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A research project from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Global is providing valuable information about the effects of melting glaciers in Patagonia that feed into coastal fjords, transporting sediments, freshwater and nutrients. Dr. Chris Konek, science director at ONR Global in Chile, said the research will help the Department of the Navy (DoN) understand the effects of a changing climate on the coastal environment. “That’s the kind of the thing the Marines need to be able to handle,” he said. “It’s basic research and so it will help provide a fundamental understanding of this aspect of coastal systems where you can expect more things like this to happen in the future – more glacial melting as opposed to less.” Cristian Escauriaza, professor, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, is the principal investigator along with his university colleague, Megan Williams. They are working with the Filantropía Cortés-Solari, a conservation organization that owns and manages the Melimoyu Elemental Reserve in northern Patagonia. Patagonia is largely remote with a diverse ecosystem and a rich array of wildlife, including penguins and blue whales. Konek said ONR Global is interested in Escauriaza’s project for its potential to inform what’s happening to that ecosystem, which can also help inform what’s happening to other coastal regions experiencing the same challenges.

Systems Learning Applied to the Tactical Environment (SLATE) ONR Technical Candidate

The Office of Naval Research announced its 2011 Young Investigator Program.

See a list of the 2012 recipients of the U.S. Department of the Navy's Young Investigator Program.

Fidelity Assessment of Forecasts (FACEOFF)

A new mobile app from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) is just a download away – expanding ONR’s reach to a wider and more diverse audience, and increasing awareness of its role within the Department of the Navy (DoN). The user-friendly “ONR” mobile app has been approved for downloads on DoN work phones, as well as the general public, giving access to ONR information to anyone who wants to learn more about naval science and technology. The “ONR” app is based on a similar mobile platform used for several years by the Department of the Air Force. It is free to anyone through Apple’s App Store and Google Play. Simply search for “Office of Naval Research” on your preferred platform. If downloading to a DoN work phone, tap the Flank Speed Comp Portal app on your GFE mobile device. Tap the Apps Menu, then scroll to categories. The “ONR” app is located in the reference category.

The International Cooperative Engagement Program for Polar Research (ICE-PPR) International Workshop for Sea Ice and Icebergs was held recently at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. The workshop attendees focused on three areas: science and technology researchers who study data and create new algorithms or sensors; the centers that produce ice analysis products for mariners; and the operators themselves, personnel from the U.S. and Canadian Navies and Coast Guards who have operated ships in polar regions.

For creating the most comprehensive global map of the ocean floor, ONR performer Dr. David Sandwell received the Charles A. Whitten Medal, sponsored by the American Geophysical Union.

Assessing surf zone conditions has never been an exact science for the Department of the Navy. That’s about to change thanks to a recent request to TechSolutions, which has resulted in new surf observation (SUROB) technology to make operational forecasts more precise. For the past six months, a team of scientists and engineers from the Naval Research Lab (NRL) and the U.S. Army’s Engineering Research and Development Center (ERDC) have been developing the technological tools needed to create a more precise surf observation report. In order to gain greater insight into how the surf observation tool may improve warfighter operations, NavalX recently organized a workshop that brought together the science and engineering developers with the Sailors and Marines who would use it. TechSolutions received the request less than a year ago for a technology-driven solution for surf observation from Maj. Zachary Taylor, a technology officer with the Marines’ Warfighting Lab. Within weeks, TechSolutions began working with the development team at NRL and ERDC to come up with a prototype.

Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. Kurt Rothenhaus will moderate a panel of industry leaders at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space Exposition, April 8-10, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.