Research vessels, like the RV Weatherbird shown here, are the lifeblood of oceanography. Although we can now make many measurements by satellite, we can only "see" the surface centimeters of a world ocean that is kilometers deep, and we can then only infer what it is below. We still need direct measurements, and ships like this are how we do it. The Weatherbird is operated by the Florida Institute of Oceanography (FIO), a consortium of universities which is housed in the building I work in at the University of South Florida. A larger network of research ships comprises another consortium, the Universities National Oceanographic Laboratories, or UNOLS. FIO is struggling for state funding to operate their three vessels, and UNOLS is decommissioning ships faster than new ones are being build. Thus, the U.S.A. is ceding their dominance in ocean sciences to other nations. A 馃У
#ships
#UNOLS
#ResearchVessels
#Oceanography
#ClimateScience
#MarineScience
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