TROPICAL ATMOSPHERE-OCEAN (TAO) PROGRAM

FINAL

 

CRUISE INSTRUCTIONS

FOR

KA-04-06

GP7-04-KA

October 19  – November 17, 2004

 

TAO Program Director

Dr. Michael J. McPhaden

PMEL, TAO Project Office

7600 Sand Point Way NE

Seattle, WA 98115

 

Area:            Equatorial Pacific

Itinerary:

KA-04-06            Honolulu, Hawaii                   dep.  19 October 2004

Kwajalein, RMI             arr.    18 November 2004 (Kwajalein date)

 

CRUISE DESCRIPTION

General guidelines are contained in the TAO Program Standard Operating Instructions for NOAA Ship KA’IMIMOANA dated June 28, 2002.

 

Cruise Objective and Plan:

The objective of this cruise is the maintenance of the TAO Array along the 155°W and 170°W meridians.  The ship will depart  on October 19, 2004 to commence operations as listed in Appendix A.   After completion of operations, KA’IMIMOANA will proceed to Kwajalein, RMI arriving on or about November 17, 2004.   All dates and times referred to in these cruise instructions are in Pacific Standard Time (PST).

 

 

 

PMC  Operations:                                        TAO  Operations  Manager:

Larry Mordock                                             LCDR Brian Lake, NOAA

NOAA/MOC-Pacific (MOC-P1x3)              PMEL, TAO, R/PMEL

1801 Fairview Ave. East                            7600 Sand Point Way NE

Seattle, WA  98102-3767                           Seattle, WA 98115-0070

(206) 553-4764                                       (206) 526-6403

Larry.Mordock@noaa.gov                          Brian.Lake@noaa.gov

 

1.0 PERSONNEL

 

1.1   CHIEF SCIENTIST AND PARTICIPATING SCIENTISTS:

 

Chief Scientist:                    Linda Stratton

 

The Chief Scientist is authorized to revise or alter the scientific portion of the cruise plan 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 cruise; (3) result in undue additional expenses; (4) alter the general intent of these instructions.  A list of participating scientists follows.  All participating scientists will submit a medical history form and be medically approved before embarking.

 

Participating Scientists

Name                                      Sex            Nationality            Affiliation

 

1.   Linda Stratton                       F            USA                NOAA/PMEL

2.   Brian Powers                       M            USA                NOAA/PMEL

3.   Kevin Mahoney                    M            USA                MBARI

4.   Mark Harlan                         M            USA                MBARI

5.   Carla Engalla                 F    USA                MBARI

6.   Michael Takanene            M            Kiribati            Observer

 

 

2.0  OPERATIONS

 

Mooring Operations are scheduled to be conducted as shown in Appendix A.  Operations will be conducted from 8°N - 155°W to 8°S - 155°W and 8°S  - 170°W to 8°N  170°W and via 8°N  180°W to Kwajalein.  The following mooring operations are anticipated, though the work may be changed by direction of the Chief Scientist, in consultation with the Commanding Officer.

Location

Mooring Type

Operation

Status

8°N 155°W

ATLAS

Visit

 

5°N155°W

ATLAS

Recover/Deploy

 

2°N155°W

ATLAS

Visit

 

0°155°W

ATLAS

Recover/Deploy

Full MBARI instrumentation

2°S155°W

ATLAS

Recover/Deploy

 

5°S155°W

ATLAS

Visit

 

8°S155°W

ATLAS

Recover/Deploy

 

8°S170°W

ATLAS

Recover/Deploy

 

5°S170°W

ATLAS

Visit

 

2°S170°W

ATLAS

Visit

Swap MBARI

0°170°W

ATLAS

Repair

 

2°N170°W

ATLAS

Recover/Deploy

 

5°N170°W

ATLAS

Visit

 

8°N170°W

ATLAS

Recover/Deploy

 

8°N180°W

ATLAS

Visit

 

                                                                       

2.01 CTD

At a minimum, 1000 meter CTD casts shall be conducted at each mooring site between 8° N and 8° S for sensor inter‑comparison purposes.  As time permits, additional or deeper CTD’s should be conducted whenever addition of the CTD’s will not impact scheduled mooring work.  For example, if the ship would arrive at the next mooring site in the middle of the night, it is preferable to do CTD’s on the way, rather than remain hove to waiting for daylight.  Another example would be when mooring operations are significantly ahead of schedule.  Beyond those at mooring sites, CTD’s should be conducted in the following order of priority:

- 1000m CTD’s at one degree latitude intervals between 12° N and 8° S, along the ship’s trackline.

