"This is allowing you to have much more local measurement, much closer to where the action is," Teixeira said.

'A deployment of opportunity'
But getting a seafaring lab to work on the waves without compromising measurements is a unique challenge. "We've had to adjust some of the baseline instrumentation," said Michael Ritsche, technical operations manager for AMF2, based at Argonne. He explained that scientists had to calibrate and adjust detectors to compensate for the boat's movements.

"A lot of sensors like to be straight, they like to be vertical," he said. To keep the hardware pointed the right way, researchers mounted some instruments on stabilized platforms while making software adjustments for others. The salty sea spray can degrade and corrode metals, which can wear out sensors, so technicians will have to keep a close eye on their performance.

Managing the logistics also required some ingenuity. Out on the high seas, if something breaks, it cannot be fixed until the Spirit returns to port, which is about every two weeks. In addition, the scientists have a narrow window of only two days to download their data and check their instruments while the ship loads up in Los Angeles.

"This is a cargo ship. We're just coming along for the ride," Ritsche said. "This is a deployment of opportunity. It moves back and forth whether we're on it or not."

Still, the arrangement offers some advantages. "For a fraction of the cost, we are able to do the same type of research you would be able to with an actual research vessel," said Nikki Hickmon, a meteorologist at Argonne.

Once the Spirit returns to port, researchers will have their first data batch. This mission's success could spur further sea-based climate studies to give scientists a better view into the planet's atmospheric future.

Reprinted from Climatewire with permission from Environment & Energy Publishing, LLC. www.eenews.net, 202-628-6500

3 Comments

1. 1. priddseren 05:54 PM 10/1/12

   It is almost interesting to see climatologists doing real experiments and a shock they even admit climate models dont account for the effects of clouds.
   
   In the end, we can guess the conclusion of this experiment, because warmists don't look for reality, they simply want to either add clouds to be proof somehow warming is human caused or they want to be able to discount clouds having any effect allowing them to not put the effects of clouds in their models.
   If the effects of clouds does in fact disprove their theory of CO2 only or in anyway shows evidence theory models are in fact wrong, then the results of this experiment will never be published.
   
   If only we could get more real experiments like this going though, it would be nice to have real evidence for or against global warming caused by evil humans.

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this

2. 2. stephencoss 07:52 PM 10/1/12

   What are the results from the first study? The story line here is that they have done this once.
   More lies and wickedly stupid people. I will say this , if this country puts Obama back in then you will get just what you deserve.

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this

3. 3. weather21 in reply to priddseren 02:38 PM 10/2/12

   In response to the 2 prior posts,
   
   "It is almost interesting to see climatologists doing real experiments and a shock they even admit climate models dont account for the effects of clouds. "
   1. These real experiments are more common than you know. The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program has multiple mobile facilities that are set up all over the world to collect data to improve climate models.
   2. Climate models do account for the effects of cloud. The processes cannot be model due to the complexity/small-scale nature of the processes so they are parameterized. I.e.. They use a simplified process to give a rough estimate of clouds.
   
   "...the results of this experiment will never be published."
   1. The data from this experiment and all other sites that ARM maintains, are free for anyone/everyone to use/test. It does not matter what side of the fence you are on.
   
   "If only we could get more real experiments like this..."
   
   Check out ARM.gov, there are experiments like this occurring every year.
   
   In response to stephencoss, I am pretty sure they were referring to another ship-borne deployment in the Arctic Ocean, SHEBA. The processes that occur in the Arctic and tropical regions vastly differ. If you want to read the result of the first study, just search for "SHEBA Experiment" with google scholar.
   

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this