FOCI
STANDARD OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS FOR NOAA SHIP MILLER FREEMAN
Date
Last Modified: December 11, 2000
PARTICIPATING
ORGANIZATIONS:
NOAA -
Alaska Fisheries Science Center
(AFSC)
NOAA -
Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
(PMEL)
University
of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF)
University
of Washington (UW)
Southampton
Oceanography Centre
PROGRAM
DESCRIPTION
Fisheries-Oceanography Coordinated Investigations (FOCI) is an
effort by NOAA and academic scientists.
At present, FOCI consists of a Shelikof Strait (western Gulf of Alaska)
walleye pollock project, and a NOAA Coastal Ocean Program project: Southeast
Bering Sea Carrying Capacity. FOCI
also supports associated projects, such as the Arctic Research Initiative, U.S.
GLOBEC and North Pacific Marine Research Program, that address scientific
issues related to FOCI's. FOCI's
goal is to understand the effects of abiotic and biotic variability on
ecosystems of the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea in order to discern the
physical and biological processes that determine recruitment variability of
commercially valuable finfish and shellfish stocks in Alaskan waters.
1.0
PERSONNEL
1.1
& 1.2 CHIEF SCIENTIST AND PARTICIPATING SCIENTISTS:
See
specific FOCI Cruise Instructions for Chief Scientist and scientific personnel.
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 or (4) alter
the general intent of these project instructions.
1.3
NOAA MARINE OPERATIONS CENTER-PACIFIC CONTACT:
Larry
Mordock
NOAA/Marine
Operations Center-Pacific (MOP1)
1801
Fairview Ave. East
Seattle,
WA 98102-3767
(206) 553-4764
Larry.Mordock@noaa.gov
1.4
FOCI FIELD OPERATIONS LEADERS:
Dr.
Phyllis Stabeno
PMEL
7600
Sand Point Way NE
Seattle,
WA 98115-6349
(206)
526-6453
Phyllis.Stabeno@
noaa.gov
Dr.
Jeff Napp
AFSC
7600
Sand Point Way NE
Seattle,
WA 98115-6349
(206)
526-4148
Jeff.Napp@
noaa.gov
2.0
OPERATIONS
Scheduling
of individual activities will depend upon weather conditions and progress of
scientific work. Therefore, firm advance scheduling of events will not be
possible, and a continual dialogue between scientific and ship's personnel will
be important. To insure
fulfillment of all scientific objectives, the ship is asked to steam at maximum
cruising speed whenever time in transit or between stations is greater than one
hour.
2.1
SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES:
A
summary of activities for each FOCI cruise is provided in the FOCI Cruise
Instructions.
2.2
PROCEDURES FOR OPERATIONS:
The
following is a comprehensive list of FOCI operations including gear and
procedures for collecting data. A
listing of specific operations to be conducted on each cruise is listed in the
FOCI Cruise Instructions. Changes
or alterations to these standard procedures will be noted in the Cruise
Instructions.
2.2.1
CTD / Water Sample Operation
A Sea-Bird 9 Plus CTD with dual thermistor and
conductivity cells will be the primary system. The primary system will be provided and maintained by PMEL. A backup Sea-Bird 9 Plus CTD is
required and will be provided by the vessel. When available, and where possible, the FOCI fluorometer,
light meter, and chlorophyll absorbance meter (ChlAM) should be mounted on the
CTD stand for all casts. However,
the ChlAM cannot exceed 300 m depth, the Wet-Star fluorometer cannot
exceed 600 m, and the light meter cannot exceed 1000 m. On selected casts, biological samples
will be collected. Water for microzooplankton
samples will be collected using 10-l Niskin bottles. When only nutrient or chlorophyll water samples are
required, smaller Niskin bottles may be used.
Once
the CTD has been deployed, it should be lowered to 10 m, and then the deck
unit should be turned on. If a
ChlAM is attached, the CTD should remain at 10 m for three minutes;
otherwise after 45 seconds the CTD can be returned to just below the
surface. Then the data acquisition
program and VHS cassette CTD tape backup system should be started. The CTD should descend at a rate of
30 m/min for the first 200 m and 45 m/min below that. The ascent rate should be 50 m/min.
One exception to the descent rates occurs on the Bering Shelf in water less
than 150 m deep. In this
case, the CTD should descend at 10 m/min during the entire cast. An entry in the MOA should be made for
each CTD cast at the maximum cast depth.
CTD
data will be acquired on a PMEL PC computer using SEASOFT software. Aboard the Miller
Freeman, the
capability to display CTD data using the SCS system and monitors will be
available. Survey technicians and
scientists will keep the "CTD Cast Information/Rosette Log". Pressure, primary salinity, secondary
salinity, primary temperature, secondary temperature, fluorescence, ChlAM
chlorophyll concentration and light levels will be recorded on the "CTD
Cast Information/Rosette Log" for all water bottle samples.
CTD
Calibration: Salinity samples will be taken on every cast (or as specified by
the Chief Scientist). No reversing
thermometers will be required. The
CTD systems will be equipped with dual thermistors. A Survey Technician will run AutoSal analyses during the
cruise and record the readings on an AutoSal log.
