Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
Technological Innovation and National Defense
Defending our Coastlines
Since the beginning of oceanography in the early nineteenth century, the big advances have been the result of new developments in technology, which are like windows into the ocean that nobody鈥檚 ever seen before.
Michael Twardowki, Ph.D. | 麻豆精品视频Harbor Branch | Research Professor
The Issue
More than 70% of the planet is covered by water. However, only a small percentage of the oceans have been studied. Technological advancements are allowing scientists to reach deeper depths of this mysterious realm and in new, noninvasive ways.
In addition to learning more about the natural world, uncovering the mysteries of deep-sea ecosystems can benefit people, like revealing new sources for聽medical drugs, food and energy resources, and even benefit the Nation鈥檚 coastline security.
Information from ocean exploration can also help聽predict earthquakes聽and tsunamis and help us understand how we are affecting and being affected by changes in the Earth鈥檚 environment.
- More than聽70%聽of the planet聽is covered by water
- More than聽80% of the ocean is unmapped, unobserved and unexplored
- 鈥淔lorida current鈥� portion of the Gulf Stream could generate between聽4 and 6 gigawatts of power
- Less than聽20% of the global seafloor has been mapped
- Florida鈥檚聽military and defense industry provides $95 billion聽in economic impac
麻豆精品视频Harbor Branch Taking Action
Our Team
Benjamin Metzger
Mechanical Engineer
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
Aditya Nayak
Associate Professor
College of Engineering and Computer Science
Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering
Bing Ouyang
Associate Research Professor, HBOI | Affiliate Professor, OME
College of Engineering and Computer Science
Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering
Wayne Slade, Ph.D.
Associate Research Professor
Ocean Engineering and Applied Technology
Jeffery Smith
Research Machinist
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
Michael Twardowski, Ph.D
Research Professor, HBOI | Affiliate Professor, OME
College of Engineering and Computer Science
Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering
Csaba Vaczo
Research Engineer
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
National Defense Technologies
Engineering advanced technology is critical to providing enhanced security across the Nation. 麻豆精品视频Harbor Branch works with major defense contractors and the U.S. Department of Defense to better understand the oceanic environment in which the Navy operates and the biological, chemical, and physical processes that regulate that environment. One research project is investigating the potential to use vocalizations from resident fish populations to warn against coastline invasion. As an added benefit, this important work also yields insights that inform overarching solutions for degraded coastal and ocean environments.
Renewable Energy
One of the world鈥檚 strongest currents, the Gulf Stream, flows at speeds up to 5.6 miles per hour and transports nearly four billion cubic feet of water per second from Florida to Europe. The Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center (SNMREC) is a U.S. Department of Energy recognized center at FAU, focused on the safe and responsible use of marine renewable energy from the Gulf Stream. The ultimate goal is to harness this extreme natural force to power some of Florida鈥檚 most populated coastal communities sustainably. At the core of SNMREC research is a novel ocean turbine prototype created and deployed by 麻豆精品视频Harbor Branch ocean engineers. The Institute is poised to take this technology from prototype to landing a permanent place within the Nation鈥檚 alternative energy portfolio.
Unmanned Underwater Research
The advent of Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) technology has dramatically increased the efficiency, frequency and depth of underwater exploration missions. AUVs are specialized robots capable of operating on their own using onboard computers, sensors and batteries. These instruments can conduct missions for months at a time, traveling vast distances and diving to depths of more than 18,000 feet. Scientists at 麻豆精品视频Harbor Branch develop and use specialized AUVs outfitted with advanced sensors to collect oceanographic data and study such topics as the physical features of the seafloor, ecology of deep-water coral reefs and endangered fish spawning aggregations.
Ocean Optics
Light is the foundation of life on the Earth and in the oceans. The color and clarity of seawater, as well as the dissolved and particulate materials suspended within it, play an important role in the transmission of sunlight through water. From images of microscopic particles to space satellite photographs of entire coastlines, the interdisciplinary team of ocean optics researchers at 麻豆精品视频Harbor Branch develop transformative optical technologies to gain better visibility and understanding of the critical processes within our oceans.
Our Outcomes
- Increased coastal security utilizing state-of-the art ocean engineering and applied technology
- Novel AUVs and sensor technology deployed for oceanography studies and exploration
- Enhanced visibility and understanding of the critical processes within our oceans
- Marine renewable energy generated by the Gulf Stream current as sustainable resource
Resilience and disaster are the two faces of nature. And resilience continually adapts to new emerging threats. So technology inspired by resilience in nature is our best chance to make our lives safer in a changing world.
Laurent M. Ch茅rubin, Ph.D. | 麻豆精品视频Harbor Branch | Associate Research Professor
How You Can Help
Tools and technologies are critical in allowing scientists to reach farther depths of the ocean and answer previously unanswerable questions. Your support can expand ocean exploration capabilities, help uncover and safeguard their immeasurable resources for the benefit of humankind and secure our coastline from foreign-born threats.
Thank you for considering supporting this critical research area. Harbor Branch values our donors as key partners in helping to achieve our vision:聽鈥淥cean Science for a Better World庐.鈥�
Marine science suffers because we can鈥檛 see through the water with precision. We need to take on this difficult task to expand the capabilities of modern, deep-sea exploration.
Derya Akkaynak, Ph.D. | 麻豆精品视频Harbor Branch | Senior Research Fellow
Ocean Engineering & Technology Team
Benjamin Metzger
Mechanical Engineer
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
Aditya Nayak
Associate Professor
College of Engineering and Computer Science
Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering
Bing Ouyang
Associate Research Professor, HBOI | Affiliate Professor, OME
College of Engineering and Computer Science
Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering
Wayne Slade, Ph.D.
Associate Research Professor
Ocean Engineering and Applied Technology
Jeffery Smith
Research Machinist
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
Michael Twardowski, Ph.D
Research Professor, HBOI | Affiliate Professor, OME
College of Engineering and Computer Science
Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering
Csaba Vaczo
Research Engineer
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute