Rutgers University professors Drs. Scott Glenn, Oscar Schofield, and Josh Kohut, in concert with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) led the effort to send a robotic vehicle across the Atlantic in order to raise awareness of and inspire students to engage in oceanographic research.
The glider, dubbed Scarlet Knight, was navigated by students from the Rutgers University Coastal Ocean Observation Lab (RUCOOL) and traveled more than 4,500 miles during its 7-month voyage. Departing from Tuckerton, NJ (not Bayonne)
the Scarlet Knight was brought ashore in Baiona, Spain, famous for being the landing site of Christopher Columbus' ship, the Pinta, in March 1493.
"The historical success of this event may one day be measured in the tremendous educational and international outreach that this collaborative effort has spawned. By involving and entraining others in the exciting process of daring and discovery, we hope to share awareness about our environment and inspire a next generation of thinkers and explorers. We feel that this success is a significant step towards deploying fleets of capable, sensor-laden gliders for multi-year transoceanic operation and ultimately changing our fundamental understanding of world ocean dynamics," stated Clayton Jones, Teledyne Webb Research's Senior Director of Glider Development, in a release.
For more information about the mission of the Scarlet Knight visit http://rucool.marine.rutgers.edu/atlantic/
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