Here I Go Again!
My name is Jennifer Magnusson and I am so excited to be heading out again with the SOCCOM/GO-BGC Adopt-a-float program! This time, I will be spending 41 days at sea on the R/V Thomas G. Thompson deploying floats and helping to take oceanographic measurements in the Southern and Indian Oceans. I will be deploying seven biogeochemical floats that measure biogeochemical properties like chlorophyll, nitrate, and oxygen in addition to temperature and salinity. All 7 floats have been adopted by schools and other organizations through our Adopt-a-float program and I’m excited to share the floats’ journey with teachers and students around the world. I’m also going to be deploying eight WHOI Core Argo floats during the expedition that collect information about the physical state of the upper ocean, including temperature and salinity. Don’t worry…I’ll tell you all about the different floats and float programs soon! I shared a little bit about my background and the journey that brought me here when I went on my last expedition and you can still read it there.
Past Cruises
This will be my first time aboard the R/V Thomas G Thompson, but I have had the privilege of sailing on some amazing expeditions over the years!
1996—Hydrothermal Vents with ROV JASON
As a graduate student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, I participated in an oceanographic expedition to hydrothermal vent sites at the “Lucky Strike” segment (37°N 32°W) of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge during summer 1996 with the Jason/Medea, Argo II, and DSL-120 underwater robotic systems on the R/V Knorr out of Woods Hole. [43 days, Barbados – Woods Hole]
2001—Teaching oceanography in the Caribbean
I spent a semester sailing the warm Caribbean waters and teaching oceanography aboard the 88-foot schooner S/V Ocean Star with Sea | Mester. [~90 days in the Eastern Caribbean]
2011—Deep-sea Drilling on the JR
I sailed as an onboard education officer aboard the JOIDES Resolution, a seagoing research vessel that drills core samples and collects measurements from under the ocean floor, giving scientists a glimpse into Earth’s development. [67 days, Barbados – the Azores]
2023—Icebreaking in the Ross Sea
Just last January, I participated in an expedition to Antarctica on the Korean Icebreaking Research Vessel Araon to deploy 10 floats for the SOCCOM/GO-BGC programs. [46 days, New Zealand – Antarctica]
Time to Go!
Travelling from my home in beautiful Victoria, BC to meet the ship in Fremantle, Western Australia is going to be a long haul! I fly from Victoria to Vancouver to Sydney to Perth over the course of 29 hours. I’ve got a bunch of movies and TV shows downloaded though and I hope to sleep on the flight, so I’ll be ready to hit the ground running when I arrive Down Under!
Ready to head to Perth for I08S!
Questions?
I’d love to answer any questions that you or your students have! Please feel free to send them to me at jenn@deepbluescience.com or find me on Instagram at @deepbluescience. As long as the wi-fi holds out, I’ll do my best to answer them.