The industry's recognized authority for design, engineering and application of equipment and services in the global ocean community
Issue link: http://sea-technology.epubxp.com/i/653412
56 st / March 2016 www.sea-technology.com Allied A-Frame For RV Sikuliaq Allied Marine Crane's innovatively redesigned A-Frame crane has re- cently been installed aboard the RV Sikuliaq. The A-Frame's cross beam rotates freely as it deploys, guaranteeing the load and lighting are properly ori- ented throughout the entire range of motion. The Allied A-Frame also possesses a unique maintenance pin design that creates an additional de- gree of freedom to provide an unprec- edented 172° range of motion. Rope pass-throughs for tugger winches maximize the operating envelope of the A-Frame, and there are electrical outlets at the cross-beam for ease of powering equipment. Harmful Red Tide Effects in Aquariums Many shore residents and beach- goers are already familiar with the health risks of red tide, or algal blooms along coastlines that can trig- ger respiratory illness and other ef- fects in people who inhale the toxins the algae release. Scientists report new evidence that similar effects can occur on a much smaller scale among home aquariums. Aquariums are dynamic mini- ecosystems, and some can release harmful toxins very similar to those that algal blooms release. Some own- ers have reported fevers, diffculty breathing, fu-like symptoms and other health problems after using hot water to clean their aquariums. Hot water on rocks that harbor algae and other critters creates steam that can then be inhaled. There is little scientifc evidence to shore up the link between aquari- ums and negative health effects, so researchers developed a method to rapidly test aquariums for toxins. They used their procedure to sample the soft coral and synthetic seawater from a home system when a family in the Netherlands fell ill and was hos- pitalized 45 min. after cleaning their aquarium. The samples had high lev- els of palytoxins, which are among the most potent nonprotein marine toxins known and a possible cause of red tide health effects. Although the results don't prove cause and effect, the fndings provide further support for the association. Wave Gliders for Whale Shark Research Whale sharks are a poorly un- derstood species globally. Many un- knowns remain about their feeding behavior, life cycle and distribution around the world. Utila, Honduras, has one of the few, year-round populations of whale sharks. The Whale Shark & Oceanic Research Center (WSORC) in Hon- duras is trying to answer questions involving migration patterns and pop- ulation trends, among other issues. Answering these questions might help better protect whale shark popu- lations in the region and ensure con- tinued beneft from their presence in the long term. In late 2015, WSORC teamed up with Liquid Robotics to start a proj- ect using autonomous drones to fol- ocean research XPONENTIAL 2016 is the one event that advances the entire unmanned systems industry. It is the intersection point for commercial and defense applications, and it represents all domains — air, land and sea. The future is here. Experience the latest technology you can't find anywhere else. xponential.org | #auvsiXPO May 2- 5, 2016 | New Orleans