Determine types of hydrocarbons in the bottom sediments of Gulf of Alaska and Prince Wm Sound and sources of oil or tar found on the insular beaches of the sound.
Description
Chief Scientists: Paul Carlson, Keith Kvenvolden. Data (Shipekgrab) of field activity R-1-96-PW in Prince Wm Sound and Gulf of AK from 08/31/1996 to 09/06/1996
Location
Prince Wm Sound and Gulf of AK
Summary
Collected bottom samples on shelf between Cross Sound and PWS and w/in PWS. Collected tars and oils from several beaches in sw PWS.
Info derived
Types of hydrocarbons and isotopic characteristics of tars and oils found on the beaches.
Comments
(from WRUSGS Bulletin (9/13/96) USGS-NOAA COOP CRUISE A-OK For the third consecutive year the Prince William Sound oil spill team has had a very successful "piggy-back" cruise on the NOAA ship RAINIER. We again were able to search several beaches and found both old tar (64 quake- Monterey tar) and oil (EXXON VALDEZ spill of North Slope crude); however, this year we added another aspect to our search. Fran Hostettler, Keith Kvenvolden, and Paul Carlson joined the RAINIER in Seattle, enjoyed the scenic trip up the inside passage, and then began bottom sampling on the shelf between Cross Sound and PWS. We are testing EXXONs hypothesis that much of the background hydrocarbon in the PWS sediment came from oil seeps near the shoreline of the Gulf of Alaska and was carried along attached to particles of suspended glacial flour by the Alaskan Coastal Current and into PWS. We collected samples at nine stations, and now the jury is out until the organic geochem team can obtain lab results. We all are very appreciative to the folks from the RAINIER for their great hospitality and willing assistance on this trip. We give Fran (that is Hostettler, not Hurricane Fran) all the credit for the marvelous weather she brought along on her first trip to Alaska. : Paul Carlson.
Staff information imported from InfoBank
Paul Carlson (USGS Western Region) - Chief Scientist
Keith Kvenvolden (USGS Western Region) - Chief Scientist
Dean Seidel - Captain
Marlene Mozgala
Mark Larsen
Length 231 feet; beam 42 feet; draft 17 feet. Launched 1967, USCGS (United States Coast and Geodetic Survey) owned 1968 to 1970. NOAA acquired in 1970. She is named for Mount Rainier in the state of Washington and is the sister ship of NOAAS Fairweather and the decommissioned NOAAS Mount Mitchell.
