August 2009

	Notes from the JR – August 2009



	The JR is currently drilling in the Bering Sea, where an international team of scientists is drilling more than 600 meters (2,000 feet) into the sea floor to extract sediment cores that will provide the first comprehensive records of environmental and oceanographic conditions in the area over the past 5 million years. The scientists hope to reconstruct the history of this shallow sea, which acts as a fence between the North Pacific and the frigid waters of the Arctic Ocean.
	Also on board is Teacher at Sea Doug LaVigne, from Acworth, Georgia. Follow his blogs at joidesresolution.org.

			Captain Alex Simpson
	How scientists use the research results of deep-sea drilling— “Sea sediments reveal how much ice existed in the world and hint at past temperatures and weather patterns. Ice cores also provide a glimpse of past temperatures and preserve tiny bubbles of ancient atmosphere.		Captain Alex Simpson
	Coral, tree rings, and cave rocks record cycles of drought and rainfall. Each piece of this complex puzzle must be put together to give us a picture of Earth’s climate history. Scientists’ efforts to explain the paleoclimate evidence—not just the when and where of climate change, but the how and why—have produced some of the most significant theories of how the Earth’s climate system works.” from Paleoclimatology by Holli Riebeek, Earth Observatory Ocean drilling has: Confirmed the theories of plate tectonics and continental drift. Provided major portions of the picture of changes to the global environment over the past 100 million years. For example, in 2004, core samples recovered from the seafloor beneath the Arctic Ocean revealed that 55 million years ago the Arctic region had a subtropical climate. Scientists continue to analyze these findings to better understand how ecosystems will respond to future global warming. Altered our thinking about the formation of geologic hazards like earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis. Discovered methane, in the frozen form of hydrates, in sediments below the ocean, and confirmed that they exist worldwide. Discovered a vast and active biosphere of microbes living deep below the seafloor, far deeper than scientists ever predicted life could exist.


	Name: Bubba Attryde Education: High school diploma, on-the-job training IODP Experience: Every other expedition during DSDP, ODP, and IODP
	Interests: Working with the Sheriff’s Department, search and rescue missions, crime scene security. Bubba enjoys his job because it is always different. He believes that Mother Nature offers some pretty interesting puzzles that must be solved to get the task completed in a safe manner.


	Life on Board the JR


	Fire Drills and Emergency Rations Today started with an early (actually 10:30am our time) fire drill. Everyone reported to their assigned life boat stations with our emergency gear on. Hard hats, safety goggles and life vests are required every time. While we did that, the fire team (members of the crew specially trained to fight fires) met in the laundry area to run through a mock fire scenario.
			READ MORE >

	Dr. Nasseer Idrisi Selected As HBCU Educator at Sea Georgia Teacher Latest to Set Sail on the JOIDES Resolution		READ MORE >



	Advanced Vocabulary Study Guide (PDF, 172 KB) For grades 10-12. This vocabulary supports the concepts presented in videos found on thejr.org. The JR Sticker Voyage (K-6rd grade) Launch your own JR and set the scene with this sticker set. Want to change your mind? Peel off the stickers and put them in new places. Request copies of this fun set for your students by emailing here Measure for Measure This activity can be applied to the mastery of proportions, ratios, fractions and scale. Keywords: scale measurement, proportions, ratios, fractions, JOIDES Resolution. In Measure for Measure, students will be able to calculate scales of distance and length as used by ocean drilling scientists. Find out more Find more classroom resources here

	*The JOIDES Resolution* ocean drilling vessel is: a. an oil rig b. Operated by Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) c. Run by Nat. Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Science Question: The Arctic Ocean**: a. Contains icebergs which are melting b. Has changed too slowly to measure c. Is opening new ocean drilling study opportunities d. Answers A & C


	Bubba's Tour


	Subscribe • Unsubscribe This newsletter is brought to you by The Consortium for Ocean Leadership and Deep Earth Academy. Ocean Leadership is a nonprofit organization representing 97 leading ocean research and education institutions, aquaria and industry. The organization also manages ocean research and education programs in areas of scientific ocean drilling, ocean observing, ocean exploration, and ocean partnerships. Deep Earth Academy is the education arm of the scientific ocean drilling programs at Ocean Leadership. Deep Earth Academy uses exploration of the world around us as a model and strive to help students become better decision makers, problem solvers, science-literate citizens and stewards of our planet.

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