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THE MAINE EVENT: SUMMER 2002 Predation by Gelatinous Zooplankton in the Gulf of Maine Dispatch 6 Wednesday, July 07 2002 Latitude: 40°17.408"N • Longitude: 68°06.792"W Dispatch by Megan Tinsley, University of Tennessee 
The
JOHNSON-SEA-LINK (JSL) and its talented support crew are essential for the study of midwater
animals, especially gelatinous zooplankton too delicate to be captured in nets. Collecting
buckets located on the sub, 32 in total, bring both live and preserved specimens back on board
for the scientific party to study. Without the submersible the life history and behavior of
most midwater jellyfish would be impossible to investigate.
The Johnson-Sea-Link is a relatively high-maintenance vehicle, often needing repairs or modifications. Pictured left, Don Liberatore tightens the bolts of the manipulator arm before the upcoming midwater dives. The members of the sub crew change their roles daily. Don Liberatore and Phil Santos take turns piloting the JSL. On any given dive, one operates the controls located in the sphere, while the other acts as Sub Operations Coordinator, remaining on deck during launch and recovery 
to maintain communication with the pilot and oversee all other aspects of the dive. The pilot
in the sphere is responsible for maneuvering the sub to capture fragile creatures, and positioning
the video camera to record their behavior.
A second crew member, the Aft Observation Technician, descends each dive in the aluminum compartment, located behind the sphere. Completely separate from the sphere, he monitors the levels of carbon dioxide and oxygen inside the chamber to make certain they remain at safe levels. In case of an emergency, this technician can independently return the submersible to the surface. Alan Fuller and Hugo Marrero occupy the dive compartment on alternate days and dress appropriately for the chilly ride. Shown below, Hugo has donned his typical woolen clothes for a three-plus hour ride in the Gulf of Maine. 
While the submersible is underwater, another subcrew member converses with the sub pilot from the
bridge to ascertain that the submersible is operating properly, to track its position, and to alert
the pilot to possible hazards. As the sub surfaces from a dive, a fourth crew member, the "swimmer",
dives into the water with rope in hand to hook a securing line onto the sub for recovery to the ship.
Do you have a question for the researchers on this ocean expedition? Why not ask a scientist @Sea?  |  |
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