Investigators: Paff, Vincent, and Adams

1. Mystery Spill Crime Scene Investigation Investigators: Paff, Vincent, and Adams

2. Slide borrowed from Dr. Raphael Kudela

3. Slide borrowed from Dr. Raphael Kudela

4. Video Clip of Cleaning “Soiled” Birdhttp://www.santacruzlive.com/blogs/video/2007/11/20/sentinel-video-bird-bath

5. The Situation

6. HAB ?

7. Pesticides?

8. Oil Spill?

9. Slide borrowed from Dr. Raphael Kudela

10. How do Scientists Use Real-time Data? • Real-Time Data is data that is collected and disseminated within hours or weeks • In this case RTD on surface currents can help scientists trace and predict the paths of a mystery spill • CeNOOS Central & Northern California Ocean Observing System collects RTD on surface currents

12. RTD on Surface Currents • Scientist use High Frequency Radar to gather information about the direction and speed of the ocean’s surface currents. • High frequency radio waves are emitted by antennae and travel over the ocean • The waves scatter over the ocean and travel back to a receiving antennae • The returning waves allow scientists to determine the direction and speed of the surface currents

13. For a short tutorial about HFR and other types of Ocean Observing RTD go to CeNCOOS. Click on Module 1Tutorial written by Matt Binder, Summer Intern MBARI/Presenter EARTH 2009 Workshop

14. Vector Activity

15. See Module 2 http://www.cencoos.org/documents/classroom/CeNCOOS_CSM2_Teacher_Supplement.pdf

16. “An early red tide event in September, dominated by Cochlodinium, did cause a major mortality event in shellfish, but was not reported by the media. However, there were no toxins associated with the bloom that began in early November.”

17. If not a toxin – then what? • Bird Death was correlated with algae plume but if not toxic then what? • Dave Jessup (CDFA) proposed that it was the foam of the spill.

18. Feather and Foam Activity • Students will test feathers in salt water and salt water and foam (food colored whipped egg white) to test whether the proteinaceous foam is to blame for the degradation of the waterproofing capabilities of the seabird’s feathers. • Students will walk through the scientific method of this activity • Activity followed by what the scientists found.

19. S A simple experiment… This slide was borrowed From Dr. Raphael Kudela Pelican feathers dipped in seawater, foam, and sediment Foam exposure coats the feathers, collapses the down and allows the water to contact the skin Source: M. Miller, CDFG

20. Case Solved! • that resulted from the mixing of the decaying dinoflagellates • Proteinaceous foam compromised the water proofing characteristics of the seabirds’ feathers, causing their hypothermia. • Foam picture taken from Dr. Raphael Kudela’s EARTH 2009 presentation

21. Additional Background Material Timeline of Mystery Spillhttp://www.cencoos.org/sections/news/algal_bloom_2007.shtml

22. Possible Extensions • Student Research on HAB • Economic and Public Health Concerns • Student Research on HFR • Student Research on other Ocean Observing systems used in Forecasting Public concerns

23. Extension: Learning more about Harmful Algae Bloomshttp://www.cencoos.org/documents/about/HABs_Factsheet.pdf