Tanzanian Science

The Zanzibar Project is an effort to give American Students experience in a foreign scientific environment while bringing modern oceanographic techniques to East Africa. We work with researchers at Tanzania's Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS), based in Stone Town, Zanzibar, just off the ferry dock. Most of the science here concerns the coral and fisheries ecology, but they have made room for our physical based project.

As a project, we hope to observe and model the currents between the island and the mainland, a majority of which is due to tidal motions which are comparably easy to understand. The project has therefore redefined it's goals to analyze nonlinear tidal motions which are created as a result of the large tidal swings in variable topography as well as currents not directly influenced by tides.

Javier, Mucaco, and Connor preparing the Current Meters

This Thursday, we will be conducting our first cruise, a half-day out to Chumbe Island to test all of our instruments and techniques, as well as deploy current meters to measure the predicted nonlinear tidal motions around the island. Chumbe Island is a marine reserve, and the snorkeling is expected to be excellent. This is exciting for me, as my main focus, interestingly enough, is on the biology portion of this project.

The sewage from Stone Town is let out of a pipe just offshore. While it is treated, this still poses a threat to the biology of the region (e.g. I won't swim near town). We hope to add a tracer to our model with the hopes of understanding the dispersion of this sewage. To provide an in situ comparison, we will be measuring biological quantities with hopes of creating an environmental gradient of the affected area.

Ali in the machine shop at IMS

Snapshots of sewage dispersion will be found using chlorophyll and suspended solid measurements, using a small boat on three separate days. We hope an average of sewage dispersion will be given by coral health found with photographic techniques. I have spent much of my time here so far constructing a frame which will ensure consistency between pictures. For example, I spent the morning yesterday snorkeling north of town as we determined the correct height to capture a 1x1m sample area with a photograph. We then enjoyed the bar with sand beneath our feet.

Somethings Interesting:

-While the project has its basis in how toxic the water is, we are looking for proxies outside of the dangerous zones (i.e. coral gets sick before humans do). I do not expect to be in contact with water any dirtier than San Diego after a rain.

-Yesterday, a fisherman accidentally drowned a dolphin in his net and brought it to IMS for measurements, dissection, etc. The dolphin was three years old and very healthy looking, except for being dead. According to the institution's dolphin graduate student, bycatch claims about 80-90 dolphins per year in Tanzania. 2006 was a bad year, with ~1000 dolphin strandings; there was no connection made to anthropogenic or other causes.

-To help with this project, I made an investment in an underwater housing for my camera. Once I get comfortable with it, you can expect pictures from snorkeling, diving, and eventually surfing. 

It has been a Year

I wrote my last post before starting graduate school, and I write this one after completing my first year.

I took 12 classes, sampled vegetarianism, earned an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, surfed more times than I can count, completed the written portion of my departmental, and traveled to Zanzibar. Zanzibar happened only recently, arriving Friday after 34 hours of planes and layovers.

My plane across the Atlantic

Four planes brought me here, the last one a puddle-jumper across the channel. I was dropped at the Institute of Marine Sciences, the national, no-frills research institution. They focus mainly on coral and fisheries ecology, tourism and fishing being the two main marine facets of  the Zanzibar Economy.

I am part of a research endeavour through Theiss Research, with another graduate student, two undergrads, and a single professor making up our field team. I am excited for the science we will be completing, though I will get into the various projects we hope to accomplish in future posts.

This is my first time on the African Continent and the furthest east I have ever been (west of the international date line). I  am staying in Stone Town, working in IMS near the docks. This place is a Labyrinth. The "roads" are only wide enough for motorcycles and bicyclists, who scream through with an audible warning. I spend free time getting lost and finding my way back. Already, I have chosen my breakfast and dinner stalls I will remain faithful to throughout my stay.

My Plane across the Zanzibar Channel

We spent Saturday fixing our ADCP mount for our first cruise on Thursday. The boat is a handmade tourist vessel, and we're excited to visit the pristine marine reserve on this first outing. Following this small amount of work, I took my first dip in the Indian Ocean. It was pretty warm, there was a beautiful sunset, and we found some tiny jellyfish we knew of only through their stingers.

The trip has been a success so far.

Somethings Interesting

-Last night at dinner, my backpack was unzipped and searched while I was ordering; it was crowded and I was careless. The thief found nothing except my Zanzibar guidebook and current pleasure read (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), and left both. I got lucky. This was a wakeup call; I need to be more aware of the
opportunities I offer.

-Though I will certainly miss all my friends and family, I am looking forward to the lack of connection to the outside world. This has been a stressful year, and I spent much of it in front of the computer screen. My time spent here will be a great chance to relax and think.

-Our concrete apartment faces directly North for the previous owners to bow towards Mecca while they pray. We actually have line-of-sight with the Islamic prayer speakers; these go off multiple times daily, the earliest at 520 (though I have been told this will change as the prayer schedule is aligned with the moon). We have mosquito nets in our rooms, a sea breeze because we're so high, running water, and electricity. Luxurious to say the least.

-The electricity in town went out for about 4 hours yesterday. I just read my book and didn't panic.

Census of Marine Life!!

Yesterday they released the Census of Marine Life!!

Something New

I shaved my Moustache. It was time.

While this doesn't sound like that big of a deal, it is. I loved my moustache, and shaving it was hard. Maybe my post Moustache-iversarry could give an idea of the importance facial hair has for me.

