Discovering the Living Sea Discovering the Living Sea from the Air: NASA Airborne from the Air: NASA Airborne

Research Research

Dr. John Ryan, Ocean Dr. John Ryan, Ocean Researcher Researcher

Documented By Sherry Davis, Documented By Sherry Davis, NASA/AREE Teacher NASA/AREE Teacher

Participant Participant

NASA Airborne MissionsNASA Airborne Missions

• The National Air and Space The National Air and Space Administration has many science Administration has many science objectives other than the space objectives other than the space program. NASA is a major program. NASA is a major research agency assisting in the research agency assisting in the study of our global environment. study of our global environment. NASA partners with scientists to NASA partners with scientists to find answers to many find answers to many environmental problems.environmental problems.

Meet Dr. John Ryan Meet Dr. John Ryan

Dr. John Ryan is a Dr. John Ryan is a researcher at the researcher at the Monterey Bay AquariMonterey Bay Aquarium Research Institutum Research Institute. e.

He is interested in the He is interested in the cause of algal cause of algal blooms off the coast blooms off the coast of Monterey. Dr. of Monterey. Dr. Ryan has partnered Ryan has partnered with NASA to with NASA to research this research this problem.problem.

Scientific Problem Scientific Problem • Almost every year in the Monterey Almost every year in the Monterey

Bay area an algal bloom known as a Bay area an algal bloom known as a “red tide” kills sea life and “red tide” kills sea life and sometimes makes humans sick too. sometimes makes humans sick too. Dr. Ryan would like to know what is Dr. Ryan would like to know what is triggering the algal blooms. triggering the algal blooms.

The Culprit The Culprit • Dr. Ryan studies three different Dr. Ryan studies three different

dinoflagelates that are the probable dinoflagelates that are the probable cause of these red tide algal blooms. cause of these red tide algal blooms. Before we move on in our scientific Before we move on in our scientific investigation, let’s research some investigation, let’s research some background information about background information about dinoflagetes. dinoflagetes.

What are Dinoflagetes? What are Dinoflagetes? • Dinoflagetes are a type Dinoflagetes are a type

of microscopic protist of microscopic protist found in plankton. Most found in plankton. Most plankton consists of plankton consists of organisms that float in organisms that float in the top layer of the the top layer of the ocean. The dinoflagetes ocean. The dinoflagetes that cause “red tide” are that cause “red tide” are different. They can swim different. They can swim downward into deeper downward into deeper layers of the ocean to layers of the ocean to obtain nutrients and obtain nutrients and back up to obtain back up to obtain sunlight to sunlight to photosynthesize. photosynthesize.

• NASA’s DC 8 “platform” allows NASA and NASA’s DC 8 “platform” allows NASA and scientists more control of when and scientists more control of when and where imagery is collected than what can where imagery is collected than what can be scheduled to be taken by a satellite. be scheduled to be taken by a satellite.

• For more information on this DC 8 – For more information on this DC 8 – click hereclick here. .

NASA Airborne:NASA Airborne:Collecting Data from the SkyCollecting Data from the Sky

MASTER DataMASTER Data

NASA Airborne:NASA Airborne:Collecting Data from the SkyCollecting Data from the Sky

• DC 8 pilots at the DC 8 pilots at the NASA Dryden Flight NASA Dryden Flight Research Center Research Center prepare for flight prepare for flight over Monterey Bay over Monterey Bay to aide Dr. John to aide Dr. John Ryan with his algal Ryan with his algal bloom research. bloom research.

Collecting Data from the Collecting Data from the BayBay

Current Research Findings with Current Research Findings with Animations and Lecture from Dr. Animations and Lecture from Dr. RyanRyan

• Click on the picture to link to the lecture. Click on the picture to link to the lecture. • Use the Play, Pause and Chapter buttons to listen to the parts of Use the Play, Pause and Chapter buttons to listen to the parts of

the lecture that are of interest to you. the lecture that are of interest to you.

Related Activities Related Activities

• Please visit the following NASA/AREE Please visit the following NASA/AREE website to discover more exciting website to discover more exciting learning activities related to this learning activities related to this project. project.