Bob Ballard to search for Earhart plane

[Ted G Campbell]

Thank you Bill, where is Ric on this issue?
Ted

[Ric Gillespie]

Thank you Bill, where is Ric on this issue?

I'm limited in what I can say by our agreement with National Geographic - but I'll remind you that this is not my first rodeo.

[Ric Gillespie]

Can anyone point me to the maps of the ROV dives?  Thanks!

The new TIGHAR Tracks will include an article titled "The Search So Far" - an overview and summary of all the underwater searching we've done at Niku to date.  Included is a map showing all the sonar targets identified in 2012 and the tracks of all the ROV dives.

The PDF TIGHAR Tracks should go out on Tuesday.  The print version will follow a few days later.

[Ric Gillespie]

In layman's terms what is the difference in Sonar Tech being used compared to the sonar used in the 2012 TIGHAR expedition?

Based on publicly available information, the technology Nautilus uses has advantages and disadvantages compared to what we used in 2012.

• Nautilus's hull-mounted multi-beam sonar is better than KOK's, but I can't quantify how much better.  Multi-beam is useful for mapping the undersea topography (bathymetry) but its usefulness in searching for objects is a function of its resolution.  KOK's multi-beam did not have sufficient resolution to see something as small as even an intact Electra.
• The best tool for spotting targets is side-scan sonar but the steepness of the reef slope at Niku makes towed-array side-scan difficult.  Flying the "fish" parallel to the slope results in a fore-shortened image on the reef side while the ocean side sees only water.  In 2012 we used side-scan mounted on an AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) to fly up and down, rather than across the slope.  The AUV couldn't go deeper than 1,500 meters. We still had all kinds of problems but the area got covered. Nautilus uses towed-array side-scan sonar deployed from an ROV. Their ROVs can go much deeper than ours could. In theory, they'll have less capability than we had on the steep slope down to 1,500 meters but good capability at greater depths where the slope moderate.
•  ROVs (Remote Operated Vehicles tethered to the ship) with HD cameras are a good way to investigate sonar targets. In 2012 we used a fairly nimble medium-sized ROV but we still had to be super careful to avoid fouling the tether on the steep reef slope. The Norwich City wreckage at about 300 meters is an especially bad neighborhood.  Our ROV could only go to about 800 meters. Nautilus' ROVs can go to 4,000 and 6,000 meters respectively but they are much larger and might have a more difficult time on the shallower steep slope.

Bottom line: Nautilus might have trouble looking where we've already looked but they can look deeper than we could.

[Ric Gillespie]

Thank you Ric (and Pat) for putting up with your own members. That too is a significant achievement. 

The credit goes to all the members of TIGHAR who support us with talent, hard work, and hard cash.
You can't lead a cavalry charge if you don't have a horse.

And  I guess "thanks" go to the guys who first came to you and said "Hey . . ."

Indeed.  Sadly, Tom Willi and Tom Gannon are both gone now. 

[Joy Diane Forster]

Ric,

Good summary/comparison of the ROV & sonar capability for the water search.

What can you tell us about the land archaeology?

Thanks.

[Ric Gillespie]

What can you tell us about the land archaeology?

Not much.  They've said they're going try again to find bones at the Seven Site using forensic dogs.

[Greg Daspit]

I hope the Ballard team is prepared to put some of their focus on the sides of the reef.  I still think the evidence is there.  Good luck to all of them!

Agreed. Especially focus on the first 200-300ft deep shelf below the Bevington Object.  I hope they have good luck with the equipment and search.

This is one of the better articles I've seen.
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/true-stories/new-evidence-that-could-solve-the-mystery-of-famed-aviator-amelia-earharts-fate/news-story/0be4bf5ebb043851c98b88896c9afe58

[Karen Hoy]

Good article, but the guy in the white shirt wasn't Fred Noonan.  ???

Karen Hoy 2610ER

[Ric Gillespie]

Good article, but the guy in the white shirt wasn't Fred Noonan.  ???

Lots of other problems with that article.

[Ted G Campbell]

Thanks Leon.  That's what I ment, let's share the information.

Re your other point concerning TIGHAR's open info. what does "All Rights Reserved" mean on TIGHAR's publications?
Ted

[Martin X. Moleski, SJ]

From John Gubata via email:

I tried to register but at login I receive an error message stating the my email address must first be validated.

I just wanted to pass on to the members this screenshot  taken on August 9th at 1 am EST from the https://www.vesselfinder.com/ website which is showing the location of the E/V Nautilus at Nikumaroro.

It's been hard to get current information on Dr. Ballard's expedition to Nikumaroro Island but it is possible to track the Nautilus' AIS beacon. I've been following the ship since it's departure from Apia, American Samoa on Tuesday/Wednesday to it's present location off Nikumaroro where it arrived within the last 8 hours.

Well.....guess what?

Although the stated itinerary called first for a mapping survey of the island's surrounding area, the ship has dropped anchor at the precise location where TIGHAR believes Earhart's aircraft landed and was subsequently washed away down slope.

Wasting no time. The blue dot may be a ROV.

I hope the other forum followers will find this as exciting as I do.

Many thanks to Rick and all the other TIGHAR members for this remarkable journey of deductive reasoning and hard core research.

[Bill Mangus]

Well done, John Gubata!

Welcome aboard.

[Walt Holm]

Hi Marty:

Thanks for the tip on tracking the AIS beacons of the ships.

Today I noticed that the Nautilus moved down into the vicinity of the landing channel, and then later in the day moved back up to the vicinity of the Norwich City.  I'm wondering if what's going on is that in the morning they are supporting mapping tasks with the autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) and aerial drones, and then later in the day they shift to ROV work, which can continue throughout the night.  Lather rinse and repeat every day.

The last time I checked the site you linked, there was a second ship there.  Perhaps the ship with the land team has arrived?

[Walt Holm]

Hi Marty:

   Now that I went back and re-read your post from early this morning, you noted a second AIS contact then as well.  That's a bit puzzling to me.  With the two-ROV stack that Nautilus uses (Argus and Hercules), nothing stays on the surface.  Perhaps their ASV has an AIS transponder, but why would it have been deployed when you posted, which was still nighttime at Niku?  Interesting.