Flags and Cups, Oh My!
The science of the cruise might be over, but science is everything and all the time! Today was styrofoam cup day! Yahoo. I thought for sure we wouldn't get to the cups. The dredge was the only science traveling to the ocean floor, but due to the design of the dredge, there was no way we could safely attach a bag of styrofoam cups.
But today, thanks to the support of the MT department, and the consent of the bridge, we attached the cups to about 300 lbs (136 kg) and a winch, sending the artistically drawn styrofoam drinking instruments down 800 meters.
Okay all you math people. I have two questions. If we sent the cups down to 800m at 40m a minute, how long did it take the cups to get to 800 meters and... drum roll please. What was the pressure exerted on the cups at 800 meters?
I have amazing penguin magnets for students who attempt this mathematical problem and give me answers with correct LABELS and the complete formulas. Thanks for trying.
Oh, one more question. Why did the cups not come back to the surface in a uniform size? Each cup was in the same bag and went to the same depth, hence shouldn't they be uniform in shrinkage?
Over six and a half months ago I started sending out expedition flags across America and the world. This part of the outreach for me has been a labor of love, friendship, and the power of social media. My friends were absolutely amazing in their assistance in covering the United States, and today was the first day we flew the flags. Everyone pitched in tying the flags together and since we wanted to take them outside, every flag needed to be attached securely to its partner flag, no flags overboard.
Our first plan was to drape the flags from the bridge to the bow, but with 15 knot winds it was deemed a bit dangerous and foolhardy by the captain. Our secondary plan was off the back of the bridge.
What a sight indeed, over 150 flags, flown in the southern ocean, representing the time, energy and dedication of so many, THANK YOU.
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