I grew a beard once out of University, because I felt I needed a new face. With each metaphorical step over the past year, I sculpted the facial hair in some way; goatee when starting South America trip and 'stache when I got into Scripps Institution of Oceanography. And now, with studies beginning, I shaved it off.

I had orientation last week, both with UCSD and Scripps Oceanography. While at times a little boring, overall the orientations were comforting and exciting; comforting because both were expecting me, and exciting because a lot of time speakers were just lauding how great these two institutions are.

There was a party to follow the Scripps orientation, with plenty of beer and food provided. After that final baptism, I am now officially a part of Scripps and UCSD. I continue to be excited.

Goals during Grad School:
-Be finished in 5 years.
-Have one summer off to either carry out a summer fellowship abroad somewhere, hold an internship in the private sector, or get my dive master in the tropics.
-Teach at least one quarter, preferably more.
-Earn a prestigious fellowship (i.e. NSF, NDSEG)
-Go deeper than 2000 meters into the ocean
-Purchase a Westfalia Vanagon; '83 or older, Diesel so I can convert it to Bio-diesel, full camper.
-Cross the equator and international dateline by boat, set foot on each continent, check out the Giant's Causeway, Easter Island, Panama Canal, the Galapagos, San Juan Islands, New Zealand's Bay of Islands, Island of Ascencion, and both the Arctic and Antarctic Circles.
-Witness the Aurora Borealis, Aurora Australis, a water spout, a tornado, a blue whale from the water, a great white shark breach, a rogue wave,
-Kayak the Channel Islands, backpack 200+ miles, bike the full Coast road, finish a marathon, shoot the SIO pier, and sky-dive.
-Punch a baleen whale

I'll think of more, and might just throw them up here.

Gulf Spill Analysis

Link to Article
NYTimes.com: Gulf Spill Analysis


The cynical pessimist in me has been resistant to many scientific articles released describing the "minimal impact" the oil spill had on the Gulf's Ecosystem; I am simply cautious to believe scientific data provided by anyone associated with BP.

While this article does call on such people's research, it includes analysis from among other sources, NOAA, Louisiana State University, UC Berkeley, and the Audobon's Louisiana Coastal Initiative.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported...that the oil was breaking down and dispersing rapidly, probably limiting future damage from the spill.

It also makes favorable comparisons to the Exxon Valdez catastrophe, especially in total amount of coastline impacted.

Ironically, it helps too that this is an area already impacted by pollution from the Mississippi.

Every summer, agricultural runoff from the Mississippi stimulates the bacteria population, producing a “dead zone” the size of New Jersey...But so far, there is little evidence of severe oxygen depletion outside the predicted zone.

That zone was predicted using pre-spill data, showing the influence we already have on this area. Regardless, though, we truly won't know the influence this spill has had until the long term.

“The government and BP continue to say it is very much improved out there, but there is still a lot of oil. Any fisherman could tell you that.” --Chemist Wilma Subra

How To Deploy a Scientific Buoy

Last week was my first cruise with the new lab. As they specialize in moorings (longterm deployments of instruments for scientific use), we put two in the water and got one out.

First, we have to choose a specific spot to drop the anchor, in our case a set of 500 pound railroad wheels on a large metal post. Because of the weight of these objects, they will drop straight downward, pulling anything attached with them. After making a giant 'X' where we measure bottom topography, the spot is chosen by Uwe Send our Principle Investigator and Chief Scientist.

We allow the boat an hour long drift test which will go into calculations for where to start the deployment; we have over 3500 meters of cable, rope, instruments, and chain which we want to be pulled into that special location by the anchor when it drops. During this drift test, the float is being prepared, the instruments are being lined up, and we are all psyching ourselves up for the intense deployment about to take place.

Two Buoys to be Deployed on the New Horizon

The float is the first to go in, with multiple people holding multiple guidelines attached to multiple points on the buoy; while it floats, the buoy still weighs ~4200 pounds and swings where the waves take it if we aren't careful. Once in the water, the float is towed behind us as the boat chugs along at a comfortable 1-1.5 knots in order to avoid tangles. We slowly feed the wire out, placing sensors at preordained locations.

After 1000 meters of cable/rope/chain/instruments (or 4000 with the second buoy), we prepare to release the 5000 pound anchor. Dangerous pitching and rolling ensues, but with enough guidelines, the anchor makes it into the water, pulling the buoy as it falls.

Surveying the Goose-neck Clam Coverage

Somethings Interesting:
-Recovery is not as exciting and a lot smellier; as the instruments near the water are pulled onboard, theyare covered with goose-neck clams, algae, and crabs attempting to defend their home.

-The longest "day" for me this cruise was the recovery and deployment at the second station. Each process takes about 8 hours, plus prep and a few CTD casts were thrown in for good measure; in 39 hours, I managed to escape for 5 hours of sleep.

-Following the cruise, I trained it north to Long Beach for an Irish Catholic Family Reunion (on my mother's side). This was my first age 20+ reunion with this family; a good time was had.

Asteroid Flyby

Link to Article
Two Asteroids to Pass by Earth

"A 10-meter-sized near-Earth asteroid...would be expected to pass almost daily within a lunar distance, and one might strike Earth's atmosphere about every 10 years on average."

I had no idea that asteroids passed so frequently.