above features are supported by images and video clips.

Here is the screen shot of Google Earth with ocean.

Continue Reading…

Ocean Conservancy is on a mission to promote healthy and diverse ocean ecosystems. They oppose practices that threaten ocean life and human life. Through research, education, and science-based advocacy, Ocean Conservancy informs, inspires, and empowers people to speak and act on behalf of the oceans.

Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup tells us ‘10 Things You Can Do To Stop Marine Debris’.

1.Join Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup.

2.Clean up your trash. Throw all trash away in proper receptacles, even when you’re not on the water. Pick up any debris you see while out.

3.Collect your monofilament fishing line. Don’t leave fishing line behind and retrieve any other line you may find while fishing, but be careful not to tug on snagged lines, which could be caught on habitat below the surface.

4.Contain and properly clean spills when boating. Use oil-absorbent rags and materials to clean spills. Check Ocean Conservancy’s Good Mate manual for helpful tips on reducing your negative impacts on the water.

5.Recycle used motor oil and oil filters. Local gas stations should have appropriate facilities for recycling these materials. NEVER pour oil, paint, antifreeze or other household chemicals into an open sewer or down a storm drain.

Continue Reading…