2.2.2
MARMAP Bongo Tow
A 60-cm
bongo net with 0.505-mm nets (or 0.333-mm before mid May), hard
plastic codends and a 40-kg lead weight for a depressor will be used in
standard MARMAP tows. The nets
will be deployed at a constant wire speed of 40 m/min to a maximum depth
of 100 m (or 200 m before mid May) or 10 m off bottom in
shallower waters. However, at
stations on Lines 8, 16 and 17 in Shelikof Strait, nets will be towed from
10 m off bottom to the surface.
In addition, one side of the 60-cm bongo will be changed to 0.333-mm
mesh. Furthermore, the 20-cm bongo with 0.150-mm mesh nets will be
attached to the wire 1 m above the 60-cm bongo frame at Line 8 and
at selected other stations. A CTD
(SeaCat) or electronic BKG will be attached to the wire to provide real-time
tow data. The scientists will
monitor the depth of the nets from DataPlot, and they will issue stop commands
for the winch. The winch will be
stopped and the nets allowed to stabilize for up to 30 sec. The nets are then retrieved at a wire
speed of 20 m/min.
Ship's speed is adjusted to maintain a wire angle of
45(±5)° during the entire tow.
When the nets reach the surface, they are brought aboard and hosed to
wash the sample into the codend.
The sample is preserved appropriately. In some cases, larvae are sorted and preserved separately. Flow meters in the nets record the
amount of water filtered, and a CTD or electronic bathykymograph records the
depth history of the tow. The
scientists on watch are responsible for recording times and maximum depth on
the COD (Cruise Operations Database).
Tows not meeting specifications may be repeated at the discretion of the
scientific watch.
The
PMEL SeaCat data will be acquired on a PMEL computer using SEASOFT
software. The option to display
SeaCat data using the SCS system and monitors will be available.
2.2.3
Bongo Larval Condition Tow
A live
tow for larval pollock uses the 60-cm bongo with 0.333-mm or 0.505-mm
net mesh with taped codends. The
selection of the mesh size will depend on the time of field collections, larval
size, amount of algae, etc. This
is a vertical tow with the ship's speed used only to maintain a zero wire
angle. The SeaCat is on the wire,
and data are saved for each haul.
The bongo is lowered at 25-30 m/min to a gear depth of 70
meters. The wire in speed should
be 10 m/min, begin timing the tow when the net starts up. Do not rinse down the nets when they
return to the deck, but do immediately pour the codends immediately into clean
(live) 5-gallon buckets. The
samples are carefully transferred into a bowl over ice and are sorted quickly
for live larvae. Preserve larvae
immediately, as specified in FOCI field manual or sample collection request
forms. Rinse the net between tows.
2.2.4
Live Zooplankton Ring Net Tow
Tows to
collect experimental animals for secondary productivity experiments will be
taken during large-scale surveys and patch studies. These collections use a special net and codend that
minimizes damage to the organisms.
The net will be deployed using the starboard winch. The ship will be asked to keep station
for this vertical tow. A
0.8 m diameter ring net with a large polycarbonate codend and the SeaCat will
be "book clamped" to the wire.
The net will be lowered at a rate of 20 m/min to near the bottom,
and then retrieved at a rate of 10-20 m/min.
2.2.5
MOCNESS Tow
Deck
Machinery -- The Multiple Opening/Closing Net and Environmental Sensing System
(MOCNESS) is deployed whenever possible from the stern platform using the Rowe
winch and the A-frame. On cruises
where the trawl ramp is used, the MOCNESS may be carefully lowered and
retrieved over the ramp under calm seas.
The instrument will require 600-1500 m of single conductor
wire. In addition, a set of slip rings is requested for the winch.
The manufacturer states that the maximum drag observed on a 1-m2 MOCNESS
system was 3,000 pounds. If
we include a 2-3X safety factor, the conducting cable should have a minimum
breaking strength of 6,000-9,000 pounds.
Electronics
-- The MOCNESS telemeters, in real time, conductivity, temperature, depth, and
flow meter data to the surface.
FOCI owns two, separate electronic systems for the MOCNESS frame. The older system consists of two
6" OD pressure cases that sit in separate cradles on the net frame and
telemeter data to the ship at 1 frame every four seconds. The signal is received in DataPlot by a
data acquisition deck box and simultaneously routed to a computer and a VCR for
analog signal backup. A dot matrix
printer is used to print data from every other scan. Serial input (RS-232) from the ship's scientific GPS
unit is required to obtain continuous position data for the data stream. The data acquisition system (DAS)
software requires a single NMEA-0183 string ($GPGGA) for input to COM2. All acquisition programs are written in
TurboPascal 5.0 and exist as both source code and compiled executable code. All DAS hardware components sit in the
electronics rack in DataPlot.
The
newer system consists of two 4" OD pressure cases that sit in the same
cradle on the MOCNESS frame and telemeter data to the ship as fast as
1 frame per second. The
signal is received in DataPlot by a serial modem and is routed to a PC Pentium
computer under the bench on the starboard bulkhead. The analog signal is not recorded. The MOCNESS acquisition station shares a monitor with the
CTD/SeaCat data acquisition system.
