Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Cruise Planning Synopsis
AT26-24 | |
Ship | |
| R/V Atlantis | |
Vehicles | |
| HOV Alvin | |
Cruise Party | |
| Andrew Fisher: Principal Investigator UCSC 1156 High Street Santa Cruz, CA USA 95064 +1 831 459 5598 Samuel Hulme: Principal Investigator Moss Landing Marine Laboratory USA +1 831 359 1907 samiam0101@gmail.com Geoffrey Wheat: Principal Investigator, Chief Scientist University of Alaska Fairbanks P.O. BOX 757200 Fairbanks, AK USA 99775 +1 831 633 7033 wheat@mbari.org |
Departure: Nov 30, 2014 | |
| Puntarenas Costa rica | |
Arrival: Dec 12, 2014 | |
| Puntarenas Costa Rica | |
Operations Area | |
| 86 to 88 degrees west 8 to 10 degrees north (TicoFlux site) and CR CORKs | |
| Lat/Lon: 9° 0.0′ N / 87° 0.0′ W | |
| Depth Range: 3000 / 3300 | |
| Will the vessel be operating within 200 NM of a foreign country? | Costa Rica |
| Are visas or special travel documents required? | no |
Science Objectives | |
Intellectual Merit: Scientific Motivation and Proposed Program Most of the advective heat loss from the oceanic lithosphere occurs on "ridge flanks”, areas far from the magmatic influence of seafloor spreading. Global hydrothermal fluid flows to and from the seafloor on ridge flanks, driven by lithospheric cooling and influenced by basement relief and variations in sediment thickness, are of the same magnitude as the flows from all of Earth's rivers and streams to the oceans. Yet, pristine fluids from a typical ridge-flank hydrothermal system have never been sampled, mainly because it has not been possible to locate a site of focused discharge where representative samples could be collected. We have located a small basement feature, Dorado outcrop, on 23 m.y.-old seafloor on the eastern flank of the East Pacific Rise, that is hypothesized to discharge 103–104 L/s of cool (10–20°C) hydrothermal fluid that carries 200-350 MW of lithospheric heat, equivalent to the heat output of a black-smoker vent field. We propose to sample this fluid to determine its composition, and to assess the rate of discharge from Dorado outcrop, so that we can quantify the chemical impact of this hydrothermal system. The physical and chemical state of this fluid is typical of fluids that extract heat from the crust and exchange solutes with the overlying ocean across much of the seafloor. Collection of uncontaminated samples from this feature will provide the most accurate estimates of the global impact of ridge-flank hydrothermal circulation. We anticipate that this fluid will be modestly different in composition from bottom seawater, which is why collection of pristine samples is so important, because of the relatively low temperatures of reaction and short residence time of the fluid within basaltic basement. Despite being slightly altered, fluid of this kind can have a large influence on the geochemical budgets of important solutes in the ocean because the flows are so large (from both Dorado outcrop and on a global basis). We will conduct an eleven dive operation with the submersible Alvin to collect fluids, rocks and sediment, retrieve experiments deployed in 2013, and measure temperature in the venting fluids and in the sediment. These data and samples will be combined to generate the first well-constrained estimates of hydrothermal flows from Dorado outcrop
Broader Impacts Undergraduate and graduate students and a junior faculty member (Hulme) will gain experience by participating in this program and through the development of ROV manipulated samplers and sensors. Results of this work will be broadcast in publications, theses, presentations (to scientific and lay audiences), and in K-16 curriculum development. The P.I.s have strong histories of involvement in educational and outreach programs at multiple levels. Wheat and Hulme are developing hands-on science-technology packages to engage K-8 students during week-long learning opportunities that include three technology-based activities per grade level and meet national science, mathematics, and language arts standards. Fisher will involve university students through USCS’s Institute for Scientist and Engineering Educators and Cal Teach programs. Wheat and Fisher are involved in the NSF-funded Science Technology Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations (C-DEBI). Materials from this expedition will be incorporated in C-DEBI education and outreach activities, reaching a diverse audience that includes K-8 students in the Los Angeles area. | |
