Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Cruise Planning Synopsis


AT42-23: McClain "Woodfall"

Ship

R/V Atlantis

Cruise Party

Craig McClain: Chief Scientist, Principal Investigator
Organization Name 8124 Highway 56 Chauvin, Louisiana 70344
+1 985 851 2800
cmcmlain@lumcon.edu

Clifton Nunnally: Chief Scientist
Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) 8124 Highway 56 Chauvin, LA United States 70344
+1 985 851 2856
cnunnally@lumcon.edu

Departure: Feb 12, 2020

Gulfport, MS

Arrival: Feb 20, 2020

Gulfport, MS

Operations Area

northern Gulf of Mexico
Lat/Lon: 28° 6.3535′ N / 88° 27.089′ W
Depth Range: 1500 / 2800
Will the vessel be operating within 200 NM of a foreign country? no

Science Objectives

Primary objectives are the recovery of experiments on the sea floor.  We have approximately 100 logs deployeat at three locations in the deep Gulf of Mexico.  All experimental sites are at 2000 meters.

Science Activities

Dives will involve the collection of experimental units (logs) and delivery to elevator/basket that will transport them to the surface.  Collection of logs is an important step to make sure all of the wood is returned to the science team in good condition without introducing biases.  To accomplish this we use aluminium rings with nets that allow for the log to be placed inside by the submersible and then closed with a locking mechanism to ensure capture integrity.

Collection of wood experiments is the primary goal for each and every anticipated dive.  Secondary objectives will revolve around the collection of sediment cores, sampling of megafauna and running of  transects for video surveys.

Additional Info

Pre-cruise Planning Meeting: Teleconference
Media personnel on board: Writer
Essayist documenting science life and deep-sea work aboard a research vessel.

Stations:

  WF4
  Distance: 55
  Days: 1
  Latitude: 28° 48.798’ N
  Longitude: 87° 49.204’ W

  WF3
  Distance: 55
  Days: 1
  Latitude: 28° 6.3535’ N
  Longitude: 88° 27.089’ W

  WF2
  Distance: 177
  Days: 1
  Latitude: 27° 18.743’ N
  Longitude: 88° 55.614’ W

Supporting documentation:

»McClain_Deep-Sea_Work_Basket.docx
»WF4_wood_type_map.pdf
»WF4_Bias_Deployment_Map.pdf
»Wood_Fall_Station_Map.pdf

Funding

Funding Agency: NSF
Grant or contract number: 1744048

Scientific Instrumentation for R/V Atlantis

Shipboard Equipment

A-Frame

Shipboard Communication

Basic Internet access via HiSeasNet

Critical CTD Sensors

Bottom Water Sampling with Alvin

Sample Storage

Climate Controlled Walk-in
Scientific Walk-in Freezer
Scientific Walk-in Refrigerator
Storage Notes: Logs collected will be preserved and stored in 5-gallon buckets.  We would prefer cold storage but with potentially 100+ buckets this may not be possible.

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
Navigation Notes: We want to make sure that we recived accurate maps of our work on the sea floor.

Winches

Hydro Winch with .25" hydro wire
Winch Notes: We need a winch for recovery of logs in an elevator/work basket

Wire use and application

Hydro Winch with .25" hydro wire
Winch Notes:

Standard Oceanographic Cables

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

Portable Vans

Cold 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? yes
Details: Work basket for recovery of logs. Aluminum bar and mesh fabricated work basket capable of being deployed of the ship’s winch.  The basket is rectangular in shape with an A-frame frame pick point and 2 independent doors on either side of a-frame.  Total length is 1.96 meters, width of basket is 1.33 meters and height of basket enclosure is 0.96 meters.  Maximum height at pick point is 1.85 meters.  The basket lids on either side of the a-frame swivel on dual hinges and open fully to touch the a-frame where they are held in place by attached magnetic strips.  Each lid has a width of 1.25 meters and a depth of 0.765 meters.  Basket has magnets on lids that when upright allow them to stay open for use.

Special Requirements

Elecrical Power: no Identify 
Equipment Handling: no Identify: 
Inter/intraship Communications: no Identify: 
Science Stowage: no Identify: 
Water: yes Identify: seawater for washing mud samples

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
Describe deployment method and quantity:

Radioactive Material

Radioiosotopes:no

Additional Information

Is night time work anticipated on this cruise?no
Specialized tech support (Seabeam, coring, other):
Other required equipment and special needs:
As stated elsewhere we will be recovering large loads of logs in nets with aluminium rings.  We have the capability to retrieve 25 logs per dive.  Transport of the logs from bottom to surface will be the major technological challenge outiside of dive ops.  We have a large aluminium basket that we have launched on a winch wire for operations on the sea floor with ROVs.  If we do not use our work basekt (see description above) then an elevator would be required to transport saples from sea floor to surface.

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: