Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Cruise Planning Synopsis


AT42-01: Lang - Lost City 2015

Ship

R/V Atlantis

Vehicles

ROV Jason

Cruise Party

William Brazelton: Principal Investigator
University of Utah USA
+1 801 587 9455
william.brazelton@utah.edu

Gretchen Fruh-Green: Principal Investigator
ETH-Zurich Switzerland
+1 999 999 9999
fruh-green@erdw.ethz.ch

Deborah Kelley: Principal Investigator
University of Washington USA
+1 206 543 9279
kelley@ocean.washington.edu

Susan Lang: Chief Scientist
University of South Carolina 701 Sumter St Columbia, SC USA 29208
+1 803 777 8832
slang@geol.sc.edu

Marvin Lilley: Principal Investigator
University of Washington School of Oceanography P.O. BOX 355351 Seattle, WA USA 98195
+1 206 543 0959
lilley@u.washington.edu

Departure: Sep 8, 2018

Woods Hole

Arrival: Oct 1, 2018

San Juan

Operations Area

Mid-Atlantic Ridge, 30N
Lat/Lon: 30° 12.0′ N / 42° 12.0′ W
Depth Range: 650 / 4500
Will the vessel be operating within 200 NM of a foreign country? N/A
Are visas or special travel documents required? no

Science Objectives

Objective 1: Mantle rocks comprise significant portions of the seafloor, and microbial communities hosted within them may be important mediators of carbon and energy exchange between the deep Earth and the surface biosphere. Given the abundant metabolic energy potentially available in these ubiquitous mantle rocks, the microbial communities hosted within them may represent a significant proportion of the active subsurface biosphere. To better understand the extent of the serpentinite subsurface, this project will address the question: What limits biological activity in the serpentinite subsurface? Specifically, the proposed work will test the hypotheses: (1) microbial diversity spans a wider range of temperature-pH conditions than currently recognized and (2) the scarcity of ΣCO2 is a key biological limitation to serpentinization-driven ecosystems that can be overcome by the metabolic activity of one or a few foundation species.

Objective 2: A recent expedition carried out by the International Ocean Discovery Program in Fall 2015 drilled a series of boreholes at the top of the Atlantis Massif, in an East-West profile.  In several cases, water appeared to be buoyantly rising from the hole after drilling. Several boreholes were outfitted with plugs, making it possible to return to these sites and sample pristine subsurface fluids. The objective is to sample fluids from the boreholes where possible and to visually inspect some of the remaining boreholes to determine their status. 

Science Activities

Objective 1 (10 science days): Sample fluids and rocks from multiple locations across the Lost City hydrothermal field. The goal is to collect co-registered fluid, volatile, filter, and chimney samples from four to eight distinct sites within the field. Fluids and volatiles will be sampled using traditional Major and GasTight samplers as well as newer samplers that include a scaled-up GasTight sampler (1500 mL instead of 150 mL) and a large volume water sampler that can collect multiple samples of fluids (2 – 10L) and filters (unlimited volume).

Our highest priority is to collect as many high-quality fluid samples as possible from the same site. This may require multiple-day Jason dives rather than more frequent, shorter dives. A minimum of four sets of high-quality samples from four different sites could meet our science objectives, and sampling 6-8 sites could be attempted, time-permitting. Our highest priority sites are Marker 2, Marker H, Marker 3, Marker C, and the ‘Beehive’.

Objective 2 (2 science days): Sample fluids from locations that that have borehole plugs (M0068B; M0071B; M0072B; M0075). The top of the borehole plugs are sealed with a ball valve that would be opened by connecting a top cap with a t-handle. Visually inspect the boreholes drilled during IODP Expedition 357.

When Jason is not in the water we plan to deploy water casts with the CTD/Niskin rosette. 

Additional Info

Pre-cruise Planning Meeting: Teleconference
Media personnel on board: TBD

Stations:

Supporting documentation:

»Preliminary_List_of_Operations_for_Lost_City_cruise_Sept_2018.pdf

Funding

Funding Agency: NSF
Grant or contract number: OCE-1536702

Scientific Instrumentation for R/V Atlantis

Shipboard Equipment

Bathymetry System 12 kHz
Bathymetry System 3.5 kHz
Deionized Water System
Relay Transponder for Wire Use
12 kHz Pinger for Wire Use
Transponder Navigation - Sonardyne USBL
Navigation - Heading
Multibeam
Fume Hood
Navigation - Position

Shipboard Communication

Basic Internet access via HiSeasNet
Is there an expectation to use Skype or any other real-time video conference program?