Serial input of GPS data is required as for the older system. The data acquisition software is
written in Visual Basic running under Windows 3.1; we only have the compiled
executable file. Data scans and
tow summaries are printed on an inkjet printer located on the other side of
DataPlot.
Launch,
Fishing, & Recovery -- The movable MOCNESS support frame (cart) will be
used (as in the past). On cruises
not using trawl gear, the MOCNESS is launched and recovered from the stern
grating. We request that the deck crew construct a plywood platform (4'x16') with 2"x4" side rails to attach to the stern platform. On these non-trawl cruises, the support frame will be
secured to the deck near the net reel when not in use. On cruises where trawling occurs, the
MOCNESS is launched just forward of the trawl ramp and stored off the trawl way
between the crane and sorting table.
For
safe, efficient launch and recovery of the MOCNESS, the survey technician is
asked to lead those procedures, giving orders to the trawl house while the
scientific watch handles the tag lines.
When the weather is rough, a member of the fishing crew may be requested
to assist in the deployment and recovery.
A
scientist in DataPlot (the MOCNESS pilot) will relay instructions to the winch
operator and the bridge to control the descent/ascent of the net system. It is essential that the ship maintain
a constant speed through the water during the tow. Wire-in/out rates must be available to the winch
operator and should be displayed in DataPlot as well. The MOCNESS is deployed and recovered while under way
(1.5 knots). Wire is paid out
at a rate of 5-25 m/min and is retrieved at 5-20 m/min under the
direction of the pilot. The
MOCNESS pilot will inform the bridge as each net is closed and request that the
bridge record the position in the MOA.
After recovery, the MOCNESS nets are washed down on the aft deck. It may be necessary to remain on a
course that minimizes waves coming up the stern trawl ramp during net washing.
2.2.6
CalCOFI Vertical Egg Tow (CalVET)
Vertical
tows to collect microzooplankton and free-floating copepod eggs will be
conducted, sometimes in conjunction with CTD/bottle casts. When done in conjunction with a CTD
cast, the CTD will be stopped at 15 m during its descent, and the net
frame's top and bottom will be attached to the wire so that the net flushes
during its descent while the ship stands hove to. After descent to desired depth (usually 60 m), the net
will then be retrieved at a rate of 60 m/min. The samples will be washed into the codends, and then
preserved in 32 oz jars with formalin for later analysis. Once the net frame has been removed
from the wire, then the CTD/bottle cast can begin. The CalVET net can also be deployed from the starboard
quarterdeck. When done without the
CTD, the SeaCat should be attached below the net.
2.2.7
Methot Trawl
The
Methot trawl is deployed off the stern of the vessel (without the stern
platform) using the Marco winch. A ScanMar acoustical depth sensor with readout
in the trawl house will be used to receive real-time depth information. A scientist or survey technician in the
trawl house will relay orders for stopping and starting the winch to the winch
operator based on trawl depth. The
ship's speed should be 2.5 to 3.0 kts. This trawl will be deployed at 30-40 m/min and retrieved
at 20 m/min. Tows will be
oblique or stepped oblique, generally from 100 m to the surface. Methot trawls may be conducted in
daytime or at night with little or no advanced warning (where and when they
will be done depends on plankton catches or acoustic sign). Therefore, the trawl will need to be
activated quickly with little time lost.
Location and time of tows is at the discretion of the Chief Scientist or
scientific watch leader.
2.2.8
Midwater Trawl
Several
Marinovich or Rope midwater trawls may be requested for examining
predators. Midwater trawls will be
deployed using standard procedures for the gear requested. The Chief Scientist or watch chief will
decide trawl locations, times and depths. As with the Methot trawls, the midwater trawls will be
conducted day or night and will depend on plankton catches or midwater sign
seen on the EK-500 echosounder.
Once a trawl is requested, regardless of the time of day, the fishing
crew will need to be activated quickly, with little time lost. A Furuno net sonde usually is mounted
on the center of the headrope to provide real-time depth. To record net depth and temperature
with time, a microbathythermograph (MBT) or a Sea-Bird Electronics unit
(SBE-39) can be mounted alongside the net sonde.
2.2.9
Tucker Trawl
The
Tucker trawl may be used as the primary gear for late-larval surveys, as a
backup for the MOCNESS, or for dedicated predator studies. When used for late-larval surveys, it
will have 0.505-mm mesh and be towed in a smooth oblique fashion with one net
open. When used as a backup
MOCNESS sampler, it will have 0.333-mm mesh netting and will be used in
the standard manner. Four Tucker
tows are required to substitute for one oblique MOCNESS tow. When used for predator studies, it will
have 0.505-mm mesh with a 1-mm codend bucket. In all cases, the depth of the net will be monitored with
the ScanMar quarterdeck hydrophone.
When used for discrete depth sampling, an electronic BKG or CTD/SeaCat
will be attached. The net is
deployed at constant wire speed of 40 m/min to a desired depth. The winch is stopped, and the net is
allowed to stabilize for 30 sec.
A messenger is sent, opening the first net. Then at the next desired depth, a second messenger is sent,
closing the first net and opening the second. Again the net is allowed to stabilize and then is retrieved
as before. The nets are retrieved
at a wire speed of 20 m/min.
