This Coastal Connection is sponsored by Baths by Spicer Bros.
LEWES, Del. - The University of Delaware in Lewes is doing a series of studies to improve hurricane forecasting. One of the methods is by tagging sharks.
Scientists are tagging sharks to collect ocean data that could help forecasters better understand water temperatures and predict how future storms may strengthen or move. The work is part of an effort to map a region of colder water known as the "cold pool."
Caroline Wernicke, who is involved in the shark-tagging project, said researchers hope the animals can collect information while moving naturally through the ocean.
"So it's this idea of putting the sharks to work in their natural environment and getting that data that we can then use for hurricane prediction models," Wernicke said. "With the stage in the project we are, these tags haven't been put out on sharks in this application before."
The idea of using marine animals to collect ocean measurements dates to the early 2000s, when elephant seals were used in Antarctica to measure winter ocean currents, according to Wernicke.
Researchers have 16 species of sharks available for tagging as they work to determine the location of the cold pool. The sharks are handled humanely, and researchers place a satellite position tag on the dorsal fin in a location designed not to hurt the shark.
Sharks are not the university's only tool for studying ocean temperatures. Researchers also use a Slocum Glider, autonomous underwater gliders that sample conditions beneath the surface. The gliders are about 6 to 8 feet long.
Dr. Matthew Miller, a professor at the University of Delaware, closely monitors the gliders and said multiple institutions work together to collect ocean data. Miller said preparation for the gliders takes about a month and involves graduate and undergraduate students.
"In this region, in the mid-Atlantic, Stony Brook, Rutgers, University, University of Delaware, and Virginia Institute of Marine Science all have gliders and contribute to the effort," Miller said.
The combination of shark-tagging data and measurements from underwater gliders could give researchers a clearer picture of ocean temperatures before hurricane season and provide additional information for storm-prediction models.
