Ocean Life News in Brief: October-01-2015

Clipper Round the World Yacht Race Racing to Rio 

Sail World reported on the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race as boats approached the end of the first leg set from Europè to Brazil across the Atlantic.“The countdown to Rio has begun for the frontrunners, as they beat upwind in good southerly Trade Winds,” the media reported. LMAX Exchange led until September 21 followed by Qingdao. Garmin, GREAT Britain, Derry~Londonderry~Doire, Visit Seattle, PSP Logistics and ClipperTelemed competed hard in the race through Trade Winds and escaping the Doldrums´ Dead Wind Zones. 

Australian Team Takes ISAF 2015 Youth Match Racing Worlds 

The International Sailing Federation ISAF reported that the Youth Match Racing Worlds ended with Team Australia taking the win. “Sam Gilmour and Team Australia have won the ISAF 2015 Youth Match Racing World Championships held out of Swinoujscie, Poland,” ISAF ended it.  

China Qingdao Sailing World Cup Delivers Adrenaline Rush and Spots for Rio Olympics

The final results of the ISAF Sailing World Cup Qingdao in China were released. “The final day at ISAF Sailing World Cup Qingdao was filled with tension as the Medal Races decided the podium places, Rio 2016 Olympic qualification spots and Abu Dhabi World Cup Final positions,” ISAF communicated.  Local Chinese sailors dominated the Men's 470, Finn, Laser Radial and Men and Women RS:X. 

WWF Deliver Apocalyptic Near Future Ocean Report 

A new report of the World Wildlife Fund WWF assures that almost half of the population of marine animals have declined in the past 40 years. WWF continues adding that a thirds of the fish stocks are overfished -disagreeing with new scientific reports which assure that fish stocks are actually more healthy than believed. WWF concluded in their new campaign that all coral reefs will be gone by 2050.

Journal of Marine Freshwater Research Published “Australian Red Dawn” Study 

New studies have linked the latest Australian Dust Storm with phytoplankton blooming. The study was published in the Journal of Marine Freshwater Research. The paper focused the dust storm of Sydney 2009 on September 22. “During and prior to the “Red Dawn” event, winds of 80-100 kilometers per hour were recorded in the western part of NSW, and elevated dust was recorded at numerous Dustwatch stations across New South Wales on September 22 and 23,” press reported. Earth to Ocean element cycles are well established and dust storms which take place in Africa, Australia and South America are known for “fertilizing” oceans with irons and other elements. During the Red Dawn incident “an estimated 2.5 million tonnes of sediment was lost off the Australian coast in a 3,000-kilometre-long dust plume, making it the largest loss of soil from the Australian continent ever reported”. 

First Double Asteroid Synchronized Earth Entry and Surface Contact Registered 

Researchers in Sweden have confirmed that a double meteor strike hit the Earth about 458 million years ago. Two craters, uncovered in the county of Jämtland in central Sweden, are being studied by a group of researchers from the University of Gothenburg. The craters were caused by two meteors that apparently struck the Earth at the same time, only a few miles apart.  At the time of the impact, the scientists say the area was under about 1,600 feet of seawater, with the smaller crater located approximately 10 miles from the larger. The impact created two large holes in extinct sea bed. Ocean waters are believed to have been displaced and rushed back in to fill the area. 

GEOMAR Focuses on Ocean Floors, Marine Resources and International Summits 

GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel -one of the World's leading Institutes in the field of Marine Sciences focused on the ecological consequences of mining manganese nodule fields found in “deep sea” environments. GEOMAR is working on the Joint European project “Ecological Aspects of Deep-Sea Mining”. GEOMAR also reported on the Open Science Conference of the Surface Ocean-Lower Atmosphere Study in Kiel where over 250 scientists from 35 countries met to discuss connections between our Ocean and the Atmosphere. GEOMAR released a “fascinating photo mosaic from the seafloor at 4 thousands meters of depth”. 

IMOCA 60 Skippers at Defi Azimut Fifth Edition 

From September 25 to September 27 the Fifth Edition of the Defi Azimut Exhibition Event counted with the participation of most of the IMOCA 60 Fleet. The event went down in Lorient France. IMOCA reported on the “”exceptional line-up”. “With the summer holidays over it must be time for the Défi Azimut IMOCA. True to form, this atypical exhibition event, which forms part of the annual programme for the top skippers, is returning for a Fifth Edition that promises to be especially tough given its top-flight line-up,” IMOCA anticipated. 

Whale Shark & Oceanic Research Center on the Honduras Calling 

The Whale Shark & Oceanic Research Center with open opportunities for divers and volunteers called for awareness on tourism impacts and ocean perceptions. “Utila’s (Honduras) first dive shop opened in 1991 and twenty years later there are over 10 dive shops and resorts. The growth of this dive industry and the low price of an open water course has lured in many budget travelers to the Caribbean island,” the organisation blogging from the frontline of Honduras reported balancing out benefits and impacts of the sector. 

Nature Communications Published Functional Ancient Gills Study for Latimeria 

An International Team of Scientists led by professor Paulo Brito of the University of the State of Rio de Janeiro Brazil assured to have discovered functional ancient gills anatomy in species of Latimeria chalumnae. The study referred to the ancient gills as lungs which fish have long evolved from using. Study assure that the “lungs” present in the specie studied were found to be functional in embryonic stages. The study was published in Nature Communications.

Countdown on for ESA CHEOPS Mission out to Search for Planets Beyond Solar System 

ESA -The European Space Agency continues to work in the the CHEOPS Mission set for launch in December 2017. CHEOPS will operate a telescope and other technology designed to find new Exoplanets -those beyond our solar system. CHEOPS -CHaracterizing ExOPlanet Satellite is designed to add new Exoplanets to the known list of Exoplanets which is today set at approximately 2 thousand. 

Nature Communication Published New Nitrogen-Plankton Study of Malaspina Expedition 

CSIC -The Spanish National Research Council communicated on another finding emerging from the Malaspina Expedition. Scientists of the Malaspina expedition led by CSIC confirmed that plankton living in tropical and subtropical regions of the planet require the largest input of world nitrogen sourced from deep ocean waters. Models estimated that this process of “nitrogen absorption” on part of tropical and subtropical plankton exceed nitrogen absorption undertaken by the atmosphere in the form of nitrogen gas. The conclusions once again branch out from the vast data and samples taken by the Hesperides Vessel. Results were published in Nature Communications.

REEF.Org Calls for Support in Acoustic Tagging Technology

REEF Organization called for support for acoustic tagging technology. REEF assures that the technology is one of the most powerful marine conservation tools available today. The group uses the technology in two of their active projects -Grouper Moon Project and Invasive Lionfish Program.