Off-Axis Seamount Investigations at Siqueiros (OASIS)

Ship

R/V Atlantis

Vehicles

AUV Sentry, HOV Alvin

Cruise Party

Daniel Fornari: Principal Investigator
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Clark South 172B, MS#24 Woods Hole, Ma. USA 02543
+1 508 289 2857
dfornari@whoi.edu

Patricia Gregg: Principal Investigator, Chief Scientist
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign CAB, 605 E. Springfield Ave. Champaign, IL USA 61821
+1 217 244 6726
pgregg@illinois.edu

Michael Perfit: Principal Investigator
University of Florida USA
+1 352 392 2128
mperfit@ufl.edu

Departure: Manzanillo, MX on Nov 3, 2016

Arrival: Manzanillo, MX on Dec 3, 2016

Mobilization Date: Oct 31, 2016

Demobilization Date: Dec 4, 2016

Supporting documentation:

»OASIS_FieldRegion.jpg

Operations Area: 8 20N Seamount chain: 8N to 9N and 107.5W to 104W, See attached map

Lat/Lon:

Depth Range: -1500 / -4000

Will the vessel be operating within 200 NM of a foreign country? No.
Are visas or special travel documents required? yes

Science objectives

Understanding how melts are generated and focused across hundreds of kilometers through the upper mantle to the narrow mid-ocean ridge (MOR) axis is fundamental to understanding how most of Earth’s lithosphere is formed. Significant advancements have been made in the use of geodynamic models to investigate mantle melting and melt transport in 3D. However, the lack of comprehensive off-axis geophysical and correlative geochemical data presents a critical information gap that needs to be filled before progress can be made in refining these models. Our collaborative will fill these data gaps through a multidisciplinary field program to survey and sample the 8 20’N Seamount Chain which extends 200 km westward from the East Pacific Rise (EPR) / Siqueiros ridge-transform intersection (RTI). Seamounts provide a unique opportunity to test hypotheses of off-axis melt distribution and source variation, as melts delivered through the crust to build these seamounts provide geochemical ‘probes’ into the upper mantle. The ~200 km long continuous 8 20’N Seamount Chain will provide an ideal location for a systematic, spatial analysis of off-axis melting.

Major products from this investigation include: (1) a comprehensive, spatially dense geochemical and geophysical dataset from the EPR / Siqueiros RTI out to 200 km (~3.6 My lithosphere), the first data set of this kind; (2) data-validation of geodynamic models of three-dimensional melt migration, and lithospheric evolution, including a statistical parameter estimation and sensitivity study; and (3) a new Marine Geology curricular unit targeted at 7^th and 8^th graders, which will be broadly exported to schools around the country via Dive and Discover.

Science Activities

The field program has two main components: Underway Geophysics and On-site Sample collection and detailed mapping. 

(1) Underway Geophysics - 8 days

• High-resolution Multibeam (need optimal swath width)
• Shipboard, BGM-3 Gravity
• SeaSpy Towed Magnetometer

Pre-cruise planning meeting: Visit WHOI

We will be meeting at WHOI on Tuesday, May 24th at 10:00am.
Media personnel on board: Video
Sylvain Pascaud, LCL Production, will be filming a documentary for BBC/PBS/etc on deep sea exploration.

Stations:

  See Supporting Documentation for additional information
  Distance: null
  Days: null
  Latitude:
  Longitude:

  Station 1
  Distance: 654.2
  Days: 0
  Latitude: 8° 38.0’ N
  Longitude: 107° 14.0’ W

Funding Agency: NSF #OCE 1356610

- added NSF #OCE 1356610 on May 19, 2016 8:40 AM by Dr. Patricia M Gregg

R/V Atlantis

Shipboard Equipment

Bathymetry System 12 kHz
Sippican XBT System (Mark 21)
Bathymetry System 3.5 kHz
Science Underway Seawater System
Relay Transponder for Wire Use
12 kHz Pinger for Wire Use
Transponder Navigation - Sonardyne USBL
Navigation - Heading
Multibeam
Navigation - Position
Gravimeter
Towed Magnetometer

Shipboard Communication

Basic Internet access via HiSeasNet
Is there a need to transfer data to shore on a regular basis?
Is there an expectation to use Skype or any other real-time video conference program?

Critical CTD Sensors: 

Storage Notes: We may collect biological samples. However, this is not a primary objective of this field program.

Navigation

Will you be using Long Base Line (LBL) navigation? no

Will you be using Ultra-short baseline (USBL) navigation for other than Alvin operations? no

Navigation

GPS
USBL
LBL

Navigation Notes: THERE IS NO COMMENT BOX FOR SHIPBOARD EQUIPMENT SO WE ARE PUTTING COMMENTS HERE:
(1) We need 2 x 12 kHz Pinger for Wire Use (1 ready spare)
(2) We need to ensure that the outer beams on the Multibeam array prior to cruise to ensure optimal swath width
(3) We need deep and shallow XPTs (12-15 each)

THESE COMMENTS ARE FOR INTERNET ACCESS
(1) YES we will be doing regular upload of data to shore
(2) YES we would like to Skype/Real time communication via internet

NOTE ON NAVIGATION:
(1) USBL will be used for SENTRY, TOWCAM, and DREDGING. *We checked "yes" above and it is not working.

Winches

CTD Winch with .322" Electro-mechanical wire
Trawl Winch with 9/16th trawl wire

Winch Notes: (1) CTD Winch will be used for TowCam ops.
(2) Trawl Winch with steel half inch wire used for dredging.
(3) Need swivel for dredge
(4) Traction winch required for dredging.