Science Activities | |
| We will use the submersible Alvin to collect fluids, sediment, rocks, and make measurements of heat flow and temperature. We also will collect water using the CTD We will use the multi-beam system on the Atlantis to map areas that were missed in 2013. We will conduct a gravity coring operaiton at night. | |
Additional Info | |
| Pre-cruise Planning Meeting: Teleconference | |
Stations: | |
| TicoFlux Outcrop area 8-10 N and 86 to 88 W Distance: null Days: null Latitude: Longitude: Tengosed Outcrop Distance: 10 Days: 2 Latitude: 9° 10.0’ N Longitude: 87° 0.0’ W Tico Flux Outcrops and Seamounts Distance: 20 Days: 3 Latitude: 9° N Longitude: 87° W Dorado Outcrop Distance: 100 Days: 10 Latitude: 87° 7.0’ N Longitude: 9° 5.0’ W | |
Supporting documentation: | |
| »Dorado_Outcrop_2014_Expedition_prospectus_reduced.pdf | |
| »AlvinDataPrimer.pdf | |
| »Pre-Cruise_Meeting_Agenda_AT26-24_-_WHEAT.pdf | |
Funding |
| Funding Agency: NSF | |
| Grant or contract number: 1130146 |
Scientific Instrumentation for R/V Atlantis |
Shipboard Equipment | |||||||||||
| 12 kHz Pinger for Wire Use | |||||||||||
| Bathymetry System 12 kHz | |||||||||||
| Deionized Water System | |||||||||||
| Fume Hood | |||||||||||
| Multibeam | |||||||||||
| Navigation - Heading | |||||||||||
| Navigation - Position | |||||||||||
| Relay Transponder for Wire Use | |||||||||||
| Sippican XBT System (Mark 21) | |||||||||||
| Transponder Navigation - Sonardyne USBL | |||||||||||
| Bathymetry System 3.5 kHz | |||||||||||
Shipboard Communication | |||||||||||
| Basic Internet access via HiSeasNet | |||||||||||
CTD/Water Sampling | |||||||||||
| 911+ Rosette 24-position, 10-liter bottle Rosette with dual T/C sensors | |||||||||||
| SBE43 oxygen sensor | |||||||||||
| Wet Labs C*Star transmissometer (660nm wavelength) | |||||||||||
Critical CTD Sensors | |||||||||||
| we will bring a gravity coring system | |||||||||||
Sediment Sampling | |||||||||||
| Gravity corers | |||||||||||
Sample Storage | |||||||||||
| Climate Controlled Walk-in | |||||||||||
| Freezer -70°C 25 cu. ft. | |||||||||||
| Freezer -70°C 3.2 cu. ft. ea. | |||||||||||
| Refrigerator 8.6 cu. ft. | |||||||||||
| Storage Notes: We will probably want both walk in refrigeration units at 4degrees C. Often one is at 4C and the other at -20C. We will probably want both set to 4C | |||||||||||
Navigation | |||||||||||
| Will you be using Long Base Line (LBL) navigation? | no | ||||||||||
| How many nets? | null | ||||||||||
| How many tansponders? | null | ||||||||||
| Will you be using Ultra-short baseline (USBL) navigation? | no | ||||||||||
Navigation | |||||||||||
| GPS | |||||||||||
| USBL | |||||||||||
| LBL | |||||||||||
| Navigation Notes: We need navigation for Alvin, the gravity cores, and possible elevators. Science will bring their own gravity corer (Beth Orcutt). | |||||||||||
Winches | |||||||||||
| CTD Winch with .322" Electro-mechanical wire | |||||||||||
| Trawl Winch with .681 fiber optic | |||||||||||
| Hydro Winch with .25" hydro wire | |||||||||||
| Winch Notes: We will conduct a few CTDs and need a wire for gravity coring | |||||||||||
Wire use and application | |||||||||||
| CTD Winch with .322" Electro-mechanical wire | |||||||||||
| Trawl Winch with .681 fiber optic | |||||||||||
| Hydro Winch with .25" hydro wire | |||||||||||
| Winch Notes: We will conduct a few CTDs | |||||||||||
Standard Oceanographic Cables | |||||||||||
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Portable Vans | |||||||||||
