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Winter Shelf Blooms
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2012
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Savannah
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Project Title: |
Collaborative Research: Mechanisms of nutrient input at the shelf margin supporting persistent winter phytoplankton blooms downstream of the Charleston Bump |
Project Status: |
Submitted |
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Principal Investigator: |
James Nelson, Skidaway |
Project Institution: |
Skidaway |
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Project ID: |
102544 |
Version #: |
1 |
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Date Submitted: |
6/10/2010 3:30:00 PM |
Created By: |
James Nelson |
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Date Last Modified: |
7/14/2010 1:40:00 PM |
URI Serial #: |
None |
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Funding Agencies: |
NSF/OCE/BIO - 1032285 - Funded |
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Summary of Field Work: |
This collaborative project with Harvey Seim (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) and Catherine Edwards (SkIO) investigates physical-biological coupling on the outer continental shelf/upper slope of the South Atlantic Bight (SAB) inshore of the zone of maximum deflection of the Gulf Stream (off Long Bay). The field work focuses on physical mechanisms of nutrient input from the upper slope to the outer shelf euphotic zone in winter, the new primary production this supports, and functional characteristics of the phytoplankton bloom assemblage.
The observational approach will utilize two autonomous Teledyne Webb Slocum gliders, three moored instrument packages on the outer shelf, shelf break and upper slope (at ~30, 75 and 150 m depth), and intensive ship surveys. The shelf break mooring will include an autonomous moored profiler (ODIM Brooke Ocean SeaHorse). The ship survey work will employ a towed, undulating multi-instrument package (Sea Sciences Acrobat) for repeated surveys of the bloom features on the outer shelf off Long Bay (~40 km cross-shelf x 80 km along-shelf). Surveys will alternate with CTD/carousel stations that will include sampling for pigments, nutrients, primary productivity experiments, and analyses of the functional characteristics of the phytoplankton assemblage. The microplankton will be characterized by shipboard analyses of live samples using a microfluidics/imaging system (Fluid Technologies, Inc. "Flow-Cam"), augmented by lab work with preserved samples. 14C-HCO3 uptake experiments will be conducted using a deck incubator system and photosynthetron units. Isotope work (label additions and sample processing) will be conducted in the ship's isotope van. Given the frequency of winter storms, our field strategy using this coastal class vessel will be to shelter in Winyah Bay or in the lee of Cape Fear during storms to be in position for rapid response to favorable workable conditions (seas of ~1.8 m or less for the Acrobat surveys).
Year 1 field work will involve a 1-month deployment of the gliders, and several field trials for a reconfigured Acrobat package, the autonomous moored profiler (SeaHorse) and field trials of the Flow-Cam system (to establish protocols for intensive work in Year 2).
The major field effort in Year 2 will be conducted between Jan-April, 2012. An initial cruise (5-d from SkIO) will deploy the moorings, and test and deploy the glider. This will be followed by three 12-d cruises spaced between Feb and the beginning of April for intensive surveys and sampling of the bloom features. Due to repeated winter storms, we will operate from Long Bay during these periods, working on the outer shelf between storms and sheltering in Winyah Bay, SC or in the lee of Cape Fear, NC during storms. In addition to the SkIO/UNC-CH scientific party, most cruises will also include two experienced observers who will be conducting surveys of seabirds and cetaceans (part of our community outreach effort). In mid-April, a 5-d cruise will be conducted to recover the glider and moored packages. A follow-up cruise in 2013 will target along-shelf sampling of bloom features detected in satellite imagery. |
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Summary of Facility Requirements: |
All cruises will utilize the R/V Savannah's CTD/carousel and along-track mapping system.
Deck incubators will be designed and constructed at SkIO and secured near the aft-starboard rail for cruises.
Three intensive survey/sampling cruises will require use of the ship's isotope van (positioned on the port side of the fan tail area).
A small winch with faired cable (SkIO inventory) will be mounted on the deck for the Acrobat package.
Operations will use both A-frame and J-frame.
The ship's wet lab will be used for sample processing and storage in refrigerator and freezer, and a large liquid N2 Dewar will be carried for pigment samples (SkIO inventory). The dry lab benches will be used for laptops for Acrobat control, communications with the glider and for the Flow-Cam system.
We anticipate use of the ship's sat comm system for obtaining regular updates of satellite imagery for the study area.
Scientific parties (SkIO, UNC-CH) would be 5-8 personnel per cruise plus 1-3 observers for the seabird survey component, and 1-2 students from Georgia Tech Savannah campus.
The ship's tender (RHIB) will likely be used when inshore in Winyah Bay for exchange of seabird observers. |
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Summary of other requirements and comments: |
NOTE:
This STR is to replace an earlier submission.
