PIRATA/AEROSE Cruise Surveys the Tropical Atlantic

Scientists with AOML's Physical Oceanography Division participated in the 2017 Prediction and Research Moored Array in the Atlantic (PIRATA) Northeast Extension/ Saharan Dust AERosols and Ocean Science Expeditions (AEROSE) cruise aboard the NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown from February 19-March 25. During the 35 day, nearly 7,500 nautical mile journey from Montevideo, Uruguay to Charleston, South Carolina, the science team measured the upper ocean and near-surface atmosphere of the tropical Atlantic. The region is known for its strong climate variations and the generation of Atlantic hurricanes, with impacts on rainfall rates and storm strikes for the surrounding continents of Africa and the Americas. PIRATA is supported by Brazil, France, and the US. AEROSE is an internationally recognized series of field campaigns led by scientists at Howard University and NOAA to explore African air mass outflows and their impacts on climate, weather, and environmental health.

Scientists prepare a conductivity-temperature-depth frame to measure water properties.