HOT-193 Chief Scientist's Cruise Report
R/V Kilo Moana
July 6-10, 2007
Cruise ID: KM0709
Departed: July 6, 2007 at 0900 (HST)
Returned: July 10, 2007 at 0730
Vessel: R/V Kilo Moana
Operator: University of Hawaii
Master of the Vessel: Captain Philip Smith
Chief Scientist: Fernando Santiago-Mandujano
OTG Electronics/Deck Operations Technicians: Tobin Chen, Daniel Fitzgerald
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 July 19 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 July 7 to 9.
3) Station 52, is the site of the WHOTS Mooring, located at 22 40.208'N,
157 57.001'W was to be occupied on July 9 for about 30 minutes.
4) A bottom moored sediment trap was to be deployed at 22 51.75'N,
157 55.00'W on July 9. This operation would take about 4 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. The underwater bottom camera was to be deployed en route
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 200 m CTD casts
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 July 8.
A plankton net was to be towed near noon and midnight for 30-min intervals
on July 7 and 8 at Station ALOHA.
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. 52
to conduct a 200-m CTD cast, and then transit to back to
Station ALOHA to conduct light casts (PRR, AC9/FRRf).
After operations at station ALOHA ended, the ship was to transit to
Station 52 to conduct another 200-m CTD cast, after which the ship was
to transit to deploy the sediment trap mooring.
A bottom moored sediment trap was to be deployed at 22 51.75'N,
157 55.00'W in the evening of July 9. A triangulation of the mooring would
be conducted after the deployment with an acoustic transponder to determine
it's position. After completing these operations, the ship was to transit
back to Snug Harbor.
A Profiling Reflectance Radiometer (PRR) was to be deployed for half-hour
periods near noon time on July 6, 8 and 9.
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 July 8 and 9, and
in the early morning on July 9.
The following instruments were to collect data throughout the cruise:
shipboard ADCP, thermosalinograph, and two anemometers.
2. SCIENCE PERSONNEL
Cruise Participant Title Affiliation
BEACH group:
Lucas Beversdorf Graduate Student UH
Susan Curless (Watch leader) Research Associate UH
Lance Fujieki Computer Specialist UH
Adriana Harlan Technician UH
Binglin Li Graduate Student UH
Dan Sadler Research Associate UH
Donn Viviani Graduate Student UH
Brett Updyke Technician UH
Blake Watkins Marine Engineer UH
PO group:
Paul Lethaby Research Associate UH
Nancy Niklis Undergraduate Student UH
Nina Ribbat Undergraduate Student HPU
Fernando Santiago-Mandujano Chief Scientist (Res. Assoc.) UH
Justin Smith Undergraduate Student UH
Jefrey Snyder (Watch leader) Marine Technician UH
Lisa Tatsumi Volunteer UH
Others:
Joan Matsuzaki School Teacher CMORE
Kim Weersing CMORE Educator UH/CMORE
Tracy Campbell Technician UH/Rappe
Brandon Carter Scientist UC Santa Cruz/Zehr
Michael Plasker Intern Marine Advanced Technology
Education Center (MATE)/OTG
3. GENERAL SUMMARY
Most of the operations during the cruise were conducted as planned.
However, about three hours were lost upon arrival to ALOHA station because
of problems with the CTD winch. As a consequence, the first two 200-m
casts at station ALOHA and the deployment of the gas array were
cancelled. Fortunately the CTD winch was fixed and we were able to
continue CTD operations, unlike the previous HOT cruise in which CTD
operations had to be cancelled early in the cruise because of winch
problems.
One 1000-m CTD cast was conducted at Kahe station. Twelve 1000-m CTD
casts and two deep casts were conducted at Station ALOHA. One one-hour
200-m CTD yo-yo cast, and one 200-m cast were conducted near the WHOTS
mooring (station 52).
The array of floating sediment traps, and the primary productivity
incubation array were deployed and recovered without problems. Both
arrays drifted SSW.
The sediment traps mooring was successfully deployed on July 9.
Three net tows were conducted at night and three during the day.
The AC9/FRRf was deployed at noon three times, and one time at night.
The PRR was deployed three times at noon time.
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, with smooth seas during
the majority of the cruise.
We arrived back at Snug Harbor on July 10 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)
July 5, 2007; Loading Day
The equipment was loaded during this day.
July 6, 2007
The ship departed from Snug harbor at 0900. Safety briefing conducted
at 0945, followed by a science meeting in which cruise activities were
briefly reviewed, and safety issues were addressed. Fire and abandon
ship drills were conducted at 1030 for new personnel.
Arrived at Kahe Station at 1145. CTD wire weight cast (1,300 lb) to 500
m, during which J. Snyder inspected the CTD wire.
The Profiling Reflectance Radiometer (PRR) was deployed at 1245
A 1000-m CTD cast was conducted at 1315. After the cast ended, the ship
headed to station ALOHA.
The ship arrived to Station ALOHA at 2250. Deployed sediment traps array
at 2350.
July 7, 2007
Problems with the CTD-winch arised before starting the first CTD
cast at ALOHA station. The winch was stuck and couldn't rotate. During
testing of the winch, the wire jumped the traction control sheave. The cable,
which was not damaged was put back on the sheave, the brake calipers
were replaced and some adjustments were done to the winch.
Cancelled two 200-m CTD casts and the deployment of the gas array.
A weight cast was conducted at 0330 to test the CTD-winch repairs.
CTD operations continued with a 1000-m CTD cast at 0422.
One deep CTD cast was conducted at 0708.
A total of five 1000-m CTD casts were conducted this day.
An ATE sample was taken at 1230
Two net tows were conducted near noon, and one at night.
Easterlies at 10-15 kt. A strong surface southward
current of almost 1 kt was present, as indicated by the ADCP.
July 8, 2007
Seven 1000-m CTD casts were conducted on this day, and a second deep
cast was conducted at 2308.
The primary productivity array was deployed at 0530, and recovered
at 1945. The array drifted about 5 nm SSW from the center of ALOHA to
22 40'N, 158 1.87'W.
One AC9/FRRf cast was conducted at noon time.
One PRR cast was conducted at noon time.
One net tow was conducted near noon, and two at night.
Easterly winds at 15-18 kts.
July 9, 2007
One one-hour 200-m CTD yo-yo cast, and one 200-m cast were conducted near
the WHOTS mooring (Station 52).
The sediment traps array was recovered at 0900 at 22 28.4'N, 158 9.4'W.
The array drifted about 19 nm SSW from ALOHA Station.
One PRR cast was conducted at 1115.
One AC9/FRRf cast was conducted at 0300, and two more casts were
conducted at 1145 and 1250 respectively at station ALOHA.
The deployment of the sediment traps mooring was conducted between
1500 and 1730. The anchor was dropped at 22 51.734'N, 157 55.006'W.
A triangulation of the mooring position was conducted until 1940.
Easterly winds at 15-20 kt.
July 10, 2007
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/Carter Diversity and activities of nitrogen-fixing
microorganisms/UH
Various CMORE PI's CMORE RNA/DNA sampling/UH
Kim Weersing/Joan Matsuzaki CMORE Education Component/UH
Additional programs
Investigator: Project/Institution:
----------------- --------------------
Mike Rappe Marine bacterioplankton community
structure/UH
Edward Boyle Trace metals