WHOI Technical Reports
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The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution publishes technical reports describing projects carried out by WHOI researchers. New reports are added as they become available.
Pre-1978 reports are scanned and added by request; contact the WHOAS project manager whoas@whoi.edu to have a Technical Report added.
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Technical ReportSeamounts near the eastern coast of North America(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1955-04)The chain of seamonts known as the New England Seamonts was examined. Bathymetry from six cruises in this region was contoured and a discussion of errors provided. Remains of calcareous algae in rocks dredges from the tops of two of the seamounts indicate that the seamounts have subsided more than 4,000 feet. Isostatic adjustment of a small seamount does not explain the subsidence, therefore it is suggested that much of this subsidence might be attributed to squeezing-out of plastic sediment from beneath the base of the seamounts or possibly that the sedimentary apron from the continent has spread seaward and caused the continental slope to become depressed.
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Technical ReportMarine mammals of the Pacific with particular reference to the production of underwater sound(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1949-07)The present report is concerned with one of the oceanic biology subjects designated by the Navy for investigation. In compliance with the assignment the objective has been (1) to assemble, analyze and where possible correlate with environmental factors, available information from Pacific waters, and (2) upon completion of this work to prepare recommendations for further field research designed to fulfill Navy requirements. A proposed program will be presented in a separate report. Considerable interference encountered by underwater acoustic gear is now known to be of biological origin. In coastal areas, especially along coral and rocky shores, much background noise can be attributed to fish (Fish, 1948) and invertebrates (Johnson et al., 1947). But beyond the influence of land there are certain characteristic sounds which have repeatedly been associated with marine mammals. Numerous visual observations of whales and porpoises coincident with the reception of such sounds have been made, and the charting of Submarine Patrol records (Charts VII to X, pages 56 to 59) reveals that all similar unidentified contacts have occurred within the known seasonal and geographical range of common marine mammals.
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Technical ReportThe Northwest Tropical Atlantic Station (NTAS): NTAS-21 Mooring Turnaround Cruise Report Cruise On Board RV Ronald H. Brown JOctober 6-25, 2022 Bridgetown, Barbados – Bridgetown, Barbados(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 2022-12)The Northwest Tropical Atlantic Station (NTAS) was established to address the need for accurate air-sea flux estimates and upper ocean measurements in a region with strong sea surface temperature anomalies and the likelihood of significant local air–sea interaction on interannual to decadal timescales. The approach is to maintain a surface mooring outfitted for meteorological and oceanographic measurements at a site near 15°N, 51°W by successive mooring turnarounds. These observations are used to investigate air–sea interaction processes related to climate variability. The NTAS Ocean Reference Station (ORS NTAS) is supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing (GOMO) Program (formerly Ocean Observing and Monitoring Division). This report documents recovery of the NTAS-20, the final mooring of the NTAS time-series. The NTAS moorings use Surlyn foam buoys as the surface element. These buoys were outfitted with two Air–Sea Interaction Meteorology (ASIMET) systems. Each system measures, records, and transmits via satellite the surface meteorological variables necessary to compute air–sea fluxes of heat, moisture, and momentum. The upper 160 m of the mooring line were outfitted with oceanographic sensors for the measurement of temperature, salinity, and velocity. The mooring recovery was done by the Upper Ocean Processes Group of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and Drew Cole, onboard R/V Ronald H. Brown, Cruise RB-22-04. The cruise took place between October 6 and 25 2022. Other operations during the cruise consisted of the intercomparison between ship and NTAS buoy measurements, turnaround of Meridional Overturning Variability Experiment (MOVE) subsurface mooring array, CTD casts, and four Argo floats deployments. MOVE is designed to monitor the integrated deep meridional flow in the tropical North Atlantic. This report describes these operations.
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Technical ReportAcoustic properties of mud bottoms(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1944-12-06)In Reference A and Reference B, it has been pointed out that the acoustic properties of bottoms classified as MUD on the present Bottom Sediment Charts appear to vary greatly. The present memorandum is divided into two parts . Part I summarizes the acoustic information obtained over MUD bottoms that is in the files of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Part II discusses the factors that apparently control the acoustic behavior of MUD bottoms and considers the probability or predicting successfully the acoustic behavior of any mud from a study of these related factors.
