R/V KATY Volunteer Training Manual

Marine Scienc

The Ecology and Sociology of the Mission-Aransas Estuary : An Estuarine and Watershed Profile

watershed profileThe Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) is one of 28 national estuarine reserves created to promote the responsible use and management of the nation's estuaries through a program combining scientific research, education, and stewardship. The purpose of this document is to provide researchers and resource managers with an adequate basis of knowledge to further development of scientific studies and applied management investigations. This document describes the different physical ecosystem components, ecological processes, habitats, and watersheds of the Reserve. The Mission-Aransas NERR is a complex of wetland, terrestrial, and marine environments. The land is primarily coastal prairie with unique oak motte habitats. The wetlands include riparian habitat, and freshwater and salt water marshes. Within the water areas, the bays are large, open, and include extensive wind tidal flats, seagrass meadows, mangroves, and oyster reefs. This site profile describes each habitat by their location, type, distribution, abundance, current status and trends, issues of concerns, and future research plans. Research within the Mission-Aransas NERR seeks to improve the understanding of the Texas coastal zone ecosystems structure and function. Current research includes: nutrient loading and transformation, estimates of community metabolism, water quality monitoring, freshwater inflow, climate change and fishery habitat. Harmful algal blooms, zooplankton, coliform bacteria, submerged aquatic vegetation, and marsh grass are monitored through the System- Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP). This document also describes the climate, hydrography and oceanography, geology, water quality, and endangered species within the Mission-AransasUniversity of Texas Marine Science InstituteMarine Scienc

Mission analysis of Hevelius-lunar microsatellite mission

This paper describes the mission analysis and design of the 'Hevelius - Lunar Microsatellite Mission'. The main goal of the overall mission is to place a net-lander on the far side of the Moon to perform some scientific experiments. Two different satellites have been designed to achieve this objective: a microsatellite orbiter to support the net-lander and a carrier spacecraft to transport the net-lander. An L2 Halo orbit has been selected for the orbiter in order to have a constant communication link between the landers and the Earth. The invariant manifolds of the Earth-Moon system have been used to design a low cost transfer trajectory to the L2 Halo orbit. Prior to the beginning of landing operations the carrier is parked into a frozen orbit after a WSB transfer. Finally the descent and landing phases have been designed in order to accomplish the final goals. The whole mission analysis and design process has been driven by the need for a low cost and low risk mission

Technology requirements of exploration beyond Neptune by solar sail propulsion

This paper provides a set of requirements for the technology development of a solar sail propelled Interstellar Heliopause Probe mission. The mission is placed in the context of other outer solar systems missions, ranging from a Kuiper Belt mission through to an Oort cloud mission. Mission requirements are defined and a detailed parametric trajectory analysis and launch date scan performed. Through analysis of the complete mission trade space a set of critical technology development requirements are identified which include an advanced lightweight composite High-Gain Antenna, a high-efficiency Ka-band travelling-wave tube amplifier and a radioisotope thermoelectric generator with power density of approximately 12 W/kg. It is also shown that the Interstellar Heliopause Probe mission necessitates the use of a spinning sail, limiting the direct application of current hardware development activities. A Kuiper Belt mission is then considered as a pre-curser to the Interstellar Heliopause Probe, while it is also shown through study of an Oort cloud mission that the Interstellar Heliopause Probe mission is the likely end-goal of any future solar sail technology development program. As such, the technology requirements identified to enable the Interstellar Heliopause Probe must be enabled through all prior missions, with each mission acting as an enabling facilitator towards the next

Mugar Greene Scholars Mission Statement

Printed transcript of the Mugar Greene Scholars' mission statement

A Cumulative Bibliography of the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR)

This document is cumulative bibliography for published works related to the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR). The document includes publications of the Mission-Aransas NERR and supporting publications that reference research completed within the Mission-Aransas NERR. The mission of the Mission-Aransas NERR is to develop and facilitate partnerships that enhance coastal decision making through an integrated program of research, education, and stewardship. The Mission-Aransas NERR is a component of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS). The NERRS is a network of coastal sites that operate as a partnership between the federal government and coastal states. The goal of this non-regulatory program is to perform long-term research in relatively natural settings. The program is administered through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Mission-Aransas NERR (185,708 acres or 751.5 km) is located in the Mission-Aransas Estuary. The lands within the Reserve are managed by a combination of state, federal and private entities. The Mission-Aransas NERR is managed by the University of Texas at Austin, Marine Science Institute.UT Librarie