- Extend 1000m CTD’s at mooring sites to a minimum of 3000m or a maximum depth of 200m from bottom.  4 to 6 deep casts are optimal, occurring at the beginning and end of the cruise as well as at both equatorial sites.

- 1000m CTD’s every one‑half degree of latitude between 3°N and 3°S

- Additional calibration CTD’s to be determined by Chief Scientist.

In order to reduce the cost of standard water needed to calibrate CTD data, the number of salinity samples has been reduced.   PMEL proposes taking 8 samples per station instead of 12; not sampling 1/2-degree stations; and running 40 samples per standard instead of 36.   Questions regarding these revised procedures should be directed to Kristy McTaggart. 

 

2.02  Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) Mooring Operations

 

Bio-optical instrumentation will be swapped on the existing  mooring at  2°S 170°W.  The instrumentation at 0155W will be recovered and redeployed along with the TAO mooring.

 

2.03  Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) Chlorophyll and Nutrients

 

Phytoplankton biomass work consisting of chlorophyll extractions and nutrients samples will be collected from CTD rosette at 0, 10, 25, 40, 60, 100, 150 and 200m. The total volume used from each bottle, including rinses is approximately two liters; except for the surface bottle, which will require approximately four liters.  This requires use of the sink/bench area of the wet lab for filtration purposes.  Chlorophyll samples will be measured on-board using a bench-top fluorometer.   Nutrient samples (sea water) will be stored in the science hold and off-loaded upon return.

 

2.04  SeaWiFS Profiling Multi-spectral Radiometer (SPMR)

 

Each day as close to local noon as possible (between approximately 1000 and 1400 local) an optical cast will be conducted using a SeaWiFS (Sea‑viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor) Profiling Multi-spectral Radiometer (SPMR). This is a descendant of the Profiling Reflectance Radiometer (PRR) that MBARI has used onboard KA’IMIMOANA cruises since 1996. Operations will take approximately 30 minutes per station and logistically should be completed; when possible, at CTD stations or between mooring recovery/deployment operations.  For more detailed information please see:

 

http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEAWIFS.html

 

During transits, as time permits KA’IMIMOANA will stop and hold station for the purpose of performing an SPMR cast. Ideally it is preferred to conduct the SPMR cast at CTD stations when and where they fall into the four hour local noon time frame.  Besides the time savings, the advantage of this dual operation is the ability to compare the optical data with the CTD chlorophyll data which is invaluable to NOAA, MBARI, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The optical data is also used for calibration and validation of SeaWiFS satellite measurements.  MBARI’s involvement in this project falls under NASA’s Sensor Intercomparison and Merger for Biological and Interdisciplinary Oceanic Studies (SIMBIOS).

 

Along the equator, SeaWiFS passes over at roughly local noon each day and MBARI coordinates receipt of high resolution data over the ship's track along 155°W and 170°W.  MBARI makes uses of approximately 30 seconds of SeaWiFS high resolution data available on the satellite each day.  This unique opportunity to collect this long term, time-series data at relatively minimal additional costs is another invaluable service which KA’IMIMOANA provides to the scientific community.    For more detailed information please see:

 

http://simbios.gsfc.nasa.gov/

 

2.05  Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) Surface Drifters

 