Ship speed is adjusted to maintain a 45° wire angle during the
entire tow. When the nets reach
the surface, they are brought aboard and hosed to wash the sample to the
codend. Flow meters are read. Tows not meeting specifications may be
repeated at the discretion of the scientific watch.
2.2.10
Chlorophyll Sample
Chlorophyll
samples will be taken from the 10-l Niskin bottles. Sampling depths depend on the fluorescence or ChlAM
profile. A typical strategy would
be samples at 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 or 60 m, depending upon which is
closest to the fluorescence or chlorophyll maximum. If the maximum is deeper than 60 m, sampling should be
moved deeper with fewer samples in the mixed layer.
When
microzooplankton samples are to be collected from the same Niskin bottle,
500 ml of water is first removed from the water bottle using a graduated
cylinder. Chlorophyll and nutrient
samples are obtained from the 500 ml in the graduated cylinder. See the FOCI Field manual for sampling
collection, filtration and preserving details. The -70°C freezer is required for sample storage.
2.2.11
Satellite-Tracked Drifter Buoy
Two to
three working days before deployment, the Chief Scientist or designated person
will secure the drifter on the back deck, turn it on (usually by removing the
magnet), and send an e-mail message to Dr. Phyllis Stabeno (stabeno@
pmel.noaa.gov) stating the serial number that is stamped on the drifter and the
time that it was turned on. The
method of deployment of the drifter is dependent upon the particular make of
drifter and is to be directed by the Chief Scientist or designated person.
2.2.12
EK-500 Monitoring
When
requested, the Simrad EK-500 Scientific 38- and 120-kHz
echosounding system in the acoustics lab will be turned on during all
scientific operations and should be monitored regularly for the presence of
unusual acoustic signals or heavy fish sign. The bridge should notify the scientific watch on duty if any
unusual sign appears on the bridge echo sounder. Because of the vast amount of data and paper generated by
this system, the data logger and color printer should only be turned on in an
area of interest or when unusual sign begins to show up. A trained scientist should be available
on each watch to begin logging data and to record station data and file names
in the notebook provided. Files
should be backed up onto optical disks and magnetic tape before the end of the
cruise following instructions in the ARC manual. The printer pen cartridges and paper should be replaced as
needed. The EK-500 settings will
be set at the beginning of the cruise and remain the same throughout the
cruise. When data are being
logged, the printers need to be checked every hour at a minimum.
2.2.13
ADCP Operation
ADCP
Observations: The purpose of the
Vessel-Mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (VM-ADCP) is to measure the
ocean current velocity continuously over the upper 300 m of the water
column, usually in 8-m depth increments.
Current velocities relative to the earth at this spatial and temporal
resolution cannot be measured by CTD sections, current meter moorings, or
drifting buoys. ADCP data are also
used to estimate the abundance and distribution of biological scatterers over
the same depth range and in the same depth increments.
ADCP
Data Collection: ADCP measurement
requires four instruments working in concert: the ADCP, the ship's gyrocompass,
a GPS receiver, and a GPS Attitude Determination Unit (ADU), presently the TSS
POS/MV. The ADCP is connected to a
dedicated PC and controlled by RD Instruments' Data Acquisition System (DAS)
software. Version 2.48 of DAS
software will be used as the controlling software. The DAS software shall be configured to use the user-exit
programs AGCAVE.COM and UE4.EXE.
Separate written instructions detailing the ADCP setup and configuration
files are kept in the ADCP notebook in the DataPlot compartment.
The
ADCP PC is interfaced to the ship's gyrocompass, to the primary scientific GPS
receiver, and to the GPS Attitude Determination Unit. The navigation GPS shall be configured to send only
NMEA-0183 messages $GPGGA and $GPVTG at the maximum fix update rate for the
receiver (usually a 1- or 2-second rate), and with the maximum
number of digits of precision (optimally 4). The Attitude Determination Unit shall be configured to send
the appropriate NMEA-0183 messages once each second. The user-exit program UE4.EXE shall be configured to control
acquisition and processing of GPS and ADU messages, and to synchronize the PC
clock with the time reported by the primary GPS.
The
ADCP PC logs data from the profiler to Iomega Zip disks and optionally sends a
complete data structure to SCS for logging on that system. This redundancy in data logging is
desirable for post-cruise processing flexibility. The user-exit program UE4.EXE should be configured to send
an "RDI-style" ensemble to SCS.
PMEL
supplies the Iomega Zip drives for FOCI projects. No more than one Iomega Zip disk will be required for the
cruise. At the end of the cruise,
a backup of the Iomega Zip disks should be made to a unique subdirectory of
another disk maintained by the ship for this purpose until the original data is
certified "error free" at PMEL.
Detailed,
post-cruise processing of ADCP data is designed to take advantage of a higher
quantity of navigation data than is retained by the ADCP acquisition
software. Thus, the ship's SCS is
relied on to log GPS navigation data at maximum available rates. The SCS system shall log output from
the best two navigation receivers at all times during a cruise. For the purpose of designating a
primary and secondary GPS system, precedence shall be assigned according to the
following list of GPS receivers available on the Miller Freeman:
1.
