Research Expedition Ship Roger Revelle Arrives in San Diego Following Six-year Long Journey
Scripps' Research Vessel Roger Revelle Returns to San Diego after Six-Year Deployment
The research vessel Roger Revelle, named after the famed oceanographer who served as the director of a research organization at UC San Diego from 1951 to 1964, has returned to its homeport in San Diego after a six-year deployment.
The vessel, owned by the U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Research, is a key asset in U.S. oceanographic research. During its deployment, it facilitated groundbreaking studies in marine science, particularly related to ocean biogeochemistry and climate.
Cathy Constable, acting director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, applauded the vessel's captain, crew, and ship operations for six years of superior support of sea-based science. She stated that the Roger Revelle is the premier vessel in Scripps' academic fleet.
The return of the Roger Revelle has led to the establishment of new scientific collaboration between oceanographers from the U.S. and Vietnam since the Vietnam War. Earlier this year, Scripps scientists and ship operations crews visited Vietnam for a series of ship tours and classes with Vietnamese scientists, paving the way for physical oceanography expeditions planned off Vietnam in 2013.
Thousands of scientists, students, and government researchers conduct missions aboard Scripps research vessels every year. In 2015, Scripps will begin operating AGOR 28, a new "ocean class" research vessel. AGOR 28 will support both U.S. Navy and national oceanographic research objectives.
The Roger Revelle is one of the sister research vessels similar in size and design to others such as R/V Atlantis and NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown, with capabilities for long-term deployments and comprehensive oceanographic data collection. It has been involved in historic events indirectly, such as encountering the adrift vessel Lunatic found 500 miles southeast by its crew in 2009.
The vessel's technical capabilities enable work in diverse marine environments and support NOAA and national science missions requiring advanced oceanographic equipment. The Roger Revelle will be outfitted with a first-of-its-kind robotic arm for deploying ocean water sampling equipment. Known as a "scientific load handling system," this robotic arm will enable the Roger Revelle to work more efficiently in harsh conditions and protect expensive instrumentation.
The robotic arm will be operable by a single person using remote-control, reducing the number of required handlers. The vessel will undergo routine maintenance at a West Coast shipyard before its next deployment.
The return of the Roger Revelle is a prime example of the research conducted by campus members over the past five decades, as stated by UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. AGOR 28 will become a resource for the innovative UC Ship Funds Program, offering students unique leadership opportunities at sea. Nearly $300,000 will be spent at local maritime businesses on Roger Revelle upkeep operations and maintenance.
Research projects covered a broad mix of science, including projects related to global climate, ocean acidification, plate tectonics, volcanic processes, resource exploration, ecosystem dynamics, marine mammals, ocean waves and currents, and ocean acoustics. The Roger Revelle's scientific missions involved explorations from the deepest parts of the ocean's remote trenches to the upper atmosphere, covering topics relevant to society and of significance to the U.S. Navy and national security.
- The groundbreaking studies conducted on the Roger Revelle during its six-year deployment include ocean acidification research, an essential aspect of contemporary science given the impact on marine ecosystems.
- As Scripps Institution of Oceanography begins operating AGOR 28, a new "ocean class" research vessel, it will continue to advance oceanographic research and technology, promoting education and self-development of future scientists.
