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Aboard the R/V Kilo Moana posted by Denise on 02 Feb 2005 |
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We moved aboard R/V (Research Vessel) Kilo Moana this morning and are in the process of getting the labs set-up for the next leg of the cruise. The weather in Wellington has been foggy since last night and as a result, researchers arriving from the U.S. were delayed by several hours. In fact, they were diverted to a nearby airport (Palmerston North) and had to travel to Wellington via bus... |
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Finally In New Zealand posted by Denise on 01 Feb 2005 |
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After our long series of flights (Greenville, North Carolina to Charlotte NC to L.A., California to Auckland, New Zealand and finally to Wellington, NZ) we were glad to arrive at our final destination. Travel time in the air was over 22 hours, but with crossing the International Dateline we arrived two days later! |
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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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