*We will be conducting 22+ dredges over the side to collect samples.



Wire Notes:

Slip ring required? no	Number of conductors:
Non-standard wire required? no	Type:
Traction winch required? no	Describe:

Other Science Vans:

Specialized Deck Equipment

Mooring Deployment/Recovery Equipment Required: no	Type:
Cruise Specific Science Winch Required: no	Type:
Nets Required: no	Type:

Over the Side Equipment

Will you be bringing any equipment (winches, blocks, etc.) that lowers instruments over the side? no

Special Requirements

Elecrical Power: yes	Identify: Power for Sentry Van
Equipment Handling: yes	Identify: Sentry over-boarding
Inter/intraship Communications: no	Identify:
Science Stowage: yes	Identify: Yes. Space need in science hold and containers for science gear carried from Woods Hole, MA.
Water: no	Identify:

Additional Cruise Items/Activities

Explosive Devices: no Portable Air Compressors: no Flammable Gases: no

Small Boat Operations: no SCUBA Diving Operations: no

Hazardous Material

Will hazardous material be utilized? no

Radioactive Material

Radioiosotopes: no

Additional Information

Is night time work anticipated on this cruise? yes

Specialized tech support (Seabeam, coring, other):  We will be conducting a 24-7 operation. Night ops will include underway geophysics, dredging, AUV Sentry Dives, and TowCam dives.

Other required equipment and special needs: 

AUV Sentry

Site Survey

Will you provide detailed charts of the work area(s)?  yes
Current Chart(s):


If no, will you need Sentry to generate maps of the work area(s)?  yes

Will you need post-dive maps of the work area generated?  yes

Navigation

Will you be using Long Base Line (LBL) navigation? no

Will you be using Ultra-short baseline (USBL) navigation? yes

Will you be using Doppler/GPS navigation? yes

Sensors & Samplers

Magnetometer
What type of samples do you expect to collect?
The form has an option to include scoop nets and multi-chamber slurps for Sentry. Is this correct?

Science Supplied Equipment

Are you supplying equipment to be used with AUV Sentry?  no

Has this equipment been used on Sentry before?  no

Please give a brief description of the equipment, its intended purpose, the cruise # it was last used on if any and its deployment method.

Does this equipment use an external pressure housing?  no

Has the pressure case been tested to the anticipated depth of deployment?  no

Air weight(s) of this equipment?

Water weight(s) of this equipment?

Does the equipment require data or a power interface from the vehicle?
  no

Does the equipment meet the electrical requirements of the Sentry User Manual?  no

Cameras & Video

Digital Still Camera: Color

Additional Information

Brief operations description or comments: We are expecting to use, in real-time detailed Sentry mulitbeam maps for Alvin plan planning and execution. Maps will be made primarily on seamount sumits and flanks.

HOV Alvin

Site Survey

Will you provide detailed charts of the work area(s)?  yes
Current Chart(s):


If no, willl you need R/V Atlantis to generate maps of the work area(s)?  no

Will you need post-dive maps of the work area generated?  no

Navigation

Will you be using Long Base Line (LBL) navigation? no

Will you be using Ultra-short baseline (USBL) navigation for other than Alvin operations? yes

Vehicle Equipment

Bio collection boxes: 12 x 12 x 12


What type of samples do you expect to collect?
We will primarily be collecting rock samples. However, this is an unexplored area and we may find vent biology that will be sampled. Rock storage sample containers should be an option under vehicle equipment. We will need multi-chambered rock storage containers for our Alvin ops. We will make detailed charts using shipboard multibeam and we will make post-dive maps. We need Atlantis to make maps of the post-dive areas.

Elevators

Will you be using elevators to transport samples to the surface?  yes
If yes, how many would you anticipate?  4

Science Supplied Equipment

Are you supplying equipment to be used on HOV Alvin?  yes

Has this equipment been used on Alvin before?  yes

Please give a brief description of the equipment, its intended purpose, the cruise # it was last used on if any and its deployment method.
We will be using MISO Digital Still Camers.

Does this equipment use an external pressure housing?  yes

Has the pressure housing been tested per Alvin Pressure Test requirements?  yes

Air weight of this equipment? null

Water weight(s) of this equipment?

Does the equipment require a power interface from Alvin?  yes

Voltage required

Power required

Data Interface

Does the equipment meet the electrical requirements of the Alvin User Manual?  yes

Please provide power and comms specifics, wiring diagram, pinout, and wiring harness in advance of the cruise.

Does this equipment require hydraulic inputs from Alvin?  no
Hydraulic schematic of the equipment requirements.

Does this equipment require manipulation?  no

If yes, please describe how the equipment is to be manipulated: 

Will this equipment be deployed off the vehicle?  no

If yes, please describe how the equipment is intended for deployment: 

If yes, will the equipment be disconnected from the vehicle and left in situ?  no

How long will the deployment be? 

Will the equipment be recovered by the same vehicle?  no

Do you intend to recover any other previously deployed equipment?  no

If yes, please describe this equipment: 

Does this equipment use any glass spheres, ceramic housings or similar (non-metallic materials) for either buoyancy or as pressure housings?  no

Do you require any electronic equipment in the personal sphere? no

Has the computer or control panel been gas tested for use in the personnel sphere?  no

Hazardous Material

Will hazardous material be utilized? no

Additional Information

Brief operations description or comments:

Date Submitted: May 19, 2016 2:29 PM by Dr. Patricia M Gregg