pH and Chris Ikeda, RTC-SFSU

Chris Ikeda, RTC-SFSU

My first day on the ship, ten days ago today, there were several key scientists already hard at work. As I carried supplies, built frames, bolted down tables, and did whatever I was told to do, there was one young man that worked tirelessly by himself. The only sounds from his work area were the breaking beats of underground rap as he began a process that would take a over a week to complete.

After months of planning, Chris Ikeda another bright mind and rockstar scientist from San Francisco State University's Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Sciences (RTC-SFSU) systematically fed special lines from inside the hangar to outside, attached pressure connectors, and calibrated machines, both at the two

Dr. Bill Cochlan, chief scientist
and principal investigator for our research
RTC-SFSU

computers as well as the multiple sensors and meters. While I took breaks at night, always making time to eat, Chris continued to work, asking for a plate instead to be saved. Many nights, after our work was done, Brian Bill (NOAA), Chief Scientist (ChiSci) and lead Principal Investigator (PI) Dr. Bill Cochlan (RTC-SFSU) along with Co-PI's Dr. Mark Wells (University of Maine) and Dr. Charlie Trick (Western University, London, Ontario) could be found outside with Chris discussing these instruments and working through challenges along the way. Any observer could see that this was important work, crucial to the mission of this laboratory at sea. 

Co-principal investigators:
Mark Wells, Univ. of Maine
pictured right, Charlie Trick, Western
University, Canada

This set up is the result of months of planning and testing in the lab; then, a week of work day and night to get it running as planned. Chris Ikeda (RTC-SFSU) is the one responsible for this important work.  

Besides a few asides about his taste in music, Chris quietly worked and politely refused any help from me and others for the most part, and when he was finished, I could see why. The amazing result of plumbing and electrical innovation had to be precise, as he was reading one of the most sensitive and critical pieces of data for every experiment on board: pH.

When I asked Chris about the science, that's when he really opened up. The passion for the marine science is evident in his enthusiasm and seriousness of purpose of his work. I listened and took notes intently as he spoke.

Oceanic acidification seems to the buzz phrase that is becoming more important to the global science community with new research warning of the repercussions of an increasingly less basic ocean. The ocean will never truly be an acid, but when we talk about oceanic acidification or OA as it's termed, we are talking about the gradual movement of the ocean's pH lowering closer to neutral than ever before. The pH scale measures the amount of hydrogen ions available. A lower number on the pH scale is acidic; higher numbers are basic or alkaline. The numbers range from 0 to 14 with the extremes of this range being the most powerful. Bleach would be a strong base at pH 13; stomach acid (HCl) would be a strong acid nearing a pH of 1; and pure water would be neutral right in the middle with pH 7. Our global ocean has an understood pH value of 8.10 and was 8.21 before the industrial revolution. 

Coffee in the morning tastes better
with this kind of entertainment!

Our work here is important analysis of the ocean. "We are taking the pulse of the ocean," as Dr. Cochlan describes it. I will go into more depth about this global OA movement and our work at sea in the coming posts. Chris's pH reading contraption is connected to two incubators, one as the ocean is now and another artificially manipulated to simulate the ocean in the future according to the readings from our samples. It's really fascinating, so check back tomorrow for more details!

Remember to check out Denis Costello's perspective on the day to day here at sea as well: socalcostello.blogspot.com.