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Technical ReportThe Northwest Tropical Atlantic Station (NTAS): NTAS-20 Mooring Turnaround Cruise Report Cruise On Board RV Pisces November 4-28, 2021 Newport, RI - Pascagoula, MS(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 2021-11)The Northwest Tropical Atlantic Station (NTAS) was established to address the need for accurate air-sea flux estimates and upper ocean measurements in a region with strong sea surface temperature anomalies and the likelihood of significant local air–sea interaction on interannual to decadal timescales. The approach is to maintain a surface mooring outfitted for meteorological and oceanographic measurements at a site near 15°N, 51°W by successive mooring turnarounds. These observations are used to investigate air–sea interaction processes related to climate variability. The NTAS Ocean Reference Station (ORS NTAS) is supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing (GOMO) Program (formerly Ocean Observing and Monitoring Division). This report documents recovery of the NTAS-19 mooring and deployment of the NTAS-20 mooring at the same site. Both moorings used Surlyn foam buoys as the surface element. These buoys were outfitted with two Air–Sea Interaction Meteorology (ASIMET) systems. Each system measures, records, and transmits via satellite the surface meteorological variables necessary to compute air–sea fluxes of heat, moisture and momentum. The upper 160 m of the mooring line were outfitted with oceanographic sensors for the measurement of temperature, salinity and velocity. The mooring turnaround was done by the Upper Ocean Processes Group of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), onboard R/V Pisces, Cruise PC-21-07. The cruise took place from November 4 to 28, 2021. The NTAS-20 mooring was deployed on November 12, and the NTAS-19 mooring was recovered on November 13. Limited inter-comparison between ship and buoys were performed on this cruise. This report describes these operations and the pre-cruise buoy preparations. Other operations during PC-21-07 consisted of one CTD cast near the Meridional Overturning Variability Experiment (MOVE) subsurface mooring array MOVE 1-14. MOVE is designed to monitor the integrated deep meridional flow in the tropical North Atlantic.
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Technical ReportTwo types of lenses for deep underwater photography(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1942)In underwater photography, the object is immersed in water while the image is usually formed in air. The most obvious, straightforward way to form an image under these circumstances with a conventional type of lens is to use a plane parallel slab of glass as a window in front of the lens to separate the water from the air space. For most types of camera lenses, this is a perfectly adequate solution; But if one looks at the problem carefully, it is evident that such a system introduces a chromatic aberration referred to as lateral color. The source of this aberration is illustrated in Fig. 1. The dispersion at the glass to air interface overcompensates for the dispersion at the water to glass interface. As a result, the direction of a ray entering the camera lens for any given ray incident on the window varies with the wavelength of light.
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Technical ReportSummary of bathythermograph observations from the western North Atlantic : October 1940 - December 1941(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1942-11-05)The range of submarine detection is frequently limited by the refraction produced by vertical temperature gradients in the superficial layers of the ocean. In order to measure these temperature gradients and thus to permit predictions of the range, the bathythermograph was developed and is now being used on a considerable number of anti-submarine vessels, while a somewhat modified version of the instrument is being tried out on submarines. Some 6675 bathythermograph observations from the western North Atlantic have been examined in order to determine how frequently such observations should be made so that within practical limits and anti-submarine vessel may at all times know the assured range of its sound gear. The occurrence of the four basic types of refraction patterns is shown by a series of six charts. For all but one of these patterns the range can be rather quickly and easily estimated from simple tables; but when the so-called afternoon effect is encountered, which is on the average about 20% of the time, a more complete analysis is necessary. It is found that under the most unfavorable circumstances, that is, in mid-summer and near the edges of a strong current system, there is about one chance in three that the refraction pattern will chance significantly in a distance of four miles. At other times of year and in areas where horizontal variations in temperature are less pronounced a single bathythermograph observation can be considered representative of a much larger area. It is also shown that in the western North Atlantic about 92% of the time in summer and about 34% of the time in winter the assured range of submarine detection is limited by refraction to less than 2500 yards.
