Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 11/10/2008 - 13:42
Forums
Oden Antarctic Expedition 08

How are you planning to answer your questions on how organinisms affect the production and destruction of greenhouse gases? What are you going to mesure and how?

Jeremy, Rye jr High School  

Tue, 11/11/2008 - 17:18

Jeff Peneston

Jeremy!
Great questions.  First, I am only the assistant to the scientists on board the Oden so I will not be planning experiments or measuring much.  However, my understanding of their research plan is that they already know the kinds of gasses that add to global warming (greenhouse gasses) and they suspect that some kinds of biologically produced gasses can also reduce global warming.  The real question is “what kinds of gasses are actually being given off by the community of algae and bacteria in the sea ice.”   One of the ways they will determine this is to collect sea ice cores with algae and bacteria in them (I get to help with this) and then melt the ice and grow the organisms in the lab.  They will study how they grow and measure the gasses they give off while they are sealed in containers in the lab.  In another experiment, the team will place gas collection chambers (think of an overturned bucket) directly on the snow and sea ice outside the ship.  Over a day, they will collect the gasses that come out of the sea ice from the biological communities living in the ice.  In both of these questions, the scientists will measure what kinds of gasses are released and how much gas is produced.
I hope this helps, but please ask this question again in about a month when I am on the sea ice and I can ask the scientists for a more complete answer.   I will also be able to show you photos of the equipment we are using.
Take care,
Jeff Peneston