Image

Landing the Catch

Over the continental slope, east of Veatch Canyon and south of Nantucket Island, WHOI biologist Peter Wiebe (left) and summer student Jon Fincke helped retrieve the “HammarHead” towed vehicle. Named for its developer, engineer Terry Hammar, the towed frame contains a new broadband acoustic scattering system. Broadband techniques let scientists distinguish different kinds of small ocean animals based on how they scatter sound at varying frequencies, and are being developed by WHOI scientist Andone Lavery. WHOI biologist Gareth Lawson led the July 2010 cruise to locate schools of krill in undersea canyons and test the new system’s ability to estimate krill size and abundance.(Photo courtesy of Peter Wiebe, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)