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HOT-202: Chief Scientist Report
Chief Scientist: Susan Curless
R/V Kilo Moana
June 24-28, 2008
Cruise ID: KM0811
Departed: June 24, 2008 at 0854 (HST)
Returned: June 28, 2008 at 1450 (HST)
Vessel: R/V Kilo Moana
Operator: University of Hawaii
Master of the Vessel: Captain Brian Wehmeyer
Chief Scientist: Susan Curless
OTG Electronics/Deck Operations Technicians: Kuhio Vellalos and Tobin Chen
1. SCIENTIFIC OBJECTIVES
The objective of the cruise is to maintain a collection of hydrographic and biogeochemical data at the Hawaii Ocean Time-series (HOT) stations. Four stations will 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 will be occupied on the first day of the cruise for about 2.5 hours.
2) Station 2, referred to as Station ALOHA (A Long Term Oligotrophic Habitat Assessment) is defined as a circle with a 6 nautical mile radius centered at 22° 45'N, 158°W. This is the main HOT station and will be occupied during the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th days of the cruise.
3) Station 50, is the site of the WHOTS Mooring, located at 22° 46’N, 157° 53.83’W and will be occupied on the 4th day of the cruise for about 2 hours.
4) Station 6, referred to as Station Kaena, is located off Kaena Point at 21° 50.8'N, 158° 21.8'W will be occupied on the 4th day of the cruise for about 3 hours.
Upon arrival to Station Kahe a 1,300 lb. weight-test cast to 500 m, one CTD cast to 1000 m, one Go-Flo cast to 20m, and a PRR cast were to be conducted at this location on the afternoon of June 24th. The single CTD cast was to be conducted 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 were satisfactorily completed, the ship was to proceed 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 to be followed by one shallow CTD cast to 350 m, one 1000 m cast to collect water for the Primary Production Array. This was followed by the deployment of the free-drifting primary productivity array to incubate insitu for 12 hours. A full-depth CTD cast was to be conducted after the deployment of the primary prodcution array, 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 on June 27th.
Another free-drifting array (gas array) was to be deployed for 24 hours for incubation experiments on June 26th. The gas array was to be recovered at 0800 on June 27th.
A plankton net was to be towed near noon and midnight for 30-min intervals on June 25th and June 26th at Station ALOHA.
A hand held plankton net was to be deployed in the afternoon of June 25th for 15-20 minutes to sample surface waters.
A trace metal sampler was to be deployed on June 25th to collect a trace metal clean surface seawater sample.
A Profiling Reflectance Radiometer (PRR) was to be deployed for half-hour
periods near noon time on June 24th, 26th, 27th.
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 Station ALOHA around noon time on June 26th and in the early morning and around noon on June 27th.
After CTD work at Station ALOHA was accomplished, the ship was to transit to recover the floating sediment trap array and the gas array on June 27th.
After recovering the arrays, the ship was to transit to Station 50 to conduct a one-hour 200m CTD yo-yo cast after which the ship was to re-position within Station ALOHA to conduct light casts (one PRR cast, and two AC9/FRRf casts).
After the light cast operations were complete, the ship was to re-position at Station 50 to conduct another one-hour 200-m CTD yo-yo cast. Once the second yo-yo cast was complete, the ship was to transit to Station Kaena.
A near-bottom CTD cast (~2500 m) was to be conducted at Station 6, Station Kaena, including salinity samples for calibration, after which the ship was to transit to Pearl Harbor for fueling. Once fueling was complete, the ship was to transit back to Snug Harbor.
The following instruments were to collect data throughout the cruise: shipboard ADCP, thermosalinograph, underway fluorometer, two anemometers, and the pCO2 system.
2. SCIENCE PERSONNEL
Cruise Participant Title Affiliation
Susan Curless Chief Scientist – Res. Assoc. UH/BEACH
Lance Fujieki Computer Specialist UH/BEACH
Eric Grabowski Research Associate UH/BEACH
Adriana Harlan Research Associate UH/BEACH
Binglin Li Graduate Student UH/BEACH
Dan Sadler Research Associate UH/BEACH
Brett Updyke Technician UH/BEACH
Donn Viviani Graduate Student UH/BEACH
Blake Watkins Marine Engineer UH/BEACH
Sam Wilson Scientist UH/CMORE
Jay Wheeler Research Associate UH/BEACH
Jesse Yonover Undergraduate Student U Colorado
Paul Lethaby Research Associate UH/PO
Christin Shacat Research Associate UH/PO
Jefrey Snyder Marine Technician UH/PO
Sarah Yasui Undergraduate Student UH/PO
Amanda Vinson Volunteer UH/PO
Michael Gray Volunteer UH/PO
Janice Jones Technician UCSB
John Bullister Scientist PMEL
David Wisegarver Scientist PMEL
Courtney Daniels Intern/Graduate Student UH/CMORE
Scott LaChance Teacher UH/CMORE
Kim Weersing CMORE Educator UH/CMORE
Kate Achilles CMORE Educator UH/CMORE
Normal de los Santos Teacher UH/CMORE
Kuhio Vellalos Marine Technician OTG
Tobin Chen Marine Technician OTG
3. GENERAL SUMMARY
Most of the operations during the cruise were conducted as planned and only minor delays were experienced.
