NOAA Ship Ferdinand R. Hassler - Lessons Learned from the First Years of Survey Operations

Lieutenant Commander Samuel Greenaway
Executive Officer, Ferdinand R. Hassler

NOAA

Friday, Apr. 4, 2014, 3:00pm
Chase 130
Abstract

This talk will present the Ferdinand R. Hassler, NOAA's newest hydrographic survey ship. At 125' in length and 900 tons, Hassler is a SWATH (twin hull, small water plane) vessel and presents new challenges and opportunities in conducting survey operations. Her primary survey instruments are two Reson 7125 shallow water multibeam systems and one Reson 7111, and two independent POS-MV position and attitude systems. The implementation of the frequency modulated (FM) dual-head 7125 is discussed as well as challenges with vertical control in a relatively unstable craft. With a small crew and limited berthing for visiting scientists, continuous 24-hour survey operations are a challenge with traditional approaches; new techniques of minimally monitored acquisition and remotely processing data are being explored. Hassler will soon integrate a 25' survey launch into her operations and continue evaluation work with a EM3002 equipped Remus 600 AUV. Finally, current areas of collaboration between Hassler and CCOM are presented as well as some discussion of potentially fruitful areas of future work. 

Bio

Sam Greenaway is the Executive Officer of the NOAA Ship Ferdinand R. HasslerHassler is NOAA's newest hydrographic survey ship and is based in New Castle, NH. Sam graduated from Brown University with a ScB in Physics in 1998. He was initially commissioned into the NOAA Corps in 2004. In 2010, he graduated from the University of New Hampshire with an MS in Ocean Engineering.