HOT-212: Chief Scientist Report
Chief Scientist: Susan Curless
R/V Kilo Moana
July 2-6th, 2009
Cruise ID: KM0915
Departed: July 2, 2009 at 0900 (HST)
Returned: July 6, 2009 at 0800 (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: Vic Polidoro and Kuhio Vellalos
1. SCIENTIFIC OBJECTIVES
The objective of the cruise was to maintain a collection of hydrographic and biogeochemical data
at the Hawaii Ocean Time-series (HOT) stations. Five 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 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 was to 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
was to be occupied on the 4th day of the cruise for about 1 hour.
4) A Deep Moored Fluorometer will be deployed at the northeastern edge of the ALOHA
circle (target deployment site: 22°50.00N, 157°54.25W) on the 4th day of the cruise. This
operation should take about 2.5 hours.
5) Station 6, referred to as Station Kaena, is located off Kaena Point at 21° 50.8'N, 158°
21.8'W and will be occupied on the 4th day of the cruise for approximately 3 hours.
Upon arrival to Station Kahe a 1,300 lb. weight-test cast to 500 m, one CTD cast to 1000 m, a
PRR cast, and a Hyperpro cast were to be conducted at this location on the afternoon of July 2nd.
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 200 m, one 1000 m cast, to collect water for the Primary Production Array,
and another 200m CTD cast. These casts were to be followed by the deployment of the freedrifting
Primary Productivity Array to incubate insitu for 12 hours. A full-depth (~4740 m) CTD
cast was to be conducted after the deployment of the Primary Production 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 July 5th.
Another free-drifting array (Gas Array) was to be deployed for 24 hours for incubation
experiments on July 4th. The Gas Array was to be recovered on July 5th.
A plankton net was to be towed between near noon and midnight for 30 min intervals on July 3rd
and July 4th at Station ALOHA.
A trace metal sampler was to be deployed on July 3rd to collect a trace metal clean surface
seawater sample.
A Profiling Reflectance Radiometer (PRR) and the Hyperpro was to be deployed for half-hour
periods near noon time on July 2nd, 4th and 5th.
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 July 4th and in the early morning and around noon on July 5th.
After the 36 hour burst period of CTD work at Station ALOHA was accomplished, the ship was
to transit to recover the floating Sediment Trap array and the Gas Array on July 5th.
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 one
200m CTD cast, a PRR cast, and two AC9/FRRf casts.
After the PRR and AC9/FRRf operations were completed, the ship was to transit to the site
designated for the Deep Moored Fluorometer deployment. Once the deployment of the
fluorometer was complete, triangulation on the drop position was to be done.
When triangulation operations were complete, the ship was to transit to Station 6, referred to as
Station Kaena where a near-bottom CTD cast (~2500 m) was to be conducted including salinity
and cholorophyll samples for calibration.
After Station Kaena operations for the cruise were complete, and 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
Tara Clemente Research Associate UH/BEACH
Susan Curless Chief Scientist – Res. Assoc. 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
Jay Wheeler Research Associate UH/BEACH
Sam Wilson Post-doc Scientist UH/CMORE
Fernando Santiago-Mandujano Research Associate UH/PO
Paul Lethaby Research Associate UH/PO
Jefrey Snyder Marine Technician UH/PO
Ian Hawkins Technician UH/PO
Patricia Kassis Volunteer PO
Blake Watkins Marine Engineer UH/BEACH
Steve Caires Volunteer UH BEACH
Erin Allmann Volunteer BEACH
Alexia Syrmos Intern UH/BEACH
John Bullister Scientist PMEL
David Wisegarver Scientist PMEL
Corey Bryant Intern MATE/BEACH
Paul Berube Post-doc Scientist MIT/CMORE
Daniel Sher Post-doc Scientist MIT/CMORE
Libusha Kelly Post-doc Scientist MIT/CMORE
Christopher Pala Journalist BEACH
Vic Polidoro Marine Technician OTG
Kuhio Vellalos Marine Technician OTG
3. GENERAL SUMMARY
Operations during the cruise were conducted mostly as planned with minor delays due to ship
equipment malfunctions.
The ship’s CTD crane experienced a power outage that was determined to be a blown fuse, and
ship’s propulsion and DPS systems went off-line when power was lost to the bridge computers
which control these systems.
