Lesson 02
Progress our understanding of marine pollution
Slowly (emphasis on slow) rowing the Atlantic provides a unique opportunity to gather real time data like never before
Working closely with Plymouth University and the world respected Professor Richard Thompson OBE we’ve been set 4 experiments.
1. Plymouth University are developing new software to track large plastic items out at sea via satellite. If we spot an item we can tell them exactly where it is so they can search, spot and then track. This will also help to calibrate their system.
2. Daily visual count for plastic – for15 mins each day we log what we can see – this can then be cross referenced with modelled data.
3. Interestingly all the maps you see of the ocean ‘garbage patches’ are just data models based on ocean currents. They need real observations to determine if this is accurate. We are tasked with collecting plastic and logging its potential entry point via any labelling.
4. By 2024 Plymouth University will have developed small digital sensors that can collect real time data on levels of microplastics, temperatures, PH levels, etc. We will carry this equipment which will for the first time provide real time data across all spectrums in one go, giving a far more accurate understanding.