Service thermister/sediment trap mooring and calibrate temperature sensors

Project ID: J8W07070019

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Partner Institution: Oregon State University

Fiscal Year: 2007

Initial Funding: $18,530

Total Funding: $18,530

Project Type: Technical Assistance

Project Disciplines: Physical

National Park: Crater Lake National Park

Principal Investigator: Collier, Robert

Agreement Technical Representative: Girdner, Scott

Abstract: Oregon State University, in cooperation with Crater Lake National Park, maintains a year-round oceanographic style mooring in the deep basin of Crater Lake to study and monitor deep-water mixing. In addition to sediment traps for monitoring nutrient fluxes, eighteen deep-water temperature sensors (thermisters) are located on the mooring to record precise temperature changes associated with winter deep-water mixing events. These periodic deep-water mixing events control the recirculation of important nutrients and are critical to understanding fluctuations in productivity of this lake. Personnel from the College of Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University will assist National Park Service personnel with the recovery
and redeployment of the mooring during summer 2007. The thermisters will be returned to Oregon State University where College of Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences personnel will precisely recalibrate them. Data collected since the last calibration will be calculated using the new calibration information and the results forwarded to Crater Lake National Park for further analysis. The thermisters will be redeployed on the mooring in September to continue monitoring throughout the winter.