Changing of transmission cables and CTD wire re-termination were performed by J.Snyder in
efforts of fixing the transmission errors experienced at the console. High resistance was found on
the hydrowire in the CTD junction box and was traced to a faulty slip ring. Once the connector
was fixed, the errors went away.
One 500 m weight cast was performed with a 1,300 lb. weight and one 1000 m CTD cast was
conducted at Station Kahe (1). Two near-bottom deep casts, eleven 1000 m, four 200 m , and one
78 dbar CTD casts were conducted at Station ALOHA (2). One, one hour 200m yo-yo cast was
conducted near the WHOTS mooring (Station 50). One near bottom cast was conducted at
Station Kaena (6).
One of the 1000 m CTD casts of the 36 hour burst period was cancelled and water needs were
shifted to other casts to accommodate the time needed to re-terminate the CTD wire. During one
of the 1000 m CTD casts of the 36 hour burst period the ship lost propulsion and DPS
capabilities with the CTD at 87 dbar. The CTD was recovered and then re-deployed about 30
minutes later once manual control to the ship’s propulsion systems was obtained.
The array of floating sediment traps, the gas array, and the primary production array were
deployed and recovered without any major incidents. All arrays drifted to the west. The first
deployment of the ASRBB (Autonomous Spectral Radiometer Beacon Buoy) on the sediment
trap array for collection of both air and water light data went well and without complication.
Five net tows were successfully completed, two were conducted during the day, and three during
the night. One day time net-tow was cancelled due to the blown fuse on the CTD crane which
caused schedule delays beyond the net tow timing window of 1000-1400.
Ten hand net tows were conducted off the stern.
The PRR and the Hyperpro were each deployed three times around noon.
The ATE deployment was cancelled on July 3rd due to communication issues between the
computer and the sampler. Communication between the instrument and computer was
established later in the cruise and on July 5th an ATE deployment was attempted. Upon recovery,
it was found that sample collection was unfortunately not successful.
The underway fluorometer did not work properly throughout the duration of the cruise.
The ADCP, pCO2 system, thermosalinograph, and the ship's two anemometers ran without
interrption throughout the cruise.
Winds were from the east between 10-12 knots during the course of the cruise with seas of 2-3ft.
We arrived at Snug Harbor for off-loading on July 6th, at 0815 (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
ship’s 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)
July 2nd, 2009
0900- Depart Snug Harbor
0940- Science party briefing and safety meeting
1020- Abandon ship and fire drills
1200- Arrive Station Kahe
1215- Weight Cast
1220- Problems with CTD crane potentially due to a blown fuse
1235- Crane working again, engineers report that they didn't change a fuse
but went through the fuse bank taking them out and putting them back in
which seemed to fix the problem, but no new fuses were actually put onto
the crane.
1310- end of weight cast
1320- PRR cast
1354- Hyperpro cast
1418- S1C1
1550- End of cast, transit to ALOHA
1600- Deployment of magnetometer
2335- Magnetometer recovered
July 3rd, 2009
0002- Start of sediment trap deployment
0019- Sediment traps in the water
0026- Array released 22 45.050'N 158 2.027'W
0105- S2C1- primary oxygen and conductivity sensors very noisy on trace,
sensors flushed with seawater
0218- S2C2- sensors still noisy, cable connection checked and pump checked
0417- S2C3- sensors noisy, pump replaced after further testing determined
the pump to be faulty, and the ISUS was removed for the deep cast
0459- Deployment of the primary production array. Release position 22
45.46'N, 158 0.9'W NNW current of approx 1kt in upper 50m according to
ADCP data
0520- Transit to pump ship's tanks
0648- S2C4
1023- end of cast
1030- net tow
1115- Transit to pump ship's tanks
1239- S2C5
1315- Hand net tow of stern
1330- Hand net recovered
1340- hand net tow
1428- End of S2C5
1440- hand net tow (B.Li)
1600- S2C6 There were many transmission errors while the CTD was lifted off the deck and into
the water. Once the package reached 10m, the errors stopped, but it was decided that in efforts of
fixing the errors it was time to re-terminate the wire.
