January 03, 2007
Scientists Studying USS Arizona's Trapped Oil
The Sea Hunters dove the wreck of the USS Mississinewa, an oil tanker sunk off Palau during WWII. The US Navy returned to the vessel in the 90's to remove oil leaking for the ship, by Hot Tapping. To watch video from of the Mississinewa check out the Featured Video on the Home Page, Find it on the Shipwreck Map or search the Live Dive archives.
By Michael E. Ruane
Washington Post
WASHINGTON — For 65 years, the wreck of the USS Arizona has been leaking oil from its grave at the bottom of Pearl Harbor, staining the water, visitors often say, as if it were the ship's blood.
The leaks come from about 500,000 gallons of thick, bunker C fuel oil that remain trapped in the deteriorating hulk — oil whose "catastrophic" release experts now think is inevitable.
Even as the nation recently observed the 65th anniversary of the attack that plunged the United States into World War II, scientists at a federal research center in Gaithersburg, Md., are trying to predict when the release might happen. In five years? Or 50? And to do that, they are building a model of the ship: not of plastic and glue, but of data.
The experts at the National Institute of Standards and Technology think it is the first mathematical model to simulate the deterioration of a sunken ship and could be used to predict the deterioration of hundreds of wrecks around the country.
Similar models, which are run with ultra-powerful computers, are used to forecast the weather, design cars and simulate crashes.
"To my knowledge, nobody has published or spoken of modeling the deterioration of sunken ships," said Timothy Foecke, a metallurgist at the institute who is supervising the work.
"What we're trying to do is ... predict stability of shipwrecks," Foecke said. "In particular, we're working on the Arizona, but it also has application to hazardous wrecks ... all around the coast, dating back to World War I. There's ships with munitions, with hazardous cargoes, with all kinds of different things."
The work is part of the USS Arizona Preservation Project, headed by the National Park Service and the USS Arizona Memorial.
"The overall project goal is to model and characterize the deterioration processes ... to predict when we may have potential structural collapse," said Matthew Russell, project director. It is impossible to remove the oil from the ship because that would disturb what he said is "an enormous tomb."
READY TO SAIL
On Dec. 6, 1941, the Arizona took on 1.2 million gallons of heavy fuel oil at its berth in Pearl Harbor. The ship was scheduled to make a Christmas trip back to the West Coast the next weekend. The fuel, which was so heavy it had to be atomized for use in the engines, weighed 4,000 tons and was stored in more than 200 tanks, or bunkers, spread across four deck levels throughout the vessel.
In the Japanese attack the next morning, a 1,700-pound bomb plunged through the ship's deck, detonating in an ammunition compartment. The explosion obliterated a section of the Arizona's bow, blasted backward toward the stern and vented out the smokestack. It also set much of the oil on fire, burning for three days.
The battleship — three times the size of the Statue of Liberty — settled to the bottom in 34 feet of water, along with the bodies of more than 1,100 sailors and Marines.
The Arizona, which was launched in 1915, is 91 and has been submerged for six decades.
Science is not sure how the metal in old ships fares for long periods under water.
The Civil War submarine CSS H.L. Hunley, which sank in 1864, was surprisingly intact when it was raised from the protective mud off the harbor of Charleston, S.C., in 2000.
The turret of the USS Monitor — which sank in the Gulf Stream off Cape Hatteras in 1862 — was in worse shape when it was recovered in 2002.
COMPUTER MODEL
Sooner or later, though, submerged metal wrecks are reduced to "an iron ore deposit," Foecke said.
To assess that process on the Arizona, he and guest institute scientist Li Ma have built a "finite element model." They took the ship's blueprints, carved out an 80-foot section from the middle and entered its dimensions into a computer.
They then used special software to break the section into about 200,000 data blocks, or elements, and entered what they knew about the properties of the metal, corrosion and damage.
Scientists also entered into the model what they knew about external forces on the vessel: such things as pressure from the water, the bottom, gravity and waves.
The result is like a single frame from a movie, Foecke said, and it then becomes possible to play the movie, by adjusting the data, and see how it might turn out.
Foecke, who keeps pieces of the Arizona's steel hull in an office safe, says the model is not perfect.
It "will give us a time frame within which we can expect (the ship's) failure and the general type of failure — upper decks breaking down, lower decks erupting up, hull tipping in or out — but not exactly where," he wrote in a recent e-mail.
CORROSIVE INSTABILITY
Foecke said an early version of the model has been run, gradually "corroding" the metal thickness in small increments. When it was thinned 75 percent, parts of the structure grew unstable, but that kind of corrosion is not expected to happen for 10 or 20 years, he said.
"We think that nothing serious is going to happen for about 10 years, plus or minus years," Foecke said.
