POL scientists help to unravel the lack of oxygen in Long Island Sound.

14 July 2009

Prof Jim O'Donnell from the University of Connecticut has invited POL scientist's Alex Souza and Matthew Palmer to take part in a five-day scientific cruise, 10-15 August 2009. Their aim is to try to understand how mixing limits the summer hypoxia (oxygen shortage) in Long Island Sound, an estuary to the west of New York. Turbulence experts Alex and Matthew will take measurements to find out how the vertical mixing transfers oxygen from the surface water to the bottom layer. They will find what drives the variations in mixing during summer in Western Long Island Sound.

POL scientist's Alex Souza and Matthew Palmer will use the MSS profiler in the Long Island Sound.

The US National Science Foundation is funding this work. NERC's International Network of Coastal Observing Systems is funding Alex and Matthew's travelling costs.

Matthew Palmer (pictured on the left) displays the MSS free fall profiler that measures microstructure - the small, rapid changes in the ocean brought about by mixing.
Alex Souza (pictured on the right) adjusts a sediment sensor.

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Notes

The Proudman Oceanographic (POL) scientific research focuses on oceanography encompassing global sea-levels and geodesy, numerical modelling of continental shelf seas and coastal sediment processes. This research alongside activities of surveying, monitoring, data management and forecasting provides strategic support for the wider mission of the Natural Environment Research Council.

As a public funded body it is part of our remit to inform the public of the science and research undertaken at the laboratory. Attending events like the 'Ocean Awareness Weekend' at the Blue Planet Aquarium offers the opportunity for our scientists to meet members of the public and present the laboratory's work.

The Natural Environment Research Council is one of the UK's eight Research Councils. It uses a budget of about £ 350m a year to fund and carry out impartial scientific research in the sciences of the environment. NERC trains the next generation of independent environmental scientists. It is addressing some of the key questions facing mankind, such as global warming, renewable energy and sustainable economic development.