ME70 Water Column Sonar Data Collected During RL1507

The principal study area includes the U.S. and Canadian West Coasts  â Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California coastal waters between 0.5-10nm offshore. Small boat operations are necessary for mark-capture (photography), biopsy, and collecting fecal samples. Known information about gray whale locations (real-time data combined with previous sighting information) will be used to determine best locations for gray whale operations to take place. A team of two observers will stand watch throughout the day for gray whales and other cetaceans when the small boat is not deployed. When the small boat is deployed, a minimum of two observers will remain aboard NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker to observe the small boat in relation to where animals are located. The observers will use big eye (25x) and handheld binoculars (7x) to direct the small boat and large vessel to the animals. Observers will rotate every two hours. Simrad EK60 scientific echo sounder with 38, 70, 120, 200, and 333 kHz transducers plus PC with EK60 data logging software and input cables. EK60 and ME70 acoustic data will be collected whenever possible while underway and on-stations, including when at anchor. Acoustic backscatter data will be collected with EK60 operating at 18, 38, 70, 120, and 200 kHz. The .raw files will be telemetered continuously, as collected, to the SWFSC via a Matlab script, secure ftp, and the shipâs VSAT. The protocol for data transfers meets NOAA IT security requirements. Weather permitting, CTD stations will be occupied each night the ship is in water deeper than 1000m: a pre-dawn cast (if the ship moved more than 10 nm after the end of effort the previous day) and an evening cast after the end of effort. The ship will provide and maintain a thermosalinograph (TSG), which is calibrated and in working order, for continuous measurement of surface water temperature and salinity. Sonobuoys will be deployed from either the ship or small boat on an opportunistic basis at the discretion of the Cruise Leader during Leg 2 of the survey. Line-transect survey methods will be used to collect cetacean abundance data in two BOEM study areas. A daily watch for cetaceans will be maintained on the flying bridge during daylight hours (approximately 0600 to 1900) by six (6) mammal observers. Each observer will work in 2-hour rotations, manning each of the following three stations on the flying bridge for 40 minutes: a port side 25x150 binocular station, a center-line data recorder position, and a starboard 25x150 binocular station. Visual surveys of seabirds will be conducted from the flying bridge at part of the BOEM survey. Seabird observers will use handheld and 25x150 binoculars.

Tags: acoustic scattering, acoustic sounders, aquatic ecosystems, aquatic sciences, bathymetry, bathymetry/seafloor topography, benthic, biosphere, doc/noaa/nesdis/ncei, doc/noaa/nesdis/ngdc, earth science, ecosystems, fisheries, in situ/laboratory instruments, marine ecosystems, national centers for environmental information, national geophysical data center, nesdis, noaa, north pacific ocean, ocean acoustics, oceans, pelagic, profilers/sounders, seafloor topography, u.s. department of commerce, vertical location, water column, water column mapping system, wcms
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce