Cruise ID: KM0617
Departed: June 12, 2006 at 0900 (HST)
Returned: June 16, 2006 at 0730
Vessel: R/V Kilo Moana
Operator: University of Hawaii
Master of the Vessel: Captain Richard L Meyer
Chief Scientist: Fernando Santiago-Mandujano
OTG Electronics/Deck Operations Technicians: Dan Fitzgerald, Gabe Foreman
1. SCIENTIFIC OBJECTIVES
The objective of this cruise was to maintain a collection of
hydrographic and biogeochemical data at the Hawaii Ocean Time-series
(HOT) stations. Four stations were to be occupied during the cruise,
in the following order:
1) Station 1, referred to as Station Kahe, is located at 21 20.6'N,
158 16.4'W and was to be occupied on June 12 for about 2 hours.
2) Station 2: ALOHA (A Long Term Oligotrophic Habitat Assessment) is
defined as a circle with a 6 nautical mile radius centered at 22 45'N,
158W. This is the main HOT Station and was to be occupied for 3 days
from June 13 to 15.
3) Station 50, is the site of the WHOTS Mooring, located at 22 46.1 N,
157 53.4 W was to be occupied on the 4th day of the cruise for about 30
minutes.
4) Station 6, referred to as Station Kaena, is located off Kaena Point
at 21 50.8'N, 158 21.8'W was to be occupied on the 4th day of the cruise
for about 2 hours.
A single CTD cast was to be conducted at Station 1 to collect
continuous profiles of various physical and chemical parameters. Water
samples were to be collected at discrete depths for biogeochemical
measurements. After these operations, the ship was to transit to
Station ALOHA.
Upon arrival at Station ALOHA, the free-drifting sediment trap array
was to be deployed. The sediment trap array was to stay in the water
for about 52 hours. This was followed by two shallow CTD casts (<200 m)
to collect water for incubation experiments. After this, an array with
incubation experiments (gas array) was to be deployed for 24 hours. A
full-depth CTD cast was to be conducted afterwards, followed by 1000-m
CTD casts at strict 3 hour intervals for at least 36 hours for
continuous and discrete data collection, ending with another full-depth
CTD cast.
One free-drifting array was to be deployed for 12 hours for incubation
experiments on June 14.
A plankton net was to be towed near noon and midnight for 30-min intervals
on June 13 and 14 at Station ALOHA.
C. Mahaffey was to deploy her hand-held plankton net on June 13 and 15
for about 30 min.
After CTD work at Station ALOHA was accomplished, the ship was to
transit to recover the floating sediment trap array.
After recovering the sediment traps, the ship was to transit to Sta. 50
to conduct a 200-m CTD cast, and then back to Station ALOHA to conduct
one more 1000-m CTD cast, and light casts (PRR, AC9/FRRf).
After operations at station ALOHA ended, the ship was to transit to
Station 6 (Kaena).
A near-bottom CTD cast (~2500 m) was to be conducted at Station 6
including salinity samples for calibration, after which the ship was
to transit to back to Snug Harbor.
A Profiling Reflectance Radiometer (PRR) was to be deployed for half-hour
periods near noon time on June 13, 14 and 15.
A package including a Wet Labs AC9, a Chelsea Fast Repetition Rate
Fluorometer (FRRf), and a SeaBird Seacat was to be used to profile the
upper 200 m at Sta. ALOHA at noon time on June 14 and 15, and
in the early morning on June 15.
An Automated Trace Element Sampler (ATE) was to be deployed once
on June 13.
The following instruments were to collect data throughout the cruise:
shipboard ADCP, thermosalinograph, and two anemometers.
2. SCIENCE PERSONNEL
BEACH group:
Cruise Participant Title Affiliation
Karin Bjorkman (Watch Leader) Research Specialist UH
Susan Curless Research Associate UH
Ken Doggett Research Associate UH
Lance Fujieki Computer Specialist UH
Eric Grabowski (Watch Leader) Research Associate UH
Adriana Harlan Technician UH
Claire Mahaffey Research Specialist UH
Amanda Pontius Graduate Student UH
Donn Viviani Graduate Student UH
Blake Watkins Marine Engineer UH
Doug White Technician UH
PO group:
Paul Lethaby Research Associate UH
Matthew Markley Undergraduate Student UH
Fernando Santiago-Mandujano Chief Scientist (Res. Assoc.) UH
Jefrey Snyder Marine Technician UH
John Yeh Graduate Student UH
3. GENERAL SUMMARY
Operations during the cruise were conducted with some schedule changes
during the 36-hr CTD burst period due to problems with the CTD wire and
winch. Two 1000-m CTD casts were cancelled as a result.
One 1000-m CTD cast was conducted at Kahe station. Ten 1000-m CTD
casts, two deep casts, and four 200-m casts were conducted at Station
ALOHA. One 200-m cast was conducted near the WHOTS moorings (station
50).
The array of floating sediment traps, the gas array, and the primary
productivity incubation array were deployed and recovered without
incidents. The arrays drifted NNE at a mean speed of over 0.5 kt.
Three net tows were conducted at night and three during the day.
C. Mahaffey deployed her hand-held plankton net once.
The AC9/FRRf was deployed at noon three times, and one time at night.
