Oil Spill Response: Physical Resources
UNCW has a number of laboratories and equipment which may be available if not currently deployed. Please contact Dr. Roer for more information.
Aquarius Reef Base: Aquarius is the world's only undersea research laboratory capable of housing four scientists and two technicians for periods typically lasting approximately 10 days (although longer durations are possible). Located on Conch Reef off Key Largo, Aquarius is likely to be one of the first UNCW assets to encounter the oil spill as it makes its way up the east coast. The laboratory includes the following equipment, available for use:
- Four research and support vessels ranging from 28 LOA to 42 LOA
- Life support buoy and ocean observing platform: power generation, air compressors, wireless communications/telemetry array, and ocean observing capabilities include water temperature, salinity, chlorophyll, waves, and currents
- Shore base: Aquarius monitoring station/"watch desk", dive lockers, workshops, dormitory, wet and dry laboratories, and emergency recompression chamber.
- Telecommunications: 155 Mbps Wireless Bridge and Buoy to Shore, DS3 link to Internet, Multiple video feeds via web cams in and outside Aquarius, Polycom and Vbrick video conferencing and broadcast capabilities, phone, broadband Internet and diver underwater communications
NOAA Cooperative Institute (Ocean Exploration) CIOERT/UNCW: CIOERT explores and studies the nation’s ocean frontiers using innovation and cutting edge technologies. CIOERT is sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, and headquartered at Harbor Branch at Florida Atlantic University in Fort Pierce, Fla. UNCW is a co-managing partner with FAU. Resources include:
- Two remotely operated vehicles, 100 and 350 m depth, with cameras and manipulator arm
- Pelagia glider AUV with Ecopuck sensor package with CDOM fluoresence (at proper wavelength for oil detection); via partnership with Univ. of Mississippi
- access to Eagle Ray AUV, 2200-m mapping AUV with multibeam and various sensors; technical dive program for scuba down to 100 meters, including sensing/sampling capabilities such as cameras and scooters
UNCW Spatial Analysis Lab: specializes in GIS mapping, including marine habitats from estuaries to deep coral habitats necessary for tracking oil flows.
Oceanographic Equipment: ADCPs, CT loggers, met stations, and moorings
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