One 500 m weight cast was performed with a 1,300 lb. weight, one 1000-m CTD cast, and one 20m Go-Flo cast were conducted at Station Kahe (1). Two near-bottom deep casts, thirteen 1000m CTD casts, and one 350m cast were conducted at Station ALOHA (2). Two one hour 200m yo-yo casts were conducted near the WHOTS mooring (Station 50). One near bottom cast was conducted at Station Kaena (6).
The array of floating sediment traps, the gas array, and the primary production array were deployed and recovered without any major incidents.
All of the arrays drifted NW of the center of Station ALOHA.
Six net tows were completed, three were conducted at night, and three during the day.
The AC9/FRRf was deployed around noon three times, and one time at night.
The PRR was deployed three times around noon.
A trace metal sample was taken (ATE).
The ADCP ran without interruption throughout the cruise, as well as the
thermosalinograph, underway fluorometer, the ship's two anemometers. The pCO2 system experienced a salt blockage that decreased the flow rate through the system. This issue was fixed by D.Sadler.
Winds were from the east between 10-15 knots during the course of the cruise with smooth seas between 5-7ft.
We arrived at Pearl Harbor for fueling at 0820 on June 28th, and arrived at Snug Harbor for offloading on June 28th, at 1450 (HST).
4. R/V KILO MOANA, OFFICERS AND CREW, TECHNICAL SUPPORT
The R/V Kilo Moana continues to maintain excellent ship support for our work.
The Captain and crew were most helpful and accommodating throughout the cruise. They were very flexible in receiving changes to our operational schedule. Throughout our cruise, the entire crew showed enthusiasm, concern, and dedication to our scientific mission.
Technical support during this cruise was excellent. OTG personnel were available at any time to assist in our work and helped keep operations running smoothly.
5. DAILY REPORT OF ACTIVITIES (HST)
June 23th, 2008 – Loading Day
0900 – Cruise equipment was loaded this day.
June 24th, 2008
0900- depart snug harbor
0940- science party safety meeting
1045- fire drill and abandon ship drill
1145- arrive at Station Kahe
1157- weight cast to 500m
1235- PRR cast
1312- Kahe Cast
1430- end Kahe cast
1445- go-flo cast for CMORE education group
1500- transit to Station ALOHA
2240- arrive at Station ALOHA -positioned ship 1.5nm north of the center
for sediment trap deployment.
2345- deployment of the sediment traps 22 46.65'N 158 0.013'W
June 25th, 2008
0012- S2C1
0137- Primary production cast
0400- deployment of the primary production array 22 46.186'N 157 59.923'W
0503- start of the deep cast
0857- end of the deep cast
0905- transit to pump ship’s tanks
1000- net tow
1124- S2C4
1257- net tow
1330- hand net tow for CMORE education group
1400- S2C5
1509- transit to pump ship's tanks
1656- S2C6
1922- Recovery of Primary Production Array 22 51.048'N 158 2.015'W The
array traveled ~5.2nm NNW from the deployment site.
2000- S2C7 BEACH cast
2100- transit to pump ship's tanks
2200- net tow
2300- S2C8
Weather conditions at Station ALOHA are 15kt winds from the east with 3-5ft seas under a cloudy sky.
June 26th, 2008
0020- net tow
0200- S2C9 Gas Array water collection
0433- Gas Array Deployed 22 46.014'N 157 59.916'W
0500- S2C10
0615- transit to pump ship's tanks
0802- S2C11
0914- ATE
1010- net tow
1101- S2C12
1207- PRR
1234- AC9/FRRF
1402- S2C13
1503- transit to pump ship's tanks
1651- S2C14
1954- S2C15
2232- Net Tow -delayed deployment due to ship maneuvers to avoid a sailboat
2326- S2C16 -Second Deep Cast
Weather conditions at Station ALOHA are 15kt winds from the east with 4-6ft seas under a 3/8 cloud covered sky.
June 27th, 2008
0317- end of deep cast
0324- AC9/FRRF
0639- Sediment Trap Recovery 22 59.072'N 158 11.397'W
0730- Begin gas array recovery 22 55.50'N 158 04.75'W
0800- gas array recovery completed
1006- S50C1 yo-yo 6 cycles completed
1114- PRR cast
1134- AC9/FRRF cast
1238- AC9/FRRF cast
1354- S50C2 yo-yo 5 cycles completed
2110- arrive Station Kaena
2125- S6C1
2340- Transit to Pearl Harbor
Weather conditions at Station ALOHA are 15kt winds from the east with 5-7ft seas under a cloudy sky.
June 28th, 2008
0820- Tied up at Pearl Harbor Fuel Pier
1214- Transit to Snug Harbor
1450- Tied up at Snug Harbor for full offload
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
Penny Chisholm Prochlorococcus population dynamics/MIT
Zehr/Church/Montoya Diversity and activities of nitrogen-fixing
microorganisms/UH
Various CMORE PI’s Microbial RNA/DNA collection/CMORE
Bullister/Wisegarver CFC and SF6 tracer saturation levels in the water
column/PMEL
Mark Brzeznski Silica production and dissolution rate
measurments/UCSB
Additional programs:
Investigator: Project/Institution:
----------------- --------------------
Edward Boyle Trace metals
Sam Wilson Reduced gases in the upper ocean: The cycling
of methane, sulfide and nitrous oxide/CMORE/UH