Trimble Centurion with encryption key installed and enabled (PPS-GPS)
2.
Northstar 941X receiving differential corrections from radiobeacon (DGPS)
3.
Trimble Centurion operating without encryption key (SPS-GPS)
4.
Northstar 941X without differential corrections (SPS-GPS)
5.
Leica MX-412 (DGPS)
Changes
in the availability of GPS equipment shall be communicated to PMEL to allow the
above list to remain current. It is the
responsibility of the ship to install and enable the appropriate encryption key
for use of a PPS-GPS receiver.
The SCS
file SENSOR.DAT should be configured to enable logging only of the NMEA-0183
format messages $GPGGA and $GPVTG from navigation sources; derived sensor
messages are not desirable for post-cruise processing. Similarly, only raw messages from the
gyrocompass ($HEHDT) are desirable for logging. SCS should log the primary GPS data at 1-second
intervals, the secondary GPS data at 10-second intervals, gyro data at 10-second
intervals, and the temperature and input voltage of the ADCP electronics (deck
unit) at 60-second intervals.
The latter are used for adjusting the acoustic backscattered signal
strength to absolute levels and for relating the signal to biological
scatterers.
ADCP
Underway Operations: The ADCP
operates continuously during the entire cruise. At the start of a cruise, the system shall be configured and
started according to the provided checklists "Before Leaving Port"
and "Underway to Operations Area". The ADCP and its interface to the gyro and navigation must
be checked daily by completing the "ADCP Daily Log" and also at the
end of the cruise with the ship tied to the pier. The centerboard height affects the depth of sampling. The centerboard shall be lowered as
soon as practical upon leaving port and remain lowered throughout the
cruise. If it is necessary to
raise the centerboard during the cruise, the times of raising and lowering must
be logged in the Marine Operations Abstract (MOA).
In case
of problems please describe the problem, error message numbers, flashing
lights, etc. on the log sheets.
Also contact Ned Cokelet (206-526-6820; e-mail cokelet@pmel.noaa.gov) at
PMEL as soon as possible.
Dedicated
ADCP transects should be run at constant heading (not constant
course-over-ground) if practical, thus minimizing gyro lag. However, transects along lines of
current-meter moorings should remain on the line with the ship's heading gradually
adjusted to accomplish this. Sharp
turns should be avoided. The
ship's speed should be constant.
Twelve knots is often satisfactory, but the ship may have to slow down
if the ADCP's "percent good pings" decreases below 75% in the upper
200-250 m due to sea state.
The
ADCP should operate in bottom-track mode when the water depth is less than
about 500 m for more than a few hours. This gives currents that are better compensated for
transducer misalignment but somewhat lower in statistical significance because
the number of pings is reduced.
For extended periods in deeper water, an ADCP configuration without
bottom tracking should be used.
ADCP
Backtrack-L Calibration:
Occasionally, the ship may be requested to execute a backtrack-L
calibration maneuver to test the instruments and to calibrate the transducer
misalignment angle for which a 0.5° error can seriously bias the
measurements. The
"misalignment angle" may change with the ship's trim as well as with
remounting the ADCP transducers.
The basic idea is to measure the current twice on closely spaced
parallel tracks of opposite heading when the ADCP and GPS are working
well. The maneuver consists of 4
legs (N, S, E and W headings) connected by simple U-turns forming an L shape. Each leg should be 30 minutes long
- the first 10 minutes are to allow the ship and instruments to stabilize
on the new heading. The entire
calibration should require about 2 1/2 hours with 5 minutes allowed
for each turn. The following
should be considered:
1.
Negligible currents are best, but stronger currents are acceptable as long as
they are reasonably uniform and steady.
Avoid regions of strong horizontal shear due to topography, flow through
passes, eddies and current boundaries.
In tidal currents, measure when the current is steadiest, often at
maximum flood and ebb rather than at slack water.
2.
Calibration legs can be done in any order provided opposite-headed legs are
sequential.
3.
Opposite-headed legs should be parallel and closely spaced, but not
retraced. Use U-turns to minimize
gyro oscillations. Avoid
Williamson and hairpin turns.
4. The
ADCP's PC screen should show at least 75%-good pings down to 250 m.
5. The
ship should go fast enough to detect a misalignment error (over 5 kts),
but slow enough to satisfy condition 4.
This depends on sea conditions.
Ten to twelve knots is often satisfactory.
6.
Choose a time when GPS is navigating and is expected to remain so over the next
2 hours.
ADCP
Absolute Backscatter Calibration:
A test to calibrate the absolute backscatter strength and to determine
the background noise level of the ship-ADCP system may be performed once per
cruise at the discretion of the Chief Scientist. Specific instructions in such event will be provided by PMEL
personnel aboard, and cannot be anticipated in advance of the cruise.
Typically,
such a test will be attempted in conditions when weather is relatively calm and
the water depth exceeds 250 m.
This test may require that the main power plant, pumps, sonars, and
other sources of acoustic and electronic noise be shut down. If conducted in the course of normal
operations, the work will require about 1 hour. There may be opportunities for variations of the test at
other times when the ship is at anchor, requiring the cooperation of the ship's
officers and engineering watch.
