Skip to main content
Ocean Networks Canada

Ocean Networks Canada

Search form

Facebook iconTwitter iconLinkedIn iconYouTube iconFlickr iconInstagram icon

Menu

  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Jobs & Opportunities
    • Events & Workshops
    • Contact Us
    • Support Us
    • Annual Report 2019-2020
    • Organization
      • Leadership
      • Staff
      • Boards
      • Committees
    • Funders, Associate Members & Partners
      • Funders
      • Associate Members
      • Partners
  • Science
    • Science
    • Active Research
    • Highlights
    • Science Plan
      • Summary
      • Science Themes
    • Publications
      • General Interest
      • Academic
    • Getting Involved
      • Proposals
  • Innovation Centre
    • Innovation Centre
    • About the Innovation Centre
    • Success Stories
    • Contact Us
    • Smart Ocean™ Systems
      • Sensors and Instruments
      • Technology Demos
      • Ocean Observing Systems
      • Earthquake Early Warning
    • Partners & Networks
      • Industry Network
      • Global Partnerships
      • R&D Support
      • Students in Industry
    • Atlantic Partners
  • Learning
    • Learning
    • Learning Highlights
    • Learning Events
    • Partnerships
    • Contact Us
    • Ocean Sense
      • Community Observatories
        • Cambridge Bay
        • Campbell River
        • Kitamaat Village
        • Prince Rupert
      • Teacher Info
      • Student Info
      • Resources & Lessons
    • Get Involved
      • For Students
        • For Undergrads & Grads
      • For Educators
        • Educator Opportunities
      • For Communities
      • Ship2Shore
      • Citizen Science
        • Coastbuster
        • Digital Fishers
      • Youth Science Ambassador
    • Resources
      • Learning at Home
      • Educator Resources
      • Ocean Alive!
      • Oceanography 101
      • About the Observatories
      • Research Ideas
      • Student Reports
  • Observatories
    • Observatories
    • Arctic
    • Atlantic
    • Pacific
    • Mobile Platforms
    • Infrastructure
      • Data Facilities
      • Platforms
      • Devices & Sensors
      • Cables & Connectors
    • Expeditions
      • Wiring the Abyss
      • Expedition Logs
      • Maintenance Processes
    • Notices
      • Information for Mariners
      • Alerts
  • Data & Tools
    • Data & Tools
    • Highlights
    • Data Quality
    • Preview & Download
      • Preview & Visualize
      • Data Download Tools
      • State of the Ocean Plots
      • Ocean Report Card
    • Apps & Services
      • Mobile Apps
      • OPeNDAP Web Services
      • Related Sources
      • Earthquake Data Dashboard
    • Data Help
      • Usage Policy
      • Tutorials & Help Pages
      • Request Help
  • Sights & Sounds
    • Sights & Sounds
    • Terms of Use
    • Video
      • Live Video
      • Video Highlights
      • Video Archives
    • Images
      • Maps
    • Audio
      • Audio Highlights
      • Audio Archive
  • News
    • News
    • Stories
    • Newsletters
    • Calendar
    • Media Relations
      • Backgrounders
      • Downloads
      • In the News
      • News Releases
      • Media Contacts

About Us

You are here

  1. Home
  2. » News
  3. » Media Relations

Backgrounders

Sun, 2013-12-01 17:19

Sperm Whales

The sperm whale superfamily, called Physteroidea, includes only 3 living species; the sperm whale, the dwarf sperm whale and the pygmy sperm whale. Sperm whales are in a different genus than their smaller counterparts, but all three species share some similar features that are unique to this superfamily. All members of this group have relatively small and thin, under-slung lower jaws and simple teeth. Teeth may not erupt or may even be absent from the upper jaw. They have asymmetrical nasal bones, with a single blowhole on the top left of their heads. They also have a spermaceti organ; an organ unique to this group that is filled with a waxy, semi-liquid white substance called spermaceti which may serve as ballast for diving and aid in buoyancy control....

