Hey All,

Here are the pics from the deployment!

Silbo and the APEX float that was deployed. photo credit: Ben Allsup, Teledyne Webb Research

Chris DeCollibus of TWR and Silbo on the dock before deployment. photo credit: Ben Allsup, Teledyne Webb Research

Test Dive photo credit: Ben Allsup, Teledyne Webb Research

The Bear is About! photo credit: Ben Allsup, Teledyne Webb Research

If there is one important lesson we have learned through the years, it is that the more resources the better.  So now with the beginning of the new leg of this mission, we have a number of products we will be using to get Silbo to his destination and for future gliders involved with the Challenger Mission.  First off, we will continue using the NLOM/NCOM/MODIS data provided to us by ULPGC.  NOAA is providing us with access to their new operational global HyCOM forecast system.  Thanks to Antonio, GEOEYE and Seawifs will provide us with some new products that will prove to be a huge help while we are out in the open waters, however when we eventually move east of the 20˚W meridian, we will be in range of Spain’s ROM data which will give us very high definition imagery and data.  Finally, also supplied by Antonio, we will have a forecasting system that will give us not only real time data, but predictions up to 96 hours into the future!  Seeing how much our friends from across the ocean provide, it is hard to imagine how we could pull off missions of this magnitude without international collaborations- something that will be key for the future when we take the challenger gliders around the world.

Bathymetry contour map of the sea floor between the Azores and Madeira

The image above shows another map of the bathymetry which compliments the maps I have posted in the past showing that although there are regions of protruding rock from the sea floor, there are no land marks that come close to 1000m from the surface.

The following four images are from the HYCOM model showing currents overlayed on Density, Salinity, Temperature, and Sea Surface Height.  All layers show the eddy solar system discussed earlier that Silbo is currently battling.

HYCOM Sea Surface Density & Currents

HYCOM Sea Surface Salinity & Currents

HYCOM Sea Surface Temperature & Currents

HYCOM Sea Surface Height & Currents

The next image is of the NLOM/NCOM data which show a similar pattern as the HYCOM of the eddie system.

NLOM Sea Surface Height overlay with NCOM Sea Surface Currents

Finally, I will leave everyone with the time series profiles that are being freshly compiled as Silbo makes his way from the Azores to the Canaries.  The following are two links from John Kerfoot (our data architect) where the scientific imagery and engineering diagnostic data can be found

Density recorded by Silbo

Salinity recorded by Silbo

Temperature recorded by Silbo

Sound Velocity through water recorded by Silbo

Again a special thanks to Ben Allsup and Chris DeCollibus for their hard work on prepping Silbo, getting him back in the water and getting such excellent pictures!

Force, Wind, Sea & Honor to all!

Nilsen Strandskov & Antonio Ramos