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Departing Wellington posted by Denise on 04 Feb 2005 |
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The R/V Kilo Moana has been tied up at Queens Wharf, located in the heart of downtown Wellington. The spot has fantastic views of Wellington’s skyline, the bay and the surrounding hillside. In fact, the line of hills next to the city demark a large fault which passes nearby. Fascinating geologic features are present throughout New Zealand; it has been dramatically shaped by... |
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Preparing for Sea posted by Denise on 03 Feb 2005 |
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This morning, soon after breakfast, there was a call on the intercom: “All hands meet on the 01 port-side deck”. To translate: “All hands” means everyone – ship and science crew. “01” refers to which deck or level of the ship, and “port” is the word to indicate the left side of the ship (when facing the bow, or front, of the ship). The Captain made this announcement so everyone could help load provisions (food, etc.) for the cruise... |
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View from space of ocean floor around New Zealand.
The turquoise area is a narrow strip of shallow (<2000 m) ocean also known as the continental margin. |
Although viewed by most as remote, removed, and perilous, the oceans are home to a world of deep beauty and are a great source of food and other natural resources (e.g., oil). In addition, they are a fascinating place to recreate and explore. Exploration and examination of the oceans is critical to finding new resources and learning about Earth history (and possibly the future). Furthermore, the oceans, which cover over two-thirds of the planet’s surface, are a processing factory for materials draining from land. |
| Ocean study is needed to understand how activities and events on land are processed and recorded in the sea, and this is the primary focus of our research in New Zealand. This research is funded by the Source to Sink - MARGINS program of the National Science Foundation.
Why the Waipaoa River in New Zealand?
Unlike the eastern coast of the United States (e.g., North Carolina) which has a broad coastal plain, many coastlines around the world have rugged mountains immediately next to the sea and lack bodies of water (e.g. Pamlico Sound) between rivers and the ocean. The northeast coast of New Zealand, where the Waipaoa River enters the sea, is one example. In these settings, materials from land can be rapidly transported to the ocean, and as a result sediments and dissolved material may quickly accumulate on the ocean floor and affect ocean ecosystems after river flooding. Also, the Waipaoa River discharges an incredible amount of sediment for a river its size. This is because of high rainfall in the area and its easily eroded landscape, which is made of sedimentary rocks. In fact, the Waipaoa River is more than 10 times smaller than the Potomac River but discharges 100 times more sediment!
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Coordinating Institutions
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