The STR submitted in February 2010 showed up as submitted on the "Principal Investigator" page (with UNOLS Project ID #102415), but does not appear on the "Scheduling" page for the R/V Savannah. In the original submission, I had duplicated an earlier submission and then edited dates of cruises. Dates for "earliest start" and "latest start" appear to have not been edited, resulting in those being for the prior year (e.g., requested start dates in 2011, "earliest" & "latest" in 2010).
Possibly this error resulted in the request showing as "submitted" on the PI page not being accepted by the "Schedule" part of the system. |
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Type of Request: |
Primary Ship Use |
Request Status: |
Submitted |
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Request ID: |
1003892 |
Created By: |
James Nelson |
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Date Last Modified: |
6/10/2010 3:30:00 PM |
Date Submitted: |
6/10/2010 3:30:00 PM |
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Year: |
2012
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Ship/Facility: |
Savannah
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Optimum Start Date:
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1/9/2012 |
Dates to Avoid: |
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Earliest Start Date: |
1/5/2012 |
Multi-Ship Op: |
No |
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Latest Start Date: |
1/16/2012 |
Other Ship(s): |
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Operating Days Needed: |
Science Days |
Mob Days |
De-Mob Days |
Estimated Transit Days |
Total Days |
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46 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
46 |
Repeating Cruise?
(within same year) |
No |
Interval: |
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# of Cruises: |
5 |
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Description of Repeating cruise requirements: |
Five cruises in the early January to early April time. Cruise timing and interval set by seaonal study requirements (study of winter shelf-slope exchange and phytoplankton blooms). Target cruise dates and basic objectives:
1) early Jan -- 5-day mooring and glider deployment cruise.
2) early Feb -- 12-day survey cruise, glider servicing;
3) late Feb to mid-March -- 12-day survey cruise, glider servicing;
4) late March to early Apr -- 12-day survey cruise;
5) mid Apr -- 5-day glider and mooring recovery cruise. |
Justification/Explanation for ship choice, dates,
conflicts, number of days & multi-ship operations: |
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Short Description of Op Area
for use in schedules: |
SAB shelf |
| Description of Op Area: |
South Atlantic Bight outer shelf and upper slope off Long Bay |
| Op Area Size/Dia.: |
~22 x 44 naut miles |
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Lat/Long |
Marsden Grid |
Navy Op Area |
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Beginning
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31.99° N
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81.023333° W
map
31° 59.4' N
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81° 1.39998' W
map
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Ending
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31.99° N
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81.023333° W
map
31° 59.4' N
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81° 1.39998' W
map
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Show Degrees Minutes |
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Foreign Clearance Required? |
No |
Coastal States:
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 Important Info on Foreign Research Clearances
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Are you or any member in your science party bringing in any science equipment items which are regulated for export by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR)?
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No |
If yes, have you applied for the necessary permits through your export control office?
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No |
| Questions about ITAR/EAR regulations?
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Comments about foreign clearance requirements or
description of any other special permitting requirements
(e.g., MMPA, ESA, IHA, Marine Sanctuaries, etc.) |
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Requested Start Port |
Intermediate Port(s) |
Requested End Port |
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Savannah, GA, USA |
None |
Savannah, GA, USA |
Explanation/justification for requested
ports and dates of intermediate stops
or to list additional port stops |
Start and end at Skidaway Institute home port. Possible sheltering during storms and possible exchange of observers in Winyah Bay, SC (Georgetown, SC). |
Important Info on Working in Foreign Ports
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Chief Scientist: |
James Nelson, Skidaway |
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# in Science Party |
10 |
# of different science teams |
1 |
# Marine Technicians to be
provided by ship operator:
(include in science party total)
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1 |
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Explanation of Science Party Requirements and Technician Requirements |
2 PIs, 4 research support personnel, 2 graduate students, 2 seabird observers, 1 vessel marine technician. The Marine Technician will assist with shipboard instrumentation (CTD/carousel, along-track system, towed package). |
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 Dynamic Positioning | ADCP | Multibeam | Seismic |
| Dredging/Coring/Large Dia. Trawl Wire | Stern A-frame | Fiber Optic (.681) | 0.680 Coax Wire |
| SCUBA Diving |  Radioisotope use - briefly describe | NO Radioisotope use/Natural level work | Other Operator Provided Inst. - Describe |
| 1 PI-Provided Vans - briefly describe | MOCNESS | | |
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Explain Instrumentation or Capability
requirements that could affect choice
of ship in scheduling. |
Small van from UNOLS pool for 14C primary productivity experiments (deck incubations, P-E experiments in van).
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Explain Major Ancillary Facilities
Requirements and list description
and provider for "other" systems. |
Towed Acrobat package from SkIO inventory. |
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