The PRR was deployed three times at noon time.
The Automated Trace-Element Sampler was not deployed because it ran
out of batteries.
The ADCP ran without interruption throughout the cruise, as well as the
thermosalinograph, and the ship's two anemometers.
Winds were easterlies between 15 and 20 kt during the cruise.
We arrived back at Snug Harbor on June 16 at 0730.
4. R/V KILO MOANA, OFFICERS AND CREW, TECHNICAL SUPPORT
The R/V Kilo Moana continues to maintain the excellent ship
support for our work. The officers and crew were most helpful and
accommodating. They showed enthusiasm and concern for our work and
were very flexible in receiving changes in our operational schedule.
Technical support during this cruise was excellent. OTG personnel were
available at any time to assist in our work and made things much easier
for us.
5. DAILY REPORT OF ACTIVITIES (HST)
June 9, 2006; Loading Day
Equipment loaded during this day, and the CTD system was tested.
June 12, 2006
The ship departed from Snug harbor at 0900. Safety briefing by the
Captain conducted at 0930, followed by a science meeting in which
cruise activities were briefly reviewed, and safety issues were
addressed.
Fire and abandon ship drills conducted at 1000.
Arrived at Kahe Station at 1140. CTD wire weight cast (400 lb) to 500
m, during which J. Snyder inspected the CTD wire.
The Profiling Reflectance Radiometer (PRR) was deployed at 1230
A 1000-m CTD cast was conducted at 1300. After the cast ended, the ship
headed to station ALOHA
The ship arrived to Station ALOHA at 2215. The sediment traps array was
deployed immediately.
One 200-m CTD cast was conducted at 2330 after the sediment traps
deployment.
June 13, 2006
One 200-m CTD casts was conducted before the gas array deployment.
The gas array was deployed at 0400.
One deep CTD cast was conducted at 0440. Glitches were observed in the
primary set of sensors' signals, caused by strings of organic material
blocking the CTD plumbing. The secondary sensors worked fine.
The CTD wire jumped the sheave at the base of the crane when the CTD
was about to be recovered after the deep cast. The crane's ladder was
inadvertently left extended, and it pushed the wire out of the sheave
when the crane was repositioned for CTD recovery. The wire was put back
on the sheave by momentarily releasing tension with a wire grabber tied
to the deck. The CTD was safely brought back on board.
Four 1000-m CTD casts were conducted this day.
The CTD wire jumped the sheave inside the winch, while taking up slack
for the CTD cast before the primary production array deployment. The
damaged section of wire had to be cut and reterminated. Two casts of
the 36-hr burst period had to be cancelled.
The ATE sampler was not deployed because it ran out of batteries.
Two net tows were conducted near noon, and one at night.
C. Mahaffey deployed her net tow in the morning.
Easterlies at 10-15 kt, with smooth seas.
June 14, 2006
Six 1000-m CTD casts were conducted on this day, and the 36-hr CTD
burst period ended with a second deep cast that started at 2300.
The gas array was recovered at 0950, at 23 1.6'N, 157 54.9'W, about
17 nm NNE from ALOHA Station.
The primary productivity array was deployed at 0630 and recovered at
1920 at 22 52.4'N, 157 58.1'W, about 7.5 nm NNE from ALOHA. The buoy
hit the stern during recovery, and the RDF antennae and strobe light broke
off and fell overboard.
AC9/FRRf casts were conducted early in the morning and at noon time.
One PRR cast was conducted at noon time.
Two net tows were conducted at night and one near noon.
Easterly winds at 20 kts, with moderate swell.
June 15, 2006
Two 200-m CTD casts were conducted at ALOHA, and one 200-m CTD cast
near the WHOTS mooring (Station 50).
The sediment traps array was recovered at 0645 at 23 7'N, 157 55.9'W.
The array drifted NNE about 22 nm from ALOHA Station.
One PRR cast was conducted at 11:30.
Two consecutive AC9/FRRf casts were conducted at Station ALOHA
at noon time.
One near-bottom cast was conducted at Station Kaena (Sta 6).
Since operations at station Kaena ended earlier that scheduled, the
ship transited to a nearby location where J. Yeh's benthic camera
package was lost in a previous deployment, to determine if the package
was still there. The camera was located at 21 45.27'N, 158 39.66'W. The
releases responded upon acoustic interrogation from the ship.
Easterly winds up to 23 kt. Large swell.
June 16, 2006
Arrived at Snug Harbor at 0730. Full off-load.
HOT program sub-components:
Investigator: Project/Institution:
----------------- --------------------
Dave Karl Core Biogeochemistry/UH
Roger Lukas Hydrography/UH
Bob Bidigare HPLC pigments/UH
Mike Landry Zooplankton dynamics/UH
Mark Abbott/Ricardo Letelier Optical measurements/OSU
Ancillary programs:
Investigator: Project/Institution:
----------------- --------------------
Charles Keeling CO2 dynamics and intercalibration/SIO
Paul Quay DI13C and O isotopes/UW
Penny Chisholm Prochlorococcus population dynamics/MIT
Zehr/Church/Montoya Diversity and activities of nitrogen-fixing
microorganisms/UH