2.2.14
Radiometer
The Miller
Freeman will be
equipped with a radiometer to measure solar energy. The scientists will supply
the calibrated instrument, mounting hardware and cable to run to DataPlot. The
scientists will need the assistance of the ship's Electronic Technician and SCS
Manager to correctly install the instrument and make sure that the data stream
is being logged by the SCS.
3.0
FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT
3.1
EQUIPMENT AND CAPABILITIES TO BE PROVIDED
BY THE SHIP:
A
complete list of equipment to be provided by the ship is contained in the FOCI
Cruise Instructions for each cruise.
3.2
EQUIPMENT TO BE PROVIDED BY THE PROJECT:
A
complete list of equipment to be provided by the program is contained in the
FOCI Cruise Instructions for each cruise.
Additionally,
the NOAA Ship Miller Freeman shall provide and/or service the following:
3.3
SCIENTIFIC 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.
The SCS
data acquisition node will provide project scientists with the capability of
monitoring sensor acquisition via text and graphic displays. A data processing node will be
available to project scientists throughout the cruise, configured according to
the specifications of the FOCI SCS administrators (see below).
Sensor
identification, and data acquisition and logging parameters are specified in
the system file SENSOR.DAT. The
ship's SCS manager shall maintain this file in a current state. Specific FOCI requirements for the
content of the SENSOR.DAT file are provided by the FOCI SCS Administrators at
the start of the field operations season.
A listing of the sensor specifications is attached as an appendix to
these instructions. Changes to the SENSOR.DAT specifications
may be made by the ship's SCS Manager on a cruise-by-cruise basis at the
request of the Chief Scientist.
All changes in content of the SENSOR.DAT file shall be communicated to
the FOCI SCS Administrators.
SCS sensor data logged to disk files is organized into several
logical groupings according to intended post-cruise processing. These logical groupings are specified
by the FOCI SCS Administrators at the start of the 1997 field operations
season. The ship's SCS Manager
will assign data elements from newly installed sensors to the appropriate
logical group(s), and inform the FOCI SCS Administrators of such changes.
At regular intervals, the ship's SCS manager will archive data from
disk files to CD for delivery to the project representative at the end of the
cruise. Additional recording of
processed data may be requested of the ship's SCS manager; if so, specific
instructions will be found in the Cruise Instructions.
The ship's SCS Manager will ensure data quality through the
administration of standard SCS protocols for data monitoring. If requested by the Chief Scientist,
standard SCS daily quality assurance summaries will be prepared for
review. During the cruise, the
scientific party may require the assistance of the ship's SCS Manager to
determine if all sensors are functioning properly and to monitor some of the
collected data in real time to make sampling strategy decisions.
The FOCI SCS co-administrators are:
Tiffany Vance: (206) 526-6767; e-mail: vance@pmel.noaa.gov
Dave Kachel: (206) 526-6195; e-mail: kachel@pmel.noaa.gov
3.4 SEACHEST AND UNCONTAMINATED SEAWATER:
Sea surface temperature, conductivity and fluorescence will be
continuously sampled. Data from
the Sea-Bird thermosalinograph installed in the sonar void seachest shall be
sent to the SCS. Uncontaminated
seawater from this chest will be pumped to the Chemistry Laboratory and through
a fluorometer. The scientists will
be responsible for regularly cleaning the cuvette inside the fluorometer and
obtaining and processing the calibration samples. Calibration samples will be taken at each bongo station or
one hour apart, whichever is more frequent.
The ship's SCS ASCII-Logger feature shall be configured to
log one-minute averaged data throughout each FOCI cruise, including:
GPS Time
GPS Latitude
GPS Longitude
Water Depth in Meters
Seawater (seachest) temperature
Seawater (seachest) salinity
Laboratory Fluorometer voltage
Radiometer data (mE m-2 s-1)
A standard template file specifying these data types shall be
maintained for all FOCI cruises by the ship's SCS manager. ASCII Logger files will be included in
the periodic backup of SCS data for distribution at the end of the cruise. The Chief Scientist may request that
these data be made available on DOS-formatted media at the completion of the
cruise.
During the cruise, the ship's Chief Survey Technician will be responsible for ensuring that the data streams from the instruments are correctly logged by the SCS. During the cruise, the survey technicians are responsible for checking the logger status display once per watch to determine that the instruments are functioning, and for taking salinity calibration samples every other day.
3.5 ULTRA-COLD FREEZER REQUIREMENTS:
The scientific ultra-cold freezer will remain on the ship in
operating condition from the beginning of the first FOCI cruise until the ship
returns to Seattle and the samples within can be unloaded. Since valuable samples will be in the
unit, operation must be continuous without interruption. Therefore, the unit should be hardwired
into the ship's electrical system or connected with a threaded plug. The unit must be securely fastened to a
bulkhead or counter, easily accessible, with a minimum of 4" on each side
around the bottom. The location,
fastening, and wiring should be similar to the configuration that FOCI has used
in the past. In addition, a weight
should be taped to the top of the unit to prevent the lid from lifting in heavy
seas.
