Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center in the Field
Science Center Objects
In the Field; Land, Sea, and Air
Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center scientists and staff study coastal and ocean resources and processes from the land, sea, and air, to shorelines and estuaries to the continental shelf, deep sea, lake floor, river bottoms and shallow subsurfaces environments.
We have implemented new safety and fieldwork processes to maintain social distancing to ensure the safety of our employees and communities while following guidance from federal, state and local authorities.
| Location | Dates | Purpose | Equipment | Platform | Data Types |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Cod National Seashore | Fall, 2020 | The objective of this study is to characterize the beach and nearshore morphology and evaluate the USGS Total Water Level and Coastal Change forecasts at sites within Cape Cod National Seashore. | Sensors | on foot | Meteorologic time-series data. Wind speed & direction, atmospheric pressure, air temperature, Relative humidity, and precipitation |
| Cape Cod, Massachusetts | Ongoing | Continuous monitoring of surface water and pore-water depth, salinity, and temperature, soil temperature and meteorological data in several estuary systems across Cape Cod to examine environmental geochemistry and health of the estuary. | Sensor - light, Other, In-Situ AquaTroll 200 (CTD) | on foot | Environmental Data: Temperature, Environmental Data: Pressure, Environmental Data: Light, Environmental Data: Depth, Environmental Data: Conductivity |
When wetland plants in the northeast emerged this spring, USGS scientists were working from home and unable to start many planned research activities. However, many instruments were already deployed and continued to collect information critical to USGS research. These instruments still need visits occasionally to download data and make sure there aren’t any problems. Pictured here is an eddy flux tower, which measures greenhouse gas fluxes continuously.
(Credit: Meagan Gonneea, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center. Public domain.)
Instruments continue to collect vital data during workplace closures. Here staff perform maintenance on an eddy flux tower located within a phragmites wetland at the Cape Cod National Seashore. The instruments on this tower measure methane and CO2 fluxes related to plant and soil processes day in and day out for the entire year. This information is critical for understanding how wetlands that have been cut-off from tidal exchange, such as at the Herring River, impact greenhouse gas fluxes to the atmosphere.
(Credit: Meagan Gonneea, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center. Public domain.)