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Technical ReportPreliminary report on the prediction of "Afternoon Effect"(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1942-07-25)With moderate or light winds and a clear sky the diurnal heating which occurs near the sea surface can cause a serious reduction in the range of submarine detection, especially on shallow targets. This has usually been called the “afternoon effect", although as will be noticed below the ranges often remain short long after sun down. The heating of surface waters which causes such sharp downward refraction can of course be noted on a bathythermograph record, provided pen vibration does not confuse the upper part of the trace. Unfortunately it is the upper 20 or 30 feet of a bathythermograph curve which in the case of ships moving faster than 12 knots is often somewhat difficult to read with sufficient certainty. Moreover, in planning a days operations it is clearly desirable to know in advance how much reduction in range may be expected from diurnal warming.
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Technical ReportPerformance of bathythermograph with hand winch(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1942-05-05)On May l, 1942 a series of towing tests were made off New London to determine how satisfactory a small hand operated winch would be. The boat was an 83 ft. Coast Guard patrol boat with the end of the boom about 3 feet outboard and 15 feet forward of the stern. Towing tests were made at 8, 12, and 18 knots. At 18 knots two methods were tried: A. Those where the BT was dropped from the end of the boom in the usual manner. B. Those where the BT was dropped from the bow of the boat. This method gave a considerably greater depth of water for the same amount of wire out than the former method. In a longer boat where the BT can be carried 100 to 150 ft. ahead of the boom this additional depth may amount to 100 feet.
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Technical ReportInstructions for installing pressure-temperature recorder(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1942-01-21)Instructions for installing pressure-temperature recorder including location of parts on the submarine and the general description of the apparatus. The instrument is composed of two main elements: a) the pressure-sensitive element; and b) the temperature-sensitive element.
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Technical ReportA slide rule for computing supersonic ray diagrams from bathythermograph data(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1941-11-05)This report, and the accompanying slide rule were prepared by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution for the National Defense Research Committee.
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Technical ReportOceanographic observations from the Semmes : Jan. 14-Feb. 14, 1941(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1941-04-24)Oceanographic Observations from the SEMMES Jan. 14-Feb. 14, 1941 On a recent cruise through the West Indies a program of oceanographic observations was carried out on board the experimental sound ship, the U.S.S. SEMMES, in conjunction with the submarine, TRITON. This work which began on January 14 at New London, Conn. and ended on February 14 at Key West, Fla. included a week of operations with the East Coast Sound School out of Key West. The bathythermograph, an instrument for measuring the sea water temperature continuously from the surface down to 75 fathoms, was used for oceanographic observations.
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Technical ReportExamples and outline of certain modifications in isentropic analysis(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1941-01-31)Isentropic analysis in this country originated with a particular purpose in view, namely as a means of using moisture distribution to determine flow patterns in the atmosphere It revealed, very successfully, certain theoretically anticipated patterns. Subsequently it has come into general use in connection with upper-air analysis but for the most part its application is dominated by the original particular purpose. A rather different approach is to use isentropic analysis in a more purely descriptive fashion as the principal tool for upper-air analysis. This demands that an isentropic chart represent synoptically as much useful information as possible and that all phases of its preparation receive due care.
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Technical ReportOverturning of the Subpolar North Atlantic Program (OSNAP): RAFOS Float Data Report June 2014 - January 2019(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 2020-12)The Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Program (OSNAP) is an international effort started in 2014 dedicated to achieving a better understanding of the link between dense-water formation and the meridional overturning circulation in the high-latitude North Atlantic. Moorings, gliders, and subsurface acoustically-tracked RAFOS floats have been used to collect temperature, salinity, and current data across the Labrador Sea, Irminger Sea, Reykjanes Ridge, Iceland Basin, Rockall-Hatton Plateau, and Rockall Trough. The specific objective of the OSNAP float program is to gather information on the pathways of the dense overflow waters transported by the deep limb of the overturning circulation and assess the connection of those pathways with currents observed crossing the OSNAP mooring line. This data report details the observations collected by 148 floats that were deployed for OSNAP during the summers of 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Deployment locations were in the Iceland Basin, Irminger Sea, and in the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone. Mission lengths ranged from 540-730 days, and the floats were ballasted to passively drift at a fixed pressure of either 1800, 2000, 2200, 2500, or 2800 dbar to tag the deep overflow water masses of the subpolar North Atlantic (Iceland-Scotland and Denmark Strait Overflow Waters).
