S-MODE

I had been patiently waiting and dreaming about this research cruise for months. Yet a few days before traveling from Connecticut to Oregon for ship mobilization, I couldn’t shake a feeling of denial – like I couldn’t believe I was really going to be out in the Pacific Ocean on a research vessel for an entire month.

Thursday, October 27

Aircraft schedule:

• 1030:  G-III SF8 takeoff
• 1030-1130:  Twin Otter SF12 takeoff
• NET 1100:  B200 SF18 takeoff

Ship and in situ plan:

Going to sea for the first time as part of NASA’s S-MODE mission has been an experience like no other. You establish a new normal on the boat and quickly fall into new routines. Perceptions of time even change! I joked with some people on the boat that time is but a label on our samples. Perhaps that’s a bit dramatic, but normal perceptions of time do not apply at sea –especially if you start your day at 2 pm and finish at 2 am.

Wednesday, October 26

Aircraft schedule:

• 0830:  B200 SF16 takeoff
• NET 1000:  G-III SF7 takeoff
• 0800-1230 and 1330-1830:  Twin Otter SF10 & SF11 flight windows (weather permitting)
• 1400:  B200 SF17 takeoff

Ship and in situ plan:

Tuesday, October 25

Aircraft schedule:

• NET 1030:  B200 SF15 takeoff
• 1000-1130 (TBD):  Twin Otter SF9 takeoff
• 1100:  G-III SF7 takeoff

Ship and in situ plan:

Monday, October 24

Aircraft schedule:

• 1100:  G-III SF6 takeoff
• NET 1100:  Twin Otter SF8 takeoff
• 1200:  B200 SF14 takeoff

Ship and in situ plan:

Sunday, October 23

Aircraft schedule:

• 0800:  G-III PRISM preflight begins
• NET 1030:  G-III SF5 takeoff (weather permitting)
• 1100:  Preflight meeting for B200 SF13
• NET 1200:  Twin Otter SF7 takeoff (weather permitting)
• NET 1200:  B200 SF13 takeoff

Ship and in situ plan:

Saturday, October 22

Aircraft schedule:

• B200, Twin Otter, and G-III are hard down.
• All aircraft are planning midday flights for Sunday (weather permitting).

Ship and in situ plan:

• Bold Horizon will likely be in port over the weekend.
• Saildrones are moving east to survey frontal decay processes.
• Seagliders will maintain their lines, but have begun gathering together for recovery next week.

Science team meeting schedule:

Friday, October 21

Aircraft schedule:

• 0800:  G-III PRISM preflight begins
• NET 1030:  G-III SF4 takeoff (weather permitting)
• 1100:  Preflight meeting for B200 SF12
• NET 1200:  Twin Otter SF6 takeoff (weather permitting)
• NET 1200:  B200 SF12 takeoff

Ship and in situ plan: