Rutgers made bistatic High-Frequency radar (HFR) surface current measurements operational within their observatory last month.  Bistatic measurements offer several benefits for oceanographic and coastal applications: Increased coverage: Bistatic systems can cover larger areas compared to monostatic systems, as they use separate transmit and receive antennas, allowing for a wider coverage range. Improved resolution: Bistatic configurations can provide higher spatial resolution, which is useful for studying small-scale oceanographic features such as eddies, fronts, and coastal currents. Reduced clutter: Bistatic systems can help reduce clutter from unwanted reflections, such as those from the sea surface or nearby structures, resulting in cleaner current measurements. Enhanced accuracy: By using multiple receivers, bistatic systems can improve the accuracy of current measurements, particularly in regions with complex bathymetry or near coastal areas. Overall, bistatic HFR surface current measurements can provide a more comprehensive and detailed picture of ocean surface currents, benefiting a wide range of oceanographic and coastal research applications.

Friday afternoon, the MOO students prepared and deployed a Sofar Spotter buoy in the boat basin of the Rutgers University Marine Field Station with the help of Roland Hagan. The Spotter was awarded to Prof. Travis Miles as part of the Bristlemouth Pioneer Program. The solar-powered Spotter buoy makes direct observations of wave spectra, wind, and atmospheric pressure; near-real time data from this Spotter buoy can be seen at this link. The MOO students thank everyone involved in realizing this opportunity and look forward to the data! Photo credit: Sophie Scopazzi

Masters of Operational Oceanography students deployed RU23 out of Tuckerton yesterday. Scott is pictured here, but Trivik, Nick and Capt Chip were on board as well in the foul weather. Nice Job crew! The MOOO (Masters of Operational Oceanography) crew was at it again today working with Captain Chip on a glider, CTD, side scan sonar, Sofar Spotter Buoy and Seaber AUV. Busy day for Trivik, Nick, Sophie and Sal.  

Ecological & Oceanographic Survey of the Outer Shelf of the Mid Atlantic Bight: A Rutgers underwater Slocum glider will be deployed in and around the Leading Light Wind lease area off the NJ coast. This glider will have a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute DMON sensor on board that will listen for and identify whales (Fin, Humpback, Sei, Right) in the area with a goal of learning more about their migration patterns on the outer continental shelf  in late winter 2024.  Lead Scientist: Josh Kohut

Atlantic Cod & North American Right Whale Monitoring at Revolution Wind: A Rutgers underwater Slocum glider will be deployed in the Revolution Wind lease area just southwest of Martha’s Vineyard, equipped with a Jasco OceanObserver instrument. The OceanObserver will detect cod spawning locations and identify whales in the areas where Orsted is preparing for construction of offshore wind turbines. Lead Scientists: Grace Saba & Josh Kohut  

Deepwater-Irrigated Open-Ocean Seaweed Mariculture: Field Studies and Modeling: Several ocean-based carbon dioxide removal (CDR) approaches accelerate or enhance natural processes to remove CO2 from the surface ocean, in order to drive oceanic absorption of atmospheric CO2.  “Open ocean seaweed mariculture with deep-water nutrient supply” (OMDN) is the cultivation of seaweeds in low-nutrient open-ocean surface waters, with seaweed production supported by nutrients from subsurface waters. The Climate Foundation is currently developing and demonstrating depth-cycling seaweed mariculture platforms. To investigate the scientific basis of OMDN, the investigators will undertake a field-based investigation of experimental platforms in the Philippines Archipelago, generating among the first field data from an open ocean seaweed mariculture system. Rutgers University will deploy a glider with multiple measurement capabilities. The autonomous capability sampling in time and space around the seaweed farms will provide the research team a spatial time series of the physical-chemical-biological data and “environmental” fingerprint of the seaweed farming activities. Lead Scientist: Oscar Schofield  

The 13th installment of the Currents, Waves and Turbulence Measurement (CWTM) Workshop concluded with great success, showcasing cutting-edge research and innovations in the field. Among the highlights of the event was the presentation of the Best Student Paper Award, recognizing outstanding contributions from young researchers.  This year, the prestigious award went to Rutgers undergraduate student Brendan Henley for his paper titled “Determining the Seasonality of Oceanic eDNA Source Waters”. The paper, selected from a pool of highly competitive submissions, impressed the judges with its novel approach and significant impact on the intersection of physical and biological oceanography. Brendan’s work focused on determining the distance water could travel in the coastal ocean over a 24-hour period.  The analysis was grouped by season and provides context to the environmental DNA sampling that is taking place off New Jersey as part of the NJDEP  Research and Monitoring Initiative.   The goal of the RMI is to ensure that as New Jersey moves towards a clean energy economy, we also adhere to our mandate to protect and responsibly manage New Jersey’s coastal & marine resources.  Brendan’s coauthors included Josh Kohut, Tim Stolarz and Hugh Roarty from Rutgers as well as Jason Adolf from Monmouth University. In addition to the recognition, Brendan also received a cash prize for the award.  The criteria for judging the award included the quality of the science, the quality of the presentation and the relevance to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. The 2024 CWTM conference brought together researchers and practitioners from around the world to exchange ideas, share insights, and advance the field of ocean measurements. With its focus on cutting-edge research and interdisciplinary collaboration, the event served as a platform for shaping the future of oceanographic measurements.   The CWTM Workshop which takes place every four years, has a rich history of providing a dynamic platform for the global ocean community. This event serves as a catalyst for technical information exchange and fosters collaboration among experts passionate about measuring current, waves, and turbulence. Their mission is to advance the field of Current, Wave, and Turbulence Measurement and Applications by showcasing cutting-edge research and innovations. For more information about the conference, please visit the CWTM website https://cwtm2024.org .