The Global Drifter Center at NOAA/AOML requests drifter deployments on an ancillary basis.  The drifters are small, easily deployed devices which are tracked by Argos and provide Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and mixed layer currents.  The global array of drifters provides SST ground truth for NOAA’s polar orbiting satellite AVHRR SST maps.  They also provide data to operational meteorological and ocean models, and research ocean current data sets.  Ten AOML drifters are scheduled at the following positions: 

5N, 2N, 0, 2S, 5S along 155W and 170W

 

Craig Engler, Global Drifter Center, NOAA/AOML

305‑361‑4439 (office) or 305‑361‑4392 (fax)

Craig.Engler@noaa.gov or http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/

 

2.06  Pacific Marine Environmetal Lab (PMEL) Argo profiling CTD floats

 

One Argo float is scheduled for deployment on this cruise.   Individual deployment

positions can be shifted by a degree or so along the ship track if more

convenient.  Each float weighs about 56 lbs.    Boxes are numbered sequentially in order of deployment.  The boxes weigh about 200 lbs. full and are 82” long x 17” high x 23” long.  Boxes cannot be stored or transported on their small ends.   The floats are sensitive to high temperatures, so as space for a pair of floats becomes available

on the computer lab rack, it will be desirable to move floats from the

next box to the rack at the earliest convenient time.  A manual for

float-testing and deployment  has been sent to the ship.

Float deployment locations are as follows:

0155W

 

Argo float questions should be directed to:

Gregory Johnson                                              or                     Elizabeth Steffen

NOAA/PMEL                                                                         NOAA/PMEL

(206) 526-6806                                                               (206) 526-6747

Gregory.C.Johnson@noaa.gov                                          Elizabeth.Steffen@noaa.gov

 

2.07  Discrete gas sampler

 

Whole air samples are cryogenically dried and pumped into glass flasks by an automated system in the computer lab.  Following the cruise, the flasks are returned to Princeton University for analysis by prepaid FEDEX.  Pairs of flasks are collected while the ship is underway at 8N, 4N, 0, 4S and 8S along the 155ºW and 170ºW lines.  Automated sampling cycle is approximately 5 hours.  It is anticipated that the Survey Technician will perform the maintenance tasks.  The contact for this project is:

 Michael Bender, Princeton University

(609) 258-2936 bender@geo.princeton.edu

 

2.08 Dissolved inorganic carbon analysis (DIC)

 

A 0.5-liter seawater sample from surface CTD casts will be taken and stored for later dissolved inorganic carbon analysis.  Sample jars and mercury chloride solution will be provided by Scripps institute of Oceanography.  It is anticipated that the survey technician, together with MBARI personnel will take the samples.  A small bench-top drill press is installed on the ship to assist with the bottle capping process.  Samples will be shipped to Scripps at the conclusion of GP8 in Honolulu. The contacts for this project are:

 

Dr. Andrew Dickson                                              Dr. Richard Feely

Scripps Institution of Oceanography                      NOAA/PMEL

University of California, San Diego                 7600 Sand Point Way NE

Room 203 -- Vaughan Hall                         Seattle, Washington   98115

8675 Discovery Way

La Jolla, CA 92037                                                 Tel (206) 526-6214

Tel:   (858) 534-2582

Email: adickson@ucsd.edu                                    Richard.A.Feely@noaa.gov

 

 

3.0  Hazardous Materials

 

The Chief Scientist is responsible for the proper and safe storage of scientific hazardous material and complying with NC Instruction 6280B, Hazardous Materials and Hazardous Waste Policy, Guidance, and Training, dated May 8, 1991. This includes the requirement for the Chief Scientist to remove all scientific team hazardous materials and waste at the end of the cruise.

 

3.1 Ancillary Projects Hazardous Materials

 

1. Acetone                                                                             12 Liters            MBARI

2. Hydrochloric Acid (HCL)                                                      6 Liters            MBARI

3.  Mercuric Chloride solution (saturated with 30 grams)  400 ML            Scripps/PMEL

4.  Mercuric Chloride powder                  30 g                  Scripps/PMEL

 

 

Appendices:

A.  Operations Spreadsheet

B.      Trackline

C.    Mooring Equipment Weight List