2012 Research Campaigns

CMOP uses vessels and various platforms to conduct field campaigns in the Columbia River estuary and coastal waters of Oregon and Washington. The research in these areas includes: advance mechanistic understanding of estuarine plankton blooms, biogeochemical exchange between lateral bays and the estuary, Estuarine Turbidity Maxima physical and biogeochemical processes, and ecological effects of ocean acidification and hypoxia.

2012 Research Campaigns

March 27-31, 2012
Ship: R/V Oceanus
Chief Scientist: Murray Levine, OSU
Purpose: Mooring recovery and deployment, underwater glider deployment, and baseline sampling
Cruise Catalog: OC1204B
Web: Spring Research Campaign
Documents: Cruise Plan and Data


April 12, 2012
Ship: T/V Forerunner
Chief Scientist: Michael Wilkin, OHSU
Purpose: Re-deployment of instrument mooring near USCG daymark "Cathlamet Bay North Channel Green 3.


April 24, 2012
Ship: T/V Forerunner
Chief Scientist: Joe Needoba, OHSU
Purpose: Baseline sampling: collect water samples from a series of established locations.


April 27-28, 2012
Ship: T/V Forerunner
Chief Scientist: James Carlson, APL-UW
Purpose: Deploy Sigma-Profiler instrument in the North Channel of Columbia River estuary


April 30 - May 10, 2012
Ship: R/V Oceanus
Chief Scientist: Tom Sanford, APL-UW and Byron Crump, Univ Maryland, Horn Point  Lab
Purpose: Estuarine turbidity maxima (ETM) research
Web: ETM Research Campaign
Documents: Cruise Plan  and Data


May 30-31 and June 4-5, 2012
Ship: T/V Forerunner
Chief Scientist: James Lerczak, OSU
Purpose: Lateral Bay research in Columbia River estuary
Web: Lateral Bay Research Campaign


August, September, October, 2012 (2 days per month)
Ship: Magister
Chief Scientist: Ben Li, OHSU
Purpose: To investigate the spatial and diel variability of Mesodinium rubrum bloom in the lower CRE using NOAA ship.
Document: Campaign Plan - Draft (updated 08/02/12)


September 9-11 and 17-19, 2012
Ship: T/V Forerunner
Chief Scientist: Fred Prahl and Jim Lerczak, OSU
Purpose: Understand the biogeochemical exchange between lateral bays and the estuary.
Web: Lateral Bay Campaign
Document: Campaign Plan


September 23-27, 2012
Ship: R/V Inferno and T/V Forerunner
Chief Scientist: Craig McNeil, APL-UW
Purpose: Investigate the spatial and diel variability of Mesodinium rubrum bloom in the lower Columbia River estuary using AUV and ship sampling.
Web: AUV Red Water Campaign
Document: Campaign Plan - Draft (updated 08/30/12)

Oct. 18-22, 2012
Ship: R/V Oceanus
Chief Scientist: Murray Levine, OSU
Purpose: Mooring recovery/deployment and baseline sampling
Cruise Catalog: OC1210B
Web: Mooring and Baseline Campaign
Document: Cruise Plan


Oct. 23-Nov. 1, 2012
Ship: R/V Oceanus
Chief Scientist: Tom Sanford, APL-UW
Purpose: Estuarine turbidity maxima (ETM) research
Cruise Catalog: OC1210C
Web: ETM Fall Field Campaign
Document: Cruise Plan