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Author Topic: Organic Growth on Reef  (Read 19228 times)

Jeffrey Pearce

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Organic Growth on Reef
« on: August 02, 2013, 10:31:37 PM »

I realize this may not be the best place on the Forum to ask the following question.

Where on the Tighar website can I find the best depiction of the contour intervals below sea level and in the vicinity of NIKU 007's research area?

Also, is the seabed totally covered with an organic growth to the extent that something beginning its trip down from the surface-AE's Electra-would be likely to get mired in the organic growth?

Jeff #3396R

[topic moved to more suitable board]
« Last Edit: August 03, 2013, 08:45:58 AM by Bruce Thomas »
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Ric Gillespie

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Re: Organic Growth on Reef
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2013, 07:41:50 AM »

Where on the Tighar website can I find the best depiction of the contour intervals below sea level and in the vicinity of NIKU 007's research area?

If you'll look at the second illustration in the May 28, 2013 research bulletin Niku VII Analysis Update, each contour line represents 100 meters of depth. The shallowest line is at 300 meters.

Also, is the seabed totally covered with an organic growth to the extent that something beginning its trip down from the surface-AE's Electra-would be likely to get mired in the organic growth?

No.  The amount of botanical marine growth on the reef varies from year to year depending on changes in water temperature but never extends below about 300 meters because that's about the deepest that sunlight from the surface can penetrate.  Below that depth the reef is a cold, dark, dead world of coral covered with a dusting of "talus," the snow-like stuff you see in the videos.
« Last Edit: August 03, 2013, 08:44:53 AM by Bruce Thomas »
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Jeffrey Pearce

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Re: Organic Growth on Reef
« Reply #2 on: August 05, 2013, 12:54:53 AM »

Thanks much, Ric!

As a geologist and as a cartographer I just want to mention something I've seen in the subsurface contours west of the Bevington Object. West and south of Contact 16-0026 there is indicated by the contour pattern a WNW dip of the sea floor. West and north of 16-0026 the NW component turns back to a more westerly direction to the dip but STILL a little north of due west. There indeed appears to be an inflection point to the contours at 16-0026. If this area were above sealevel one could see the hint of a "drain" in that area. This is where a creek or stream might be because of the controlling influence of the ground.

If an object on its way down in the vicinity of 16-0026 were able to bounce off the seabed unimpeded by organic growth there could be some controlling influence of the direction of dip of the seabed to influence the downward path of this object.

If seabed dip has controlled the downward movement of an object I believe what this would mean is that instead of the object moving due west from the Bevington Object it would instead move west AND a little north over time.
« Last Edit: August 05, 2013, 02:15:50 AM by Jeffrey Pearce »
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Jeffrey Pearce

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Re: Organic Growth on Reef
« Reply #3 on: August 05, 2013, 10:39:43 PM »

Can a calculation be done to determine if the Bevington Object could have floated free compliments of the pressure in the tire and once the object got in deep enough water to escape its contact with the seabed?

The direction of movement of Richie's Object appears to contradict the general indicated direction of dip(which is perpendicular to the contour lines) of the seabed? It's interesting to think that if Richie's Object is the Electra's landing gear with air still in the tire, the buoyancy provided by the tire may result in the direction of movement of Richie's Object when the north to south current is taken into consideration?

Jeff, Member 3396R
« Last Edit: August 05, 2013, 11:59:40 PM by Jeffrey Pearce »
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John Ousterhout

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Re: Organic Growth on Reef
« Reply #4 on: August 06, 2013, 06:46:14 AM »

Jeffrey - yes, such a calculation can be made, but keep in mind that the water pressure at that depth will have collapsed the tire, losing it's buoyancy.  I'm not certain of the internal volume of the large low-pressure air tires used, but a 36 inch diameter torus with 12 inch width (roughly the same size I'm guessing) would displace 8527 cubic inches, or 37 gallons, or a bit more than 300# of seawater.  That's 300 pounds of buoyancy, which may be enough for your scenario.  It probably wouldn't float, that oleo strut and structure looks heavy, but it also wouldn't drop to the sea floor like an anchor.  As it sank it would tend to bounce along with the current, becoming heavier and less mobile as water pressure collapsed the trapped air.
As I recall a rule of thumb, 2 feet of sea water depth produces about 1 psi increase in pressure.  A 24psi tire would reach equilibrium at about 50 feet, and would begin to collapse (lose volume and buoyancy) below that depth.
Cheers,
JohnO
 
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Tim Collins

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Re: Organic Growth on Reef
« Reply #5 on: August 06, 2013, 07:25:07 AM »

What is the state of organic growth on the reef flat?  Would it show any evidence of a hard (probable?) landing by the Electra?
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Ric Gillespie

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Re: Organic Growth on Reef
« Reply #6 on: August 06, 2013, 07:55:57 AM »

What is the state of organic growth on the reef flat?  Would it show any evidence of a hard (probable?) landing by the Electra?

The only organic growth on the reef flat is a thin layer of algae in some areas that make the surface quite slippery to to walk on.  I would think that any marks in the algae left by tires during a landing would quickly re-grow.
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Jeffrey Pearce

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Re: Organic Growth on Reef
« Reply #7 on: August 06, 2013, 08:58:07 AM »

That's 300 pounds of buoyancy, which may be enough for your scenario.  It probably wouldn't float, that oleo strut and structure looks heavy

Very good, John. Well, it looks at the moment like we have an open possibility, at least between you and I, that the Bevington Object could possibly have floated on the surface? and how far? This subject may have been discussed at the July 2012 Earhart Search 75 conference in Arlington. I can't recall. It of course would be great if this could be answered.

Jeff, Tighar 3396R
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Jeffrey Pearce

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Re: Organic Growth on Reef
« Reply #8 on: August 07, 2013, 04:54:51 PM »

If the Bevington Object floated it may not be available for examination. Who knows where it may be. Could it still be floating? Probably not for more reasons than one. Someone may have picked it up. Or, it eventually sank somewhere.

Is there any hard data on the strength, direction of surface/underwater currents in the Niku007 search area?

Jeff, #3396R
« Last Edit: August 07, 2013, 04:56:29 PM by Jeffrey Pearce »
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