To compensate for re-termination time and to maintain our schedule and collection of core
analyses, the PC/PN and PPO4 sampling was combined on cast 6 and cast 7 was canceled.
Ancillary water on both casts was shifted to casts later in the cruise when possible and in some
cases canceled. 50m of wire was spooled off and cut, 9967m remains on the drum.
1707- hand net tow (S.Wilson)
1724- end of cast, transit to pump ships tanks
1941- Recovery of Primary Production Array 22 47.701'N 158 1.821'W
1956- S2C7 BEACH cast; 1 error at 6dbar, no errors on down cast, or during recovery.
2020- hand net tow
2306- S2C8
July 4, 2009
0100- net tow
0200- S2C9
0330- Transit to pump ships tanks
0450- deploy gas array 22 46.5'N 158 1.63'W
0510- S2C10
0612- end of cast
0758- S2C11
0811- Ship propulsion issues due to power loss on bridge, CTD was in water at 87 dbar.
0813- end of cast, CTD on board and no bottles fired
0844- begin S2C12, consecutive numbers on casts maintained since data was collected on
previous attempt at full profile. Ship lost DPS system, cast was completed on manual steering to
hold station.
0943- error on CTD while at 5m
0944- end of cast
1000- Transit to pump ship's tanks
1045- net tow
1120- S2C13
1210- hand net tow
1233- end of cast, one error when cast was recovered
1245- PRR
1310- Hyperpro
1335- AC9/FRRf
1432- S2C14 -30 errors before the cast was deployed, 2 errors while in the water at 6 dbar
1555- end of cast
-High resistance on the hydrowire was found in the CTD junction box and was traced to the slip
ring. A connector was fixed, and readings went back to 1 ohm with 330 ohm total resistivity.
1709- S2C15
-ISUS dropped to zero on upcast at 800 dbar, and intermittent throughout the rest of the cast.
1833- end of cast, transit to pump ship's tanks
1953- S2C16
-ISUS to zero on upcast at 500 dbar, and intermittent throughout the rest of the cast.
2101- end of cast
2200- net tow
2318- S2C17- PO 2nd Deep
July 5, 2009
0305- end of deep cast
0315- AC9/FRRf
0415- transit to pump ship's tanks
0510- Recovery of Sediment Traps 22 50.13'N 158 6.45'W, 7.8nm from the center of ALOHA
0531- array on deck
0600- Recovery of the Gas Array 22 49.09'N 158 4.38'W
0613- Completed Recovery
0620- Transit to WHOTS mooring
0758- S2C18 200m from WHOTS mooring
0808- hand net
0834- S50C1, 5 cycles
1029- end of cast
1045- AC9/FRRf
1100- hand net tow (S.Wilson)
1145- AC9/FRRf
1230- PRR
1234- hand net tow (S.Wilson)
1245- Hyperpro
1315- hand net tow (B.Li)
1435- Start of mooring deployment
1520- Deep Moored Fluorometer deployed 22 50.001'N, 157 54.51'W -benthic release codes
were checked by J.Snyder and confirmed to be different than the WHOTS mooring.
1545- ATE -communication was made with the instrument and it was thought that the sampler
would work, but upon recovery it was shown that the deployment was not successful in
collecting a sample.
1630- Triangulation of Mooring Position Started
1653- Transit to Station Kaena
1700- Magnetometer deployed
2230- Magnetometer recovered
2245- S6C1- Kaena Point cast
July 6, 2009
0058- End of Cast
0100- Transit to Snug Harbor
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
Mark Brzezinski Silica production and dissolution rate
measurments/UCSB
Bullister/Wisegarver CFC and SF6 tracer saturation levels in the water
column/PMEL
Additional programs:
Investigator: Project/Institution:
----------------- --------------------
Edward Boyle Trace metals/MIT
Sam Wilson Reduced gases in the upper ocean: The cycling
of methane, sulfide and nitrous oxide/CMORE/UH
Solange Duhamel The role of alkaline phosphatase activity in DOP
utilization in the NPSG/CMORE/UH
Paul Berube/Daniel Sher/Libusha Kelly Isolation of novel co-occurring Prochlorococcus,
Synechococcus, heterotrophic microorganisms and
bacteriophage from the photic zone.
Yajaun Lin Method testing new reverse transcription method
for Prochlorococcus.