When the structure collapses, Foecke said, the oil will "erupt" toward the surface.
"It's going to break the wreck up and open," he said. "The oil does have buoyancy, and it's trying to find a way out, and there's quite a lot of it."
Even though Pearl Harbor is fairly industrialized, Foecke said, a big leak would create "a huge mess."
A spill of 100,000 gallons of jet fuel in 1987 fouled a mangrove swamp and a wildlife refuge, and took two months to clean up, according to news reports of the time.
Douglas Lentz, National Park Service superintendent of the Arizona Memorial, said extensive plans are in place should a large leak occur.
But Russell, the project director, thinks any Arizona collapse would take place gradually. "There won't be any single, serious collapse that releases all the oil," he said. "But we're trying to get an indication of when the first wave of releases may occur."
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Posted by victoria at 01:46 PM
April 16, 2003
All's Well That End's Well
Typhoon Kujira, which was predicted to hit Ulithi, moved 130 miles north of the island. Everything appears fine in this area, winds were at 150 mph and she is now heading toward the Philippines.
The Sea Hunters will not dive again. After speaking with Jim Delgado via satellite link the team will head for Guam and then home.
Posted by victoria at 07:50 PM | Comments (0)
April 14, 2003
Big Problem
After warnings received yesterday April 13th, The Sea Hunters have been told that the must leave Ulithi for the safety of Yap due to an approaching typhoon. Typhoon Kujira is clearly visible on the satellite. Her wind speed is in excess on 100 mph, eye is 20 miles in diameter, she is moving at 10 mph. Following a course of 10 degrees north for the past 2 days it is likely that she will hit Ulithi. The team needs to pack and will leave by 14 00 hrs.
Posted by victoria at 12:32 PM | Comments (0)
April 12, 2003
Return to Wreck Site
Today John Davis and Marc Pike headed out to the wreck site. The team was able to install a new marker and line on the stern.
Tonight they were invited to a fundraiser for the local high school during which our mixer and sound designer, John Rosborough, played guitar and sang. A good time was had by all.
Posted by victoria at 09:16 PM | Comments (0)
April 11, 2003
New Arrivals
This afternoon after their 6th dive on the Mississinewa, Mike and Warren met up with the rest of the Sea Hunters Team. With no time to rest Mike and John Davis went exploring on the interior of the island. They saw the runway and other war debris left by both the Japanese and Amerians who were positioned here.
As low tide went out Mike and John explored other equiment forgotten in the shallow waters of Ulithi. Airplane engines and other chunks of rusted metal litter an otherwise perfect coastline.
Posted by victoria at 08:37 PM | Comments (0)
April 09, 2003
Hot Tapping
In August of 2001, as a result of requests from the Yap Sate Government, a team of US experts were assembled to survey the Mississinewa wreck site to determine the source of leaking oil. During their survey a leak was discovered and repaired. However it was also established, at that time, that due to corrosion the potential existed for oil to leak, in the future.
It was decided that the remaining oil on the Mississinewa would be removed through a method known as “hot tapping”. Hot Tapping works by means of divers tapping into the oil cargo and fuel tanks and then rigging submersible pumps and hoses to allow pumping of the oil to a barge on the surface. During the removal of the Mississinewa’s oil the dive team installed 20 hot taps along the hull. Given that the navy divers were also able to cut diver access holes they were able to reach two internal tanks and offload that oil as well. Upon completion it was estimated that 1.95 million gallons of oil was pumped from the wreck site preserving the livelihood of the inhabitants and the pristine Pacific ecosystem.
Posted by victoria at 11:00 AM | Comments (0)
April 08, 2003
The Memorial on Mangejang Island
Warren and Mike have continued diving over the past few days. They also were able to visit the USS Mississinewa Memorial.
On February 10, 2003, in the midst of the US Naval operation to remove the remaining oil from the wreck, the crew and residents of Ulithi held a memorial aboard the Salvor in remembrance of the men who lost their lives aboard the Mississinewa. The following week a permanent memorial was constructed 2 1/2 miles from the wreck on the unoccupied island of Mangejang, serving as an everlasting tribute to the sailors of the USS Mississinewa.
Posted by victoria at 06:47 PM | Comments (0)
April 06, 2003
Mississinewa: Dive 2
Yesterday Mike and Warren met with the Chiefs and got their first look at the wreck site. There were good visuals on during the dive. The bow is on the portside and the rest of the vessel is upside down.
This morning they planned to head out at 9am, however, the entire population of the island was at church, to which the Sea Hunters were invited.
They left for the dive at 10:30am and arrived at the first site at 11am. Mike and Warren were able to dive for over 100 minutes. There are some promising targets in the area.
