Summary Information for Field Activity 2010-077-FA

Area of Operations: Gulf of Maine, United States, North America, North Atlantic

Dates: October 13, 2010 to October 23, 2010

Chief scientist: Brad Butman

   Bruce Keafer (Chief Scientist), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; Don Anderson (PI), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Objectives: Measure erodability of surficial sediments using Gust Erosion Microcosm System (GEMS), obtain conductivity-temperture-depth profiles (CTD), obtain samples of surficial sediments for texture analysis.

Type of Activity: Sampling; CTD; GEMS;CTD
GEMS

Information to be derived: Sediment erodability

Summary: The principal objective of this cruise (led by scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Instituion (WHOI)) was to obtain samples of the surficial sediments using a Craib corer at approximately 110 stations in the Gulf of Maine for analysis of Alexandrium cyst concentration. This fall 2010 distribution of cysts will be used as input to numerical models for forecasting Alexandrium blooms in the spring of 2011. USGS participation was to measure sediment erodability (using a GEMS system) on cores collected using the USGS slow corer at 5-10 stations as time permitted. Samples of the surficial sediment for texture analysis by USGS were obtained from the sediment samples collected by WHOI for cyst analysis and water-column profiles from a USGS CTD attached to the Craib corer were obtained for analysis of the suspended sediment distribution. Data gathered include: ~150 CTD casts; ~100 surficial sediment samples for texture analysis; erodability measurements at 6 stations (two cores each station) using GEMS.

Contact: Brad Butman (bbutman@usgs.gov)

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