Sediment Coring from the Healy Icebreaker

JOURNALS!

Listen to researcher Bernie Coakley describe the research project, on behalf of his colleague Dennis Darby, and teacher Steve Marshall talk about his expectations of the icebreaker cruise in this audio file from a recent TREC webinar. To listen, click the link below:

Audio - Webinar (1.2 MB - MP3)

Steve, Dennis and the research team aboard the USCGC Healy collected high-resolution sediment cores from the Arctic Ocean, which will be intensively studied for what they can reveal about the climate of the last 10,000 years. These data are critical to understanding the recent history of the Arctic Ocean and arctic climate and developing our ability to make predictions about climate change. These high-resolution marine records are imperative to answer fundamental questions on topics such as: past sea ice extent and sea surface temperatures, sea ice drift, water circulation, and post-glacial sea level rise and inundation of the Bering Strait.

For more about the USCGC Healy, click here.

For more information about the expedition, including science goals and expedition participants, click here.

For a near real-time ship location, click here.

TREC teacher Steve Marshall teaches earth science and oceanography at King’s Fork High School in Suffolk, Virginia. Steve’s main scientific interests are in geology and physical oceanography. Steve has significant experience in analyzing sediments in order to determine tectonic origin and to reconstruct past environments. Steve is excited about the opportunity to participate in TREC so that he can gain additional "real world" science experience to help engage students and show them present-day applications of science.

Dr. Dennis Darby is Professor of Geological Oceanography in the Department of Ocean, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences at Old Dominion University. He also serves as the director of the electron microprobe and x-ray lab. Dr. Darby is looking forward to bringing the excitement of the Arctic to classrooms, and to the opportunity of involving young scholars from middle or high school in order to recruit more of these students into rewarding and needed careers in science.