Read more...

Tue, 2012-05-01 00:00

Supporting BC's Economy

The ocean is vital to British Columbia's economy

Ocean-oriented activities in British Columbia account for eight per cent of B.C.'s jobs and seven per cent of the province’s GDP. Ocean sector revenues and government/not-for-profit ocean-oriented expenditures in B.C. represent  $11.6 billion annually.  Corresponding direct economic impacts included $5.76 billion in GDP, $4.2 billion in wages, salaries and benefits, and over 80,000 person-years of employment FTEs.

A world-leading asset for the province

The University of Victoria’s Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) manages the VENUS and NEPTUNE Canada cabled ocean networks as a world-leading ocean observatory, providing global access to continuous sea...

Read more...

Sun, 2011-05-01 00:00

The Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) Observatory

British Columbia leads the way in ocean observatory science

Over the last seven years, the Government of British Columbia has joined the Government of Canada in investing in the development of the world’s largest and most advanced cabled observatory—the Ocean Networks Canada Observatory. Through fibre optic cable, seafloor nodes and innovative scientific equipment, the observatory is changing the way we study the ocean, providing scientific evidence for policy-makers on a wide range of critical issues, and developing new worldleading technologies that will create jobs and economic opportunities for British Columbians. 

 

Today, the NEPTUNE Canada regional...

Read more...

Thu, 2013-09-26 13:32

Tides

Tides are a result of the gravitational attraction of the Moon and Sun on the Earth and ocean.

Tidal forces are a result of small gradients in the gravitational field. Tidal dynamics can be viewed in two reference frames: a non-inertial (accelerating) rotating frame relative to the center of mass of either the Earth-Moon or Earth-Sun systems, or the inertial non-rotating frame of reference (i.e. fixed with respect to the stars).

​Vectors showing tidal forces.

In the Earth-centric non-inertial reference frame, the net tidal forces can, for interpretation purposes, be divided into two parts; the gravitational...

Read more...

Thu, 2013-09-26 14:21

Time Series

A “time series” is a set of measured values separated by regular, or irregular, intervals in time. An example might be the temperature recorded from a thermistor every minute. The resulting time series, when plotted, will show how the temperature varied over time. The statistics of these variations are often of great interest. If it is a long record (i.e. decades), it might reveal climate variations. Short records might show daily heating and cooling, or the influence of mixing. Intermediate length records might show seasonal variations. Simple statistics might include the mean (average), or trend (slope) of the time series. The mean and trend are the first and second modes of a time series. More advanced analysis, i.e. auto-correlations and ...

Read more...

Mon, 2012-10-15 00:00

Vent Fauna and Chemosynthetic Bacteria

Life is usually thought to be driven by energy from the sun. The deep ocean is devoid of sunlight, yet life persists. While most of the abyss relies on photosynthetic surface productivity, hydrothermal vent communities use a different energy pathway, relying on a process called chemosynthesis. Specialized chemoautotrophic bacteria oxidize inorganic molecules contained in hydrothermal vent effluent and use the released energy to produce organic matter (carbohydrates) from dissolved CO2.

...

Read more...

Mon, 2012-10-15 00:00

Wally the Benthic Crawler

Deployed at a cold seep in the Barkley Canyon gas hydrate field, Wally the Benthic Crawler is equipped with sensors that measure temperature, pressure, water currents, salinity, methane, and turbidity. Wally’s webcam provides researchers with a detailed view of the seafloor sediments and local marine life. At a depth of 870 m, Wally is connected to the Barkley hydrates platform by a 70 m long cable and navigates a series of numbered way markers arranged along a seafloor tour route known as “Wally Land.”

...

Read more...

