April 22, 1997
FINAL CRUISE INSTRUCTIONS
NOAA Ship MILLER FREEMAN
Cruise No: MF97-05B
FOCI No: 6MF97
Applicability:
These instructions, with "FOCI Standard Operating Instructions
for NOAA Ship MILLER FREEMAN, 1997", present complete information
for this cruise.
Area:
Bering Sea
Itinerary:
May 3, 1997 depart Dutch Harbor, AK
May 13, 1997 arrive Dutch Harbor, AK
Participating organizations:
NOAA - Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC)
NOAA - Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL)
University of Alaska-Fairbanks (UAF)
University of Washington (UW)
University of Texas (UT)
National Geographic Society (NGS)
Cruise description:
Fisheries Oceanography Coordinated Investigations (FOCI) are an effort
by NOAA scientists to understand the physical and biological processes
that determine recruitment variability of commercially valuable fin fish
and shellfish stocks in Alaskan waters. At present, FOCI consists of a
Shelikof Strait walleye pollock project (western Gulf of Alaska), and two
NOAA Coastal Ocean Program (COP) projects: Bering Sea FOCI and Southeast
Bering Sea Carrying Capacity. The COP projects are collaborative efforts
by NOAA and academic scientists to understand the affects of abiotic and
biotic variability on the SE Bering Sea ecosystem.
Cruise objectives:
This cruise will mainly investigate physical processes in the Eastern
Bering Sea. We will be collecting samples to study rates of photosynthesis,
nutrient origins and dynamics. The study of effects of low temperatures
on the incubation rate of pollock eggs will continue on board during this
leg.
1.0 PERSONNEL
1.1 Chief Scientist:
Edward D. (Ned) Cokelet , Ph. D. PMEL
(206) 526-6280
cokelet@pmel.noaa.gov
The Chief Scientist has the authority to revise or alter the technical
portion of the instructions as work progresses provided that, after consultation
with the Commanding Officer, it is ascertained that the proposed changes
will not: (1) jeopardize the safety of personnel or the ship; (2) exceed
the overall time allotted for the project; (3) result in undue additional
expenses; (4) alter the general intent of these project instructions.
1.2 Participating Scientists:
2.0 OPERATIONS
A standard oceanographic watch will be utilized which consists of a
winch operator, a scientific staff of three and a Survey Tech on deck.
Operations will be conducted 24 hours a day.
2.1 Summary of activities:
Sampling on this cruise will consist of CTD casts with water samples
(for chlorophyll and nutrients) and net tows (bongo and Tucker). CTD casts
will be to 1500 m or within 10 m of the bottom when shallower. Nutrient
samples will be analyzed aboard by the UT group. Two productivity casts
at each of two stations will be taken during morning hours on each day
of the cruise. At some productivity stations, zooplankton tows will be
performed. Phytoplankton will be incubated on the fantail in 2 incubators
placed in as shadow-free areas as practical. AFSC investigations of the
effect of low incubation temperatures on egg development will continue.
Beginning at Dutch Harbor we shall proceed to the first cross-shelf
section along the Mooring 6 and 7 line (Fig. 1). This will be followed
by a cross-shelf transect from the basin, across the shelf past Mooring
3 to Mooring 2. X-shaped sections will be occupied at Moorings 3 and 2
to provide information on horizontal gradients. An along-isobath transect
will proceed from Mooring 2 to 4. We will return to Mooring 3 for more
sampling and then go on to Unimak Pass to occupy CTD sections in a rectangular
pattern before the ship returns to Dutch Harbor. Plans may require revision
owing to possible ice coverage in the sampling area.
The itinerary in Table 1 shows that the scheduled activities will leave
4 sea days to spare. Based on the analysis of data collected on the previous
and present cruise legs, we shall investigate oceanographic features of
interest, i.e. fronts and eddies. If an eddy is detected, a satellite-tracked
buoy will be deployed in it, and stations will be sampled on a grid.
2.2 Procedures for operations:
The following are operations to be conducted on this cruise. The procedures
for these operations are listed in the FOCI Standard Operating Instructions
(SOI). Operations not addressed in the SOI and changes to standard procedures
are addressed below.
CTD/Water samples (SOI 2.2.1)
MARMAP bongo tow (SOI 2.2.2)
Live zooplankton ring net tow (SOI 2.2.4)
Tucker trawl (SOI 2.2.9)
Chlorophyll samples (SOI 2.2.10)
Satellite tracked drifter buoy (SOI 2.2.11)
ADCP (SOI 2.2.13)
Radiometer (SOI 2.2.14)
3.0 FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT
The following systems and their associated support services are essential
to the cruise. Sufficient consumables, back-up units, and on-site spares
and technical support must be in place to assure that operational interruptions
are minimal. All measurement instruments are expected to have current calibrations,
and all pertinent calibration information shall be included in the data
package.
