May 12, 2015 - ESP Update

Hi Mates,

Given Chris Nash's latest message, we had a few inquiries about the
status of ESP deployments in the Gulf of Maine for this upcoming bloom
season...

With critical mission support from MBARI, McLane Research, Inc, and EOM
Offshore, Inc., 2 ESPs were successfully deployed in the western Gulf of
Maine late last week. Before reporting to the group, the team was
intently watching the function of the instruments and the early data
returns.

We are now pleased to report that both ESPs are currently working
flawlessly! The NA1 probes (targeting /A. fundyense/) on the "hab"
arrays are showing weak positive signals in the <100 cells/Liter range.
Although values below 100 cells/L are generally considered below
detection, visible NA1 probe spots have been consistently observed on
the arrays indicating a very low level population present at both
locations. "Live" microscope counts from samples collected immediately
after deployment agreed with the early ESP results.

As more data points become available, the first time series plots of the
early results for A. fundyense will be provided later this week.

In addition, the muD2 probe on the array is lighting up at ESP-2
(dennis)...indicative of the presence of Pseudonitzschia sp. Dr. Kate
Hubbard will follow-up with a message explaining the interpretation of
various Pseudonitzschia probes present on the probe array.

...and in collaboration with Dr. Greg Doucette, the "stx" toxin assay is
back onboard ESP-2 (dennis) ...Last season, that assay was not
successful transferring the extracted toxin to the analytical module of
the ESP. With just a little more push from a syringe and a longer time
delay implemented into the code, the transfer of the extract should be
fully complete. We now have high hopes that the stx assay will be
successful this season.

FYI, Here's the coordinates of the two ESPs deployed last week from the
R/V Connecticut:

ESP-1 with ESPdon onboard is located at the mouth of Casco Bay at ~47m
depth:
43 41.2443 N
69 58.5708 W

ESP-2 with ESPdennis onboard is located near NERACOOS E, just south of
Monhegan Island at ~58m depth:
43 43.9371 N
69 21.2889 W

I am so happy that the instruments are in the water and running for the
2015 bloom season...with power expected to last until about mid-June,

Bruce

--
Bruce Keafer
Research Associate (ESP lab - Dr. Don Anderson)
Laboratory for Ocean Sensors and Observing Systems (LOSOS)
Mail Stop 57
Woods Hole Oceanographic Instituion
Woods Hole, MA 02543
508-289-2509 (LOSOS office and ESP lab)

Last updated: July 1, 2019