Sound Science
A Ferry-based Data Observation System
On September 29, 2003, the Marine Sciences Research Center unveiled its newest environmental monitoring system at a gala event on board the ferry boat P.T. BARNUM. The BARNUM sailed under clear skies at 1730 from Port Jefferson Harbor with a large group of dignitaries and invited guests for a 1.5 hour cruise. Once underway, Drs. David Conover, MSRC’s Dean and Director and Jack Mattice, Director of New York Sea Grant, and Mr. Frederick Hall, Vice-President and Manager of the Bridgeport-Port Jefferson Steamboat Company gave welcoming remarks. Drs. Duane Waliser, Robert Wilson and Mr. Tom Wilson then gave brief descriptions of the project, and concluded the event with concurrent tours of the instrument installations and kiosk displays.
The project is based on an agreement with and cooperation of the Bridgeport–Port Jefferson Steamboat Company, a research grant from New York Sea Grant, and supporting funds from the University, MSRC and the National Weather Service. A suite of marine and atmospheric sensors has been installed on the P.T. BARNUM ferry, including wind, relative humidity, air temperature and pressure, downwelling solar and infrared radiation, sea surface temperature, salinity and chlorophyll and current between the vessel and sea bottom. The data are recorded during the ferry’s routine crossing of the Long Island Sound as well as when the vessel is in the harbors. The data are sent back in real-time and posted on the project’s web site as well as archived for quality control and research purposes. This tremendous opportunity provides the means to address a number of regional scientific, environmental and societal issues. These involve:
- improving our understanding of the circulation and stratification of Long Island Sound and their relationship to water quality and the development of hypoxia (i.e., low oxygen),
- developing and refining of an historical record of atmospheric forcing (e.g., heat and momentum flux) for the Long Island Sound spanning nearly 50 years,
- determining the relative contributions to circulation and stratification variability in Long Island Sound from synoptic weather events and low-frequency climate variability,
- providing an enhanced observational data base to help develop, improve and/or validate estuarine and atmospheric models associated with Long Island Sound, and
- contributing sorely needed observational resources to the National Weather Service which has no means to obtain over-water observations of Long Island Sound.
The agreement and funding also provided for the installation of a passenger display system that shows the data being collected (e.g., current conditions), the position, speed and heading of the vessel, and a movie that describes the motivation, objectives, and methodology associated with the project and acknowledges the project’s sponsors. For more information as well as current conditions on the P.T. BARNUM ferry, see www.stonybrook.edu/soundscience.
Project Sponsors:
Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company
New York Sea Grant
Stony Brook University
Marine Sciences Research Center at SBU
National Weather Service, Eastern Region Headquarters
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Scientific and Support Teams:
Travis Baggett, MSRC, SBU
Dan L. Codiga, UConn
Joe Giannotti, MSRC, SBU
Dr. Robert Kelly and students, Computer Sciences, SBU
Melissa Ou, SBU
Michael Reynolds, Brookhaven National Lab
Bob Slavonik, MSRC, SBU
Thomas C. Wilson, MSRC, SBU
Atmospheric Sciences, SBU
HydroQual, Inc.
LIShore
Special Thanks:
Robert Aller-MSRC, Josie Aller-MSRC, Steve Anderson-WHOI, Yasmine Bennouna-SBU, Henry Bokuniewicz-MSRC, Barbara Branca-New York Sea Grant, George E. Carroll-MSRC, Gary Carter-National Weather Service, Victor Cassella-Brookhaven National Lab, Brian Colle-MSRC/ITPA, Marv Geller-MSRC/ITPA, Howard Gimple-SBU, Gail Habicht-SBU, Susan Hamill-New York Sea Grant, Ken Johnson-National Weather Service, Kim Knoll-MSRC, Karen Leibowitz-SBU, Jake Levich-SBU, Peter Saal-SBU, Cornelia Schlenk-New York Sea Grant, Bonnie Stephens-SBU, Yvette St. Jacques-SBU, Jeff Tongue-National Weather Service, Shaunna Vargas-SBU, Lynn Zawie-SBU, Kimberly Zimmer-Long Island Sound Study, as well as Kipp & Zonen, John G. Gilbert Associates and Tri-State Marina & Dry Dock
photos by John Griffin/Media Services
