JASON VII
April Expedition

Shark Science



Shark Science Team

Locations/Science:

  1. Wreck site off of the SSV Carolyn Chouest
    Smell/taste versus sound will be tested at the wreck site. Low frequency irregular pulsing sound (40-600 Hz) will be broadcast via an amplifier/underwater speaker system. This sound represents the distress of large prey. To test the senses of smell & taste, frozen chum (fish parts and blood) will be lowered into position.

    The key questions that will be demonstrated are:

  2. Humps NR-1 would record images (stills/video) of sharks in the “humps” area. Depth and position as well as species data would be recorded.

    The key questions are:

  3. Tracking Boat
    Sharks will be caught using line and rod. The species, approximate size and sex will be determined and then the animals will be tagged with a transmitter. Two hydrophones are placed on boat which relay the position and depth of the shark every 10 minutes. These measurements will be relayed via VHF radio to the SSV Carolyn Chouest. The location of the tracking boat is known via a GPS (geographical positioning system) system so the location of the shark is calculated relative to the tracking boat. Temperature data is recorded via XBT’s (bathymetric temperature probes). A map showing the movement of the shark will be produced on the SSV Carolyn Chouest with the data.

    The key questions are:

  4. Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, Florida (March 25/95)
    Visual stimuli versus sound stimuli (40-600 Hz) were tested in a dumb-bell shaped tank at Mote Marine Laboratory (on sand and nurse sharks). The half dozen visual targets tested were selected from 50 targets built by JASON students. A combination of observations including species of shark attracted, length of time, hits etc. was collected and will be available online, along with images of all the shark targets received.

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Gene Carl Feldman (gene@seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov) (301) 286-9428
Todd Carlo Viola, JASON Foundation for Education (todd@jason.org)
Revised: 31 March 1996