Pages

  • « first
  • ‹ previous
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

Calendar of Events

January 2021

  • « Prev  
  •   Next »
S M T W T F S
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Newsletter

Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter:

 

Tweets Follow @Ocean_Networks

 

Story Archives

Earthquake Early Warning
Jul 27, 2016

A Conversation with Dr. Ali Abdolali
Mar 31, 2015

False Killer Whales
Feb 27, 2015

Smart Ocean™ | From Sensors to Decisions
Oct 15, 2014

“Ocean Sense” and Community Observatories
Oct 2, 2014

Sharing Ocean Data
Aug 26, 2014

Seals and Sea Lions
Dec 1, 2013

Sei Whales
Dec 1, 2013

Grey Whales
Dec 1, 2013

Fin Whales
Dec 1, 2013

Humpback Whales
Dec 1, 2013

Dolphins
Dec 1, 2013

Orcas (Killer Whales)
Dec 1, 2013

Sperm Whales
Dec 1, 2013

Blue Whales
Dec 1, 2013

Radioactivity from Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant
Nov 15, 2013

Coriolis Effect
Sep 26, 2013

Time Series
Sep 26, 2013

Spectral and Harmonic Analysis
Sep 26, 2013

Ocean Properties
Sep 26, 2013

Tides
Sep 26, 2013

Ocean Acoustics
Aug 16, 2013

Introduction to Barkley Canyon
Aug 15, 2013

Introduction to Clayoquot Slope
Aug 15, 2013

Introduction to Endeavour
Aug 15, 2013

Introduction to Folger Passage
Aug 15, 2013

Introduction to Fraser Delta
Aug 15, 2013

Introduction to Saanich Inlet
Aug 15, 2013

Introduction to the Strait of Georgia
Aug 15, 2013

Introduction to Cascadia Basin
Aug 13, 2013

Introduction to Middle Valley
Aug 13, 2013

Endeavour's Complex Environment
Jun 19, 2013

MicroSquid Experiment
Apr 30, 2013

CSI Salish Sea
Apr 27, 2013

Fraser Delta: a Dynamic Environment
Apr 27, 2013

Smart Hydrophone FAQ
Mar 1, 2013

ONC Observatory Media Tipsheet
Feb 1, 2013

About Ocean Networks Canada
Dec 14, 2012

Cambridge Bay Community Observatory Backgrounder
Dec 12, 2012

Vent Fauna and Chemosynthetic Bacteria
Oct 15, 2012

Coastal Upwelling
Oct 15, 2012

Measuring Currents
Oct 15, 2012

Wally the Benthic Crawler
Oct 15, 2012

Cascadia Subduction Zone
Oct 15, 2012

CORKs
Oct 15, 2012

Supporting BC's Economy
May 1, 2012

The Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) Observatory
May 1, 2011

 

Highlights

  • Audio
  • Data
  • Learning
  • Science
  • Video

Reading Room

  • Active Research
  • Backgrounders
  • FAQs
  • Glossary
  • News Briefs
  • News Stories
  • Newsletters
  • Publications

Cool Stuff

  • Apps
  • Digital Fishers
  • iBooks & e-Pubs
  • Live Video
  • Maps
  • Images
  • State of the Ocean

Data & Tools

  • Apps
  • Data Plots
  • Data Search
  • Data Policy
  • Data Help
  • OPeNDAP Web Services

Opportunities

  • Calendar
  • Educator Opportunities
  • Global Partnerships
  • Industry Network
  • Jobs
  • Staff List
  • Technology Services

Sites & Instruments

  • Arctic Sites
  • Northeast Pacific Sites
  • Salish Sea Sites
  • Notice to Mariners

Follow Us

Facebook iconTwitter iconLinkedIn iconYouTube iconFlickr iconInstagram icon

Sign up for our newsletter

Feedback

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

                              

About Us | Contact Us | Media Relations | Legal Notices

©   Ocean Networks Canada. All rights reserved.  2474 Arbutus Road, Victoria, BC, V8N 1V8 | 1.250.472.5400