Posted by victoria at 05:54 PM | Comments (0)
April 04, 2003
From Yap to Ulithi
There was no dive today. Mike and Warren headed over to Ulithi, the island they will be diving from. There was a death in the village so, all the chiefs have gone to another island for a funeral. The Sea Hunters spent the day preparing for a cursory dive on the Mississinewa.
Posted by victoria at 02:41 PM | Comments (0)
April 03, 2003
My Manta Rays Alright
Today was Mike and Warren's first full day on the island of Yap. After getting a tour and meeting 3 chiefs yesterday it was time to dive.
Every Diver Wants to See a Manta Ray
The manta ray is a type of cartilaginous or jawed fish. They are closely related to the shark but the rays are very flat. They can grow to a huge size, the average fin span ranges from 14 to 20 feet in width. The word manta is Spanish for blanket which accurately describes their appearance. Also described as resembling a giant bat, the manta ray can weigh up to 3000 pounds. They have been known to leap out of the water, to aid in the birth process (they give birth to live young), accidentally destroying small boats in the process.
Posted by victoria at 03:51 PM | Comments (0)
March 31, 2003
Three Days to Micronesia
This morning Mike and Warren Fletcher left Canada for a 3 day journey to Ulithi Atoll. Sometime tomorrow the pair will arrive in Japan. They will continue on to Guam arriving in Yap the following day, April 2nd. Good Luck.
Click the image for a larger view.
The Federated States of Micronesia also known as Oceania are an island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and Indonesia. The group includes: Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands (where The Sea Hunters are), and Kosrae (Kosaie)
The total land mass of all 607 islands is about 702 sq km. These islands have heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt. Typhoon season is usually June to December.
Posted by victoria at 10:36 AM | Comments (0)
March 30, 2003
War in the Pacific
History of Japanese/American Conflict
Prior to the 19th century Japan was run by a feudal system. The system emerged out of the civil wars in the 15th century. During this period men who held military power obtained large land holdings. These men were known as the Samurai. A Samurai would partition his land and these small pieces would be farmed by peasants. The peasants worked the land and were protected by the Samurai, in exchange for a portion of the agricultural profit. The Samurai would use what he received from the peasants to pay the Shogun, in Edo, (now modern day Tokyo), to whom he was accountable.
The feudalism in Japan can be divided into 5 periods; the last being that of Tokugawa period. Tokugawa ruled as Shogun and led Japan into an era of national seclusion. Under his rule the Japanese were not allowed to leave Japan, to trade abroad, and any foreigners entering the country were strictly monitored. There was an unyielding emphasis was placed on absolute submission to the rules and complete obedience, evidence of which can still be seen in their culture today.
As the turn of the century approached Tokugawa’s corruptive reign was all but over. The isolation that he had imposed had weakened Japan. The people were poor and starving. In 1868 Tokugawa resigned and Emperor Meiji took control. Meiji took Japan on a new course toward a new industrialized, western model of Japan. By 1889 there was a new western-style constitution and a strong resurgence in traditional values and national pride. This was made apparent when during the Sino-Japanese War (1894-5) when Japan defeated China and the Russo-Japanese War (1904-5) when they defeated Russia.
Under the rule of Meiji’s son Yoshihito Japan joined the allies in WWI. Instead of participating to a great extent in the fighting they used the opportunity to fully expand its damaged economy, through shipping and trade. With the end of the war and a new Emperor by 1926, Japan’s nationalism increased and their military grew. They invaded Manchuria in 1931 and embarked on all-out hostilities with China in 1937.
They joined forces with Germany and Italy in 1940. In an attempt to stop Japans advance into the war the U.S. imposes an oil embargo. Japan sends a special envoy to Washington to commence talks. While they are meeting Japan deploys a secret attack force to Pear Harbour. On December 7th 1941 the strike force attacks setting in motion the events that would bring on the worst man made explosion in history.
Posted by victoria at 10:24 AM | Comments (0)
The Sea Hunters Head to the South Pacific
Tomorrow The Sea Hunters will depart for Ulithi Atoll in the South Pacific. There they will dive the USS Mississinewa.
On November 20, 1944, while at Ulithi anchorage, Caroline Islands, and carrying a full load of fuel oil and aviation fluid, the USS Mississinewa was struck by a “Kaiten”. A “Kaiten” was a Japanese suicide torpedo. A solider manned the craft to ensure a direct hit, while guaranteeing his own death. The Mississinewa was the first victim of this newly-introduced Japanese weapon.
Today the USS Mississinewa is one of many sunken ships which exist as unmarked war graves to the sailors who were lost during the attack.
Posted by victoria at 08:11 AM | Comments (0)