The freezer has an alarm, but ship's personnel are requested to
check the digital temperature display twice daily to insure that the operating
temperature is below -60°C.
The unit will be locked between cruises, and a key left with the Chief
Survey Technician. In the event
that the unit fails, the temperature will maintain for about 12 hours if
the lid isn't opened. If the unit
fails and cannot be fixed on the ship, the scientific blast freezer should be
pre-cooled to its minimum (-38°C), and all frozen specimens should be
transferred to it immediately, without thawing. Kevin Bailey (206/526-4243, 4239; kevin.bailey@noaa.gov)
must be notified.
A daily record of the temperature (digital readout) on the
scientific ultra-cold freezer will be submitted to Kevin Bailey (AFSC) upon the
ship's return to Seattle.
4.0 DATA AND REPORTS
4.1 DATA DISPOSITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Chief Scientist is responsible for the disposition, feedback
on data quality, and archiving of data and specimens collected on board the ship
for the primary project. The Chief
Scientist will be considered to be the representative of the Directors of AFSC
and PMEL for purpose of data disposition.
A single copy of all data gathered by the vessel will be delivered to
the Chief Scientist upon request for forwarding to the Lab Directors, who in
turn will be responsible for distribution of data to other investigators
desiring copies.
4.2 DATA REQUIREMENTS:
The following data products will be included in the cruise data
package:
Marine Operations Abstracts,
Marine weather observation logs,
PMEL CTD weather observation logs,
CTD VHS videocassettes,
CTD Cast Information/Rosette Log,
Calibration sheets for all ship's
instruments used,
Autosalinometer logs,
ADCP log sheets,
ADCP Iomega Zip,
SCS backup CD,
SeaPlot files, disk and hard copy. NOS chart or overlay not required,
Ultra-cold freezer temperature daily log,
(end of field season).
4.2.1 Marine Observation Log: Ship's officers will maintain
a Marine Operations Abstract (MOA) form during the cruise. The critical information to record at
each station is:
GMT date,
GMT time,
position,
station #,
haul #,
gear type, and
bottom depth.
At present, a paper form (hard copy) MOA is the most secure method
for ensuring that these data are recorded and preserved. However, FOCI is willing to work with
MOC-Pacific to develop an electronic version that is efficient, secure and
could eventually replace the paper MOA.
4.2.2 Station Plot:
The position of each operation and station will be maintained in a
SeaPlot file. A diskette and hard
copy of the file will be given to the Chief Scientist. The requirement to plot on NOS nautical
charts and provide the Chief Scientist with the chart or mylar overlay has been
temporarily waived.
4.2.3 Navigation:
Observations and reliable fixes shall be plotted and identified by
date/time group or equivalent.
Fixes shall be evaluated for course and/or speed made good. Primary navigational control shall be
provided by GPS satellite, radar range and bearing, and visual fixes.
4.2.4 Synoptic Weather Reports: In accordance with OMO
Instruction 3142 dated December 5, 1985, and Amendment 3142B dated August 4,
1986, ship's personnel will maintain a weather log of NOAA Form 72-1A, and data
will be transmitted via SEAS. The
completed logs will be forwarded to NWS port meteorologists.
Complete meteorological observations will be logged on NOAA Form
77-13d at hourly intervals for scientific data purposes.
4.2.5 Scientific Ultra-cold Freezer Log: A daily record of the temperature
(digital readout) on the scientific ultra-cold freezer will be submitted to
Kevin Bailey (AFSC) upon the ship's return to Seattle.
4.3 EVALUATION REPORT: One Ship Operations Evaluation Report is required for each
leg of the primary project only, using the form provided by the ship for that
purpose. The Chief Scientist
will complete the report and submit it to their Lab or Center Director for
forwarding to OMAO.
5.0 ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATIONS AND PROJECTS
5.1 ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATIONS:
Any other work done during the cruise period will be subordinate
to the main project and performed so as not to interfere with that outlined in
these instructions or in the specific FOCI instructions pertaining to the
cruise. The Chief Scientist will
be responsible for determining the priority of additional work relative to the
main project.
5.2 ANCILLARY PROJECTS:
Ancillary tasks will be accomplished in accordance with the NOAA
Fleet Standing Ancillary Instructions.
5.3 PIGGYBACK PROJECTS:
See FOCI Cruise Instructions
6.0 MISCELLANEOUS
6.1 RADIO INTERFERENCE:
Some scientific equipment is sensitive to radio frequency
interference. When interference
occurs, it may be necessary to adjust operations and communications schedules
if efforts to electronically isolate the equipment are unsuccessful.
6.2 PRECRUISE MEETING:
A pre-cruise meeting between the Commanding Officer and the Chief
Scientist will be held prior to the start of the cruise. Its purpose is to identify the
day-to-day requirements of the project in order to best utilize shipboard
personnel resources and to identify overtime requirements. A brief meeting of all scientific
personnel, the Field Operations Officer, Chief Boatswain, survey department,
and other relevant ship's personnel should be held before the vessel reaches
the operations area for the purposes of:
1. introducing new
scientific personnel to ship's procedures, proper channels, etc.;
2. discussing
operating procedures for deploying various pieces of sampling equipment; and
3. coordinating
scientific watch assignments.