Loading and Storage: Larger-than-usual amounts of laboratory
apparatus and chemicals must be loaded and unloaded in Dutch Harbor. Access
to a pier is necessary. The UAF groups will bring about 800 lb of gear
including 2 phytoplankton incubator racks. The UT group will bring an analytical
chemical laboratory in 20-25 70-lb boxes weighing a total of ~2000 lb and
occupying 60 ft3 of space. Reasonably accessible storage space must be
made available for the empty boxes so the scientists can repack their gear
at cruise end to depart the ship efficiently. The wet lab and chem lab
on the cruise will be used to capacity. Gear from other groups not engaged
in this cruise should be stowed elsewhere if possible.
3.1 Equipment and Capabilities to be Provided by the Ship
Oceanographic winch with slip rings and 3-conductor cable terminated
for CTD,
Wire-angle indicator and readout for oceanographic winch,
Oceanographic winch for bongo net (and other nets when used) with slip
rings and 3 conductor cable terminated for the SeaCat,
Sea-Bird 911 plus CTD system to be used with PMEL stand (primary system)
(The underwater CTD unit should have mounts compatible with the PMEL CTD
stand),
Sea-Bird 911 plus CTD system with stand (back up system),
(Each CTD system should include underwater CTD, weights, and pinger
and there should be one deck unit and tape recorder for the two systems),
10-liter sampling bottles for use with rosette (10 plus 4 spares),
For CTD field corrections: IAPSO water and AUTOSAL salinometer,
Sea-Bird SBE-19 Seacat system (backup system),
Meter block for plankton tows,
Wire speed indicators and readout for quarterdeck, Rowe and Marco winches,
For meteorological observations: 2 anemometers (one R. M. Young system
interfaced to the SCS), calibrated air thermometer (wet-and dry-bulb) and
a calibrated barometer and/or barograph,
Freezer space for storage of biological and chemical samples (blast and
storage freezers),
Simrad EQ-50 echo sounder,
JRC JFV-200R color sounder recorder,
RDI ADCP with PC-compatible data acquisition computer and SyQuest drives,
Use of PC in DataPlot for data analysis,
SCS (Shipboard Computer System),
38 linear ft of laboratory bench space with exhaust hood, sink, lab
tables
18 cu. ft of laboratory storage space
Sea-water hoses and nozzles to wash nets (quarterdeck and aft deck),
Adequate deck lighting for night-time operations,
Navigational equipment including GPS and radar ,
Safety harnesses for working on quarter deck and fantail.
3.2 Equipment to be Provided by the Project
Sea-Bird SBE-19 Seacat system (primary system),
PMEL PC with SEASOFT software for CTD data collection and processing,
Fluorometer, light meter, and chlorophyll absorbance meter (ChlAM) to
be mounted on CTD,
CTD stand modified for attachment of fluorometer,
Conductivity and temperature sensor package to provide dual sensors
on the primary CTD,
CTD rosette sampler,
XBTs for project,
60-cm bongo sampling arrays,
20 cm bongo arrays,
Spare wire angle indicator,
Argos tracked drifter buoys with optical sensors,
Miscellaneous scientific sampling and processing equipment ,
Scientific ultra-cold freezer,
Discrete Sample Data Base software and forms.
2 phytoplankton incubators for the fantail
Filtration apparatus
Light meter
Microscope
Sample containers
AutoAnalyzer
Nutrient sample bottles
Chemicals
Water purification columns
3.3. Ship's Computer System (SCS)
The ship's Scientific Computer System (SCS) shall operate throughout
the cruise, acquiring and logging data from navigation, meteorological,
oceanographic, and fisheries sensors. See FOCI Standard Operating Instructions
for specific requirements.
4.0 DATA AND REPORTS
Data disposition, responsibilities and data requirements are listed
in the FOCI Standard Operating Instructions.
5.0 ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATIONS AND PROJECTS
5.3 Piggyback projects:
None at this time.
6.0 MISCELLANEOUS
6.5. Hazardous Materials:
The Chief Scientist shall be responsible for complying with NC Instruction
6280A, Hazardous Waste; policy, guidance, and training, dated February
4, 1991, paragraph 7.g and paragraph 9. By federal law, the ship may not
sail without a complete inventory of MSDS, and appropriate neutralizing
agents, buffers, and/or absorbents in amounts adequate to address spills
of a size equal to the amount aboard.
The following hazardous materials will be provided and controlled by
the scientists with the Chief Scientist assuming responsibility for the
safe handling of such substances:
UAF Scientists