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Technical ReportAcoustic release systems(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1968-07)In the fall of 1967 an extended program of tests was begun to evaluate several types of acoustic anchor release devices available on the market. This program was.prompted by a.need to isolate and correct problems which came to light after, several years of use of the O.R.E. system. Two other systems, one made by Raytheon and the other by American Machine and Foundry Co., were tested. This report deals with previous use of O.R.E.'s system by the W.H.O.I. Buoy Project and the testing program in 1968 and with the Raytheon and A.M.F. test series. Detailed description of these systems and their operation will not be undertaken in this report. Reference is made to data published by the respective manufacturers.
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Technical ReportHydrographic station data : Caribbean Sea, Atlantis II cruise 78 and Knorr cruise 37(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1974-12)During Cruise 37 of the Research Vessel KNORR,91 hydrographic stations were occupied,most of them in the general area of the Windward Passage, eastern Cayman Basin, Mona Passage and across the Caribbean Sea from Puerto Rico to Venezuela. Vertical profiles of potential temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and dissolved silicate are presented. The data lists include, in addition to the observed parameters, such computed values as pressure, potential temperature, potential density, specific volume anomaly, sound velocity, dynamic height, potential energy, Vaisala frequency and Vaisala period. Also included in the data lists are 28 hydrographic stations occupied during November 1973 on Cruise 78 of the Research Vessel ATIANTIS II in the Windward Passage, Central Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean just east of the Lesser Antilles.
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Technical ReportA compilation of moored current meter data from the North Pacific : (the "Zonal" Experiment, 1983-1985) volume XLI(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1987-05)Summaries of long-term current, temperature and pressure measurements from moored instruments in the western Pacific Ocean (ranging from 152°W to 165°E longitude and 31° to 41°N latitude) are presented. There were two consecutive settings of instruments, referred to as zonal I and zonal II, each spanning a one-year interval. There were, for the first time, 2 two-year mooring deployments, which were successful. Tables, plots and statistics include filtered and unfiltered data, as well as merged and single setting data. The objective of the experiment was to define the basic properties of the low frequency variability in the mid-latitude North Pacific.
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Technical Report2017 program of studies: ice-ocean interactions(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 2018-11)The 2017 Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Summer Study Program theme was Ice-Ocean Interactions. Three principal lecturers, Andrew Fowler (Oxford), Adrian Jenkins (British Antarctic Survey) and Fiamma Straneo (WHOI/Scripps Institution of Oceanography) were our expert guides for the first two weeks. Their captivating lectures covered topics ranging from the theoretical underpinnings of ice-sheet dynamics, to models and observations of ice-ocean interactions and high-latitude ocean circulation, to the role of the cryosphere in climate change. These icy topics did not end after the first two weeks. Several of the Fellows' projects related to ice-ocean dynamics and thermodynamics, and many visitors gave talks on these themes.
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Technical ReportRadio-tagging of whales(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1966-05)We recount here a series of attempts to tag and track whales at sea without catching them. Radio transmitters of 140 Mc were attached to the backs of whales from helicopters. Tracking the tagged whales was attempted by ship and by airplane receiving systems.
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Technical ReportStratus 16 Sixteenth Setting of the Stratus Ocean Reference Station Cruise on Board RV Ronald H. Brown May 5 - 20, 2017 Rodman, Panama - Arica, Chile(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 2021-01)The Ocean Reference Station at 20°S, 85°W under the stratus clouds west of northern Chile is being maintained to provide ongoing climate-quality records of surface meteorology, air-sea fluxes of heat, freshwater, and momentum, and of upper ocean temperature, salinity, and velocity variability. The Stratus Ocean Reference Station (ORS Stratus) is supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Observation Program. It is recovered and redeployed annually, with past cruises that have come between October and May. This cruise was conducted on the NOAA research vessel Ronald H. Brown. During the 2017 cruise on the Ronald H. Brown to the ORS Stratus site, the primary activities were the recovery of the previous (Stratus 15) WHOI surface mooring, deployment of the new Stratus 16 WHOI surface mooring, in-situ calibration of the buoy meteorological sensors by comparison with instrumentation installed on the ship, CTD casts near the moorings. Surface drifters and ARGO floats were also launched along the track.