| Chemical Storage Van | |||||||||||
Specialized Deck Equipment | |||||||||||
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Over the Side Equipment | |||||||||||
| Will you be bringing any equipment (winches, blocks, etc.) that lowers instruments over the side? | yes | ||||||||||
| Details: we will bring a gravity corer | |||||||||||
Special Requirements | |||||||||||
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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? | yes | ||||||||||
| Describe deployment method and quantity: | |||||||||||
Radioactive Material | |||||||||||
| Radioiosotopes: | no | ||||||||||
Additional Information | |||||||||||
| Is night time work anticipated on this cruise? | yes | ||||||||||
| Specialized tech support (Seabeam, coring, other): we will conduct the gravity coring and we will need help setting up the CTD | |||||||||||
| Other required equipment and special needs: | |||||||||||
Scientific Instrumentation for HOV Alvin |
Site Survey | |
| Will you provide detailed charts of the work area(s)? | yes |
| 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 |
| How many nets? | 0 |
| How many tansponders? | 0 |
| Will you be using Ultra-short baseline (USBL) navigation for other than Alvin operations? | no |
Vehicle Equipment | |
| Push corers (12-pack rack) | |
| Search sonar | |
| Low temperature probe | |
| Scoop nets | |
| CTD | |
| Bio collection boxes: 12 x 12 x 12 | |
| Bio collection boxes: 12 x 12 x 24 | |
| Major (dual) pair water sampler(s) with ICL temperature probles | |
Elevators | |
| Will you be using elevators to transport samples to the surface? | yes |
| If yes, how many would you anticipate? | 1 maybe |
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.
heat flow probe Come to think of it we wnat to add an oxygen sensor that we will bring | |
| Does this equipment use an external pressure housing? | yes |
| Has the pressure housing been tested per Alvin Pressure Test requirements? | yes |
| Pressure housing schematic with dimensions and include air and water weights. | |
| Air weight of this equipment? | 5 |
| Water weight of this equipment? | null|
| Does the equipment require a power interface from Alvin? | no |
| Voltage required null | |
| Power required | null|
| Data Interface | null|
| 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 the vehicle? | no |
| Hydraulic schematic of the equipment requirements. | |
| Does this equipment require manipulation? | yes |
| If yes, please describe how the equipment is to be manipulated:
use the manipulator to move the heat flow probe into the sediment or the oxygen sensor into fluid flow | |
| 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? | yes |
| If yes, please describe this equipment: osmosamplers, miniture temperature recorders and rock slides | |
| Does this equipment use any glass spheres for either buoyancy or as pressure housings? | no |
| Does the equipment have an associated computer or control panel for remote operation from the personnel sphere? | yes |
| Has the computer or control panel been gas tested for use in the personnel sphere? | yes |
Hazardous Material | |
| Will hazardous material be utilized? | no |
| Describe deployment method and quantity: | |
Additional Information | |
| Brief operations description or comments: | |
| Navy Clearance: Granted 11/30/14: WITHIN 70 NM RADIUS OF 09-00N 087-00W DURING PERIOD 300000T NOV THRU 122400T DEC 14 | |
Checklist & Notes |
Checklist | |
| U.S. Customs Form: | yes |
| Diplomatic Clearance: | yes |
| Date Submitted: | Jun 13, 2014 |
| Date Approved: | |
| Agent Information: | |
Costa RicaMaster R/V ATLANTIS | |
| Countries: | |
| Costa Rica only. | |
| Notes: | |
| Customs forms 4455 submitted Oct 20 for San Francisco Pre Loading. | |
| Isotope Use Approval: | no |
| Isotope Notes: | |
| SCUBA Diving: | no |
Checklist | |
| SSSG Tech: | |
| Allison Heater, Catie Graver | |
| Pre Loading San Francisco CA. Oct 20 and 21. Shipping gear / samples home in PUntarenas Costa Rica. DRY ICE req. | |