6.3 POST-CRUISE DEBRIEFING:
A debriefing will be held between the Chief Scientist and the
Commanding Officer. If
serious problems are identified, the Commanding Officer shall notify the Marine
Center by the most direct means available. The Chief Scientist shall document identified problems in
the Ship Operations Evaluation Form.
6.4 MEALS:
There is no charge to scientists for meals aboard NOAA vessels.
6.4.1 Midnight Lunches: The scientific staff will work 12-hour watches (12 to
12). A microwave oven will be
available to reheat meals requested to be set aside for the watch.
7.0 COMMUNICATIONS
7.1 METHODS AND PROGRESS REPORT:
The Miller Freeman does not maintain an exact JFT schedule w/
MOC-Pacific. E-mail is used more
often. Radio contact will be
maintained when possible. The Chief Scientist will send a scientific progress
report to his or her respective Field Operations Leader via INMARSAT voice,
Fax, or e-mail at least once a week.
7.2 USE OF RADIO TRANSCEIVERS:
Because it is sometimes necessary for the scientific staff to
communicate with other research vessels, commercial vessels, and shore based
NOAA facilities, the Chief Scientist or designee may request the use of radio
transceivers aboard the vessel.
7.3 RECEIVING SCIENTIFIC STATUS REPORTS:
The Chief Scientist may anticipate the need for daily reports on
the position of satellite drifters in the study area and on the status of
biophysical mooring(s). These will
be sent either by Fax from PMEL over INMARSAT or over Internet from PMEL to the
MOC-Pacific radio room and forwarded to the ship via JFT.
7.4 IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS, FAX NUMBERS AND E-MAIL ADDRESSES:
PMEL/OERD2 Fax: (206) 526-6485
PMEL/ADMIN Fax: (206) 526-6815
AFSC/RACE Fax: (206) 526-6723
Telephone to ship:
Please see NOAA Marine Operations Fleet Telephone
Numbers at http://www.moc.noaa.gov/phone.html.
Note: Some methods of communicating with the
Miller Freeman can be very expensive (up to $11/minute for INMARSAT). Please try
the less expensive methods first. When the ship is at sea, try the cellular number
first, then INMARSAT Mini-M, and lastly, the INMARSAT A or B number. The actual charges for shore to ship
calls may vary by long distance provider. You should check with your provider
to determine the actual cost of the call.
Miller Freeman COMSAT (government
account numbers): These are much cheaper than INMARSAT direct numbers and
should always be used first.
800-678-0872, after voice prompt dial 330-394-113, after tone dial
customer ID# (Voice)
800-678-0872, after voice prompt dial 761-267-348, after tone dial
customer ID# (Fax)
PIs should establish their ID#s with their program.
Home Port: 206-553-4589, 4581, 8344 (MOC -
Seattle, WA)
INMARSAT B:
011-872-330 394 113
(Voice)
011-872-330 394 114
(Fax)
011-872-330 394 116
(Telex)
INMARSAT Mini-M:
011-872-761 267 346
(Voice - PBX)
011-872-761 267 347
(Voice)
011-872-761 267 348
(Fax)
Cellular: 206-660-7167
When the ship is in the vicinity of the
following cities, dial the following roaming code first; after the tone, dial
the full cellular phone number (i.e., 206-660-7167).
907-391-7626 - Dutch
Harbor, AK
907-528-7626 -
Kodiak, AK
907-321-7626 -
Juneau, AK
907-399-7626 -
Homer, AK
907-752-7626 -
Sitka, AK
907-254-7626 -
Petersburg / Ketchikan, AK
907-229-7626 -
Anchorage, AK
E-mail Address:
NOAA.Ship.Miller.Freeman@noaa.gov
Program contacts:
Dr. Phyllis Stabeno -PMEL- (206) 526-6453;
phyllis.stabeno@noaa.gov
Dr. Jeff Napp -AFSC- (206) 526-4148;
jeff.napp@noaa.gov
E-mail to:
PMEL person: LastName@pmel.noaa.gov or
First.Last@noaa.gov
AFSC person: First.Last@noaa.gov
MOC-Pacific radio room: Radio.Room@noaa.gov
Direct to ship: NOAA.ship.Miller.Freeman@noaa.gov; put the person's name in the SUBJECT field
The Miller Freeman is equipped with INMARSAT, a
telephone/teletype satellite communication system. If the scientific staff uses
this system, they will be obligated to pay for their calls, which are estimated
at $6.02 per minute and $4 per minute for Telex.
The Chief Scientist or designee will have access to, and
assistance provided for transmitting and receiving communications through
INMARSAT as needed during the cruise.
7.5 CELL PHONE:
The Miller Freeman is equipped with a cellular telephone. If the Scientific Party uses this
system, they will pay for incoming and outgoing calls. Cost is approximately $0.90 per minute,
plus applicable long distance fees charged to the ship's number. The Scientific Party should keep a
complete phone log (INMARSAT and cellular) for all calls, and turn it over to the
Miller Freeman Executive Officer.
APPENDIX.
FOCI SCS Sensor Specification