CRUISE PLAN R/V WECOMA
Oregon State University — College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences

FILING DATE: March 1997
CRUISE NUMBER: WE97-01
TITLE: North Pacific Investigation
CONTRACT/GRANT NUMBER: 04NA67RJ0151
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: Ronald K. Reed and Phyllis J. Stabeno,  NOAA/Pacific Marine Environmental Lab., (206) 526-6818, (206) 526-6453,  Fax: (206) 526-6485.
CRUISE DATES: May 13 - June 3, 1997

PURPOSE: One of the goals of our laboratory is to gain understanding of the mean state and variability of the northern Pacific Ocean, with an emphasis on aspects relevant to natural resources, especially fisheries.  This project will investigate the transport and water properties, throughout the water column, of the westward flowing Alaskan Stream to the south of the Aleutian Islands.  Flow of stream water through deep passes (Amukta and Amchitka Passes)  into the Bering Sea will also be examined. 

ITINERARY: The ship will depart Seattle and steam to the offshore end of section I (53° 38'N; 157° 50'N).  The stations are then taken in order according to the attached “List of CTD Casts” and attached cruise track map.  

RADIOACTIVE METHODS: None will be used.

SAMPLING PLAN: CTD casts will be with the ship’s CTD system at the sites indicated in “List of CTD Casts.”  All casts will be made to near bottom or the maximum depths of the sensors. Lowering speeds be about 30m/min in the upper 300m and about 50m/min below that.  Retrieval will be at the fastest practical speed.  We may collect about 50 nutrient samples, on four casts, for refrigeration and later analysis.  A similar number of salinity samples will be collected for later analysis.  On section IV in Amukta Pass, the four CTD casts (sta. 23-26) will first be made, the ship will then steam back and forth across the pass profiling currents with the shipboard ADCP; after about 25 hrs, the casts (sta. 27-30) will then be repeated moving from east to west.  Some modification to the CTD sampling sites may be necessary as a result of progress and time constraints.  The shipboard ADCP system, in conjunction with GPS navigation, will be used when the ship is underway at constant speed and course from the start of Section I until the end of  Section X.  In water < 500m, bottom tracking mode should be used; elsewhere, data will be recorded without bottom tracking.

EQUIPMENT REQUIRED: ShipboardCTD system (with spare sensors); associated data display, logging, and output systems; shipboard ADCP profiler with display and logging system; GPS navigation system and INMARSAT phone/fax system for occasional scientific use.  The Ashtech system must be functioning for use with GPS navigation.

SCIENTIFIC PERSONNEL: Scientist in charge: Ronald K. Reed, NOAA/PMEL;
Other scientists: David G. Kachel, Carol DeWitt, Pim van Meurs (all PMEL), and 
   Sonia Olivella- Hamilton (JISAO).

OSU Marine Technicians: 1 requested

Electronics Technician: 1 requested

USER SUPPLIED EQUIPMENT:
Vans/Containers: None
One - two computer terminals, software package/discs, and about six crates of sample bottles.

OTHER BULKY HEAVY ITEMS: Concrete anchors, cable, subsurface floats, one 13-foot diameter surface buoy.  (This will not be used on this cruise.  Would like to transport for offloading to the R/V Alpha Helix in Dutch Harbor.

Location: Open deck
Estimated Weight: 12,000 pounds.

BILLING INFORMATION:
Name: Cindy Loitsch
Address: NOAA, PMEL, 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Seattle, WA 98115
Account Number (or number to reference):

DO YOU WANT CELLULAR/INMARSAT PHONE ACCESS: Yes

Attachments:
	Station Map
	List of CTD Casts