In May, NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey released the NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson from her planned hydrographic survey assignments, to enable timely scientific missions near the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Beginning June 3, Thomas Jefferson began a new research mission. The objectives of this mission are to develop a robust methodology for detection of submerged oil, and to then use that technology to detect if there is oil entering the coastal zone and to run baseline transects from the spill site toward the west.
On June 2, Dr. Jane Lubchenco, NOAA Administrator, briefed reporters on the June research mission being undertaken by the Thomas Jefferson. She was joined by Cmdr. Shepard Smith, commanding officer of the Thomas Jefferson, and Dr. Larry Mayer, professor and director of the University of New Hampshire's Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping.
Listen to audio of the briefing here.
For information about the response effort, visit http://www.restorethegulf.gov.