About

NOAA Ship Rainier - Newport OR

The Internship:

The hydrographic NOAA ship Rainier will be my home for eight weeks this summer where my internship as a Hydrographic Assistant Survey Technician will certainly offer my most exciting learning experience to date. This ship is one of the most modern and productive hydrographic survey platforms of its type in the world. Designed and outfitted for conducting coastal hydrographic surveys in support of NOAA’s nautical charting program, the ship supports high-precision near-shore surveys off the U.S. Pacific Coast, and in Alaskan coastal waters.

My voyage will begin from the Rainier's home port, Newport, OR around mid-May 2012, where we will set out to survey the ocean floor (bathymetry) near the coast of Kodiak and nearby islands in the Bearing Sea. The ship will dock at various locations approximately every two weeks to re-supply.

Ship Tracking

To track the Rainer simply click on this link: NOAA Ship Tracker and select the Rainier from the drop down box. If that tracker is not functioning (this may occur once we get further north) you may follow us at marinetraffic.com. Type RAINIER in the "go to vessel" box.

 

 

Job Description:

Assigned as Hyrdrographic Assistant Survey Technician - I will serves on a ship, a launch, small boat, or field party conducting hydrographic survey operations. Responsible for safety of personnel, vessel, and equipment; pollution controls; personnel oversight. At the discretion of the Command, and only after meeting hydrographic ship qualification standards for Officer-In-Charge (OIC) of a launch or small boat, may be assigned as OIC responsible for launch, small boat, or shore party activities.  Operates and monitors instruments and equipment; conducts data acquisition, data quality control, data annotations, data review, data quality assurance, and data processing in support of hydrographic surveying operations.  Maintains oceanographic and/or survey instruments and equipment. Recognizes and reports instrument and equipment problems to supervisor.  Operates computer software programs for data acquisition and data processing. Recognizes and reports data acquisition and data processing problems; recognizes and reports computer software or system problems to supervisor.  Maintains department work and storage areas; includes cleaning, organizing, sweeping, swabbing, and other duties as assigned. Assists in preparation for survey operations. Assists in the compilation and management of survey data; preparation of reports; final data processing; preparation of survey data for transmittal.  Assists in the preparation of equipment and supplies for tide or horizontal control field work and sound velocity data acquisition. May work independently and serve as OIC of such field work as assigned.  Stands watches including security watch, lookout watch, or quartermaster watch as required. Handles mooring lines and assists with mooring details and small boat operations as required.

Equipment on Board:

The Rainier is equipped with the Kongsberg EM710 Multibeam Sonar System and a Rolls-Royce Moving Vessel Profiler (MVP) 200 sound speed acquisition system, and the ship’s five aluminum survey launches are equipped with four Reson 7125 dual-frequency multibeam sonars, one tilted Reson 8125 multibeam sonar, one ODOM Echotrac CV200 vertical beam echosounder, and HYPACK and HYSWEEP Hydrographic Data Acquisition Software. The ship and launches also carry data acquisition and processing computers, Differential Global Positioning Systems (DGPS/PPK), Applanix POS/MV Positioning and Attitude Systems and an assortment of bottom samplers, tide gauges, land survey equipment, and sound velocimeters. Two 19-foot small boats are used for diving and shore support operations, such as the installation and removal of tide gauges and DGPS control stations.

In 2008 and 2009 Rainier received four new survey launches, designed to support NOAA’s multiple scientific missions. The launches were each outfitted with a large A-frame for deploying a variety of scientific equipment, swim platform for dive and rescue operations, and cutting edge survey systems and technology.

The concurrent use of several multibeam systems allows Rainier to cover large survey areas in a field season. The ship’s hydrographers acquire and process massive amounts of data and create high-resolution, three-dimensional terrain models of the ocean floor. Using these models of the seafloor, hydrographers can quickly analyze the bottom and identify shoals and obstructions dangerous to navigation.

Scientists can also use the three-dimensional images to study the geologic processes that created and are changing the shape of the bottom. Backscatter data acquired during the survey are now being utilized for fisheries habitat mapping.