CTD/Water Sampling

911+ Rosette 24-position, 10-liter bottle Rosette with dual T/C sensors
SBE43 oxygen sensor
Seapoint STM turbidity sensor
Wet Labs C*Star transmissometer (660nm wavelength)

Critical CTD Sensors

Hydrographic Analysis Equipment

Dissolved Oxygen Titration System (Brinkmann Titrator)
Salinometer

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.
Scientific Walk-in Freezer
Storage Notes:

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
LBL
USBL
Navigation Notes:

Winches

CTD Winch with .322" Electro-mechanical wire
Hydro Winch with .25" hydro wire
Winch Notes: Will do several CTD casts both over the Lost City field (~750 m water depth) and to full ocean depth on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and Atlantis Fracture zone (~4500 m water depth)
Winch Notes:

Standard Oceanographic Cables

Slip ring required? no
Non-standard wire required? no
Traction winch required? no

Portable Vans

Chemical Storage Van

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: no Identify 
Equipment Handling: no Identify: 
Inter/intraship Communications: no Identify: 
Science Stowage: yes Identify: Would be ideal to stow some equipment after the cruise for shipping from next continental U.S. port
Water: yes Identify: We will use the Milli-Q system extensively and request that filters are changed if >6 mo old

Additional Cruise Items/Activities

Explosive Devices:no
Portable Air Compressors:no
Flammable Gases:yes
Small Boat Operations:no
SCUBA Diving Operations:no

Hazardous Material

Will hazardous material be utilized?yes
Describe deployment method and quantity:
Within the main lab we will have a tank of hydrogen and an acetylene torch. 
Will also have regular chemicals (acids, solvents, etc) that will be used within the lab spaces. Will bring MSDS sheets and spill kits.

Radioactive Material

Radioiosotopes:no

Additional Information

Is night time work anticipated on this cruise?yes
Specialized tech support (Seabeam, coring, other):
We will be doing CTD operations when Jason is not in the water.
Other required equipment and special needs:

Scientific Instrumentation for HOV Jason


Current Chart(s):
»Map_binder_for_Lost_City_2018.pdf

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? null
How many tansponders? null
Will you be using Ultra-short baseline (USBL) navigation?no
Will you be using Doppler/GPS navigation? no
What type of samples do you expect to collect?please see attachment

Elevators

Will you be using elevators to transport samples to the surface?yes
If yes, how many would you anticipate? Elevators will be used to cycle GasTights and Majors if there is not enough room in the basket. Maximum of ~7 deployments.

Science Supplied Equipment

Are you supplying equipment to be used on HOV Jason yes
Has this equipment been used on Jason 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.
Please see attachment
Does this equipment use an external pressure housing? yes
If yes, what is the pressure rating?
and test pressure?
Has the pressure housing been tested per Alvin Pressure Test requirements? yes
Pressure housing schematic with dimensions and include air and water weights.
»Large_Volume_Sampler_-__Alvin_Pressure_Test.pdf
»Lang_Large_Volume_Sampler_Electronics_diagrams.pdf
Does the equipment have an associated computer or control panel for remote operation from the personnel sphere? no
Air weight of this equipment?
Water weight of this equipment?
Does the equipment require data or a power interface from the vehicle? no
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:
Please see attachment
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
If recovering equipment deployed with another vehicle, provide pressure rating:
and test pressure:
Does this equipment use any glass spheres for either buoyancy or as pressure housings? no

Hazardous Material

Will hazardous material be utilized?no
Describe deployment method and quantity:

Additional Information

Brief operations description or comments:

Jason configuration: Would like to discuss costs/benefits of 2-body vs single-body deployment mode. Is one deployment mode easier to launch in poor weather?  Is there a substantial benefit to having downward camera on Medea while in the hydrothermal field? Would like to use the regular science sled and would like to have downward facing camera / light on Jason.

Video: Would like to record video 24/7. When doing mosaicking would like to turn off embedding. 

Checklist & Notes

Checklist

U.S. Customs Form: no
Diplomatic Clearance: no
Date Submitted:
Date Approved:
Agent Information:
Countries:
Notes:
Isotope Use Approval: no
Isotope Notes:
SCUBA Diving: no

Checklist

SSSG Tech: