W0508, RISE-3, RISE3W, RISE05W3
This cruise is the third of four cruises in the RISE program aboard the R/V Wecoma,
which was charged with the task of conducting hydrographic surveys.
The R/V Pt. Sur, concurrently with this cruise on the R/V Wecoma, conducted studies of the
Columbia R. plume frontal structure, mixing processes and a Triaxis survey of the shelf <60m deep.
Cruise Objectives
The purpose of this cruise was to make physical, chemical and biological measurements within the
plume of the Columbia River and over the shelves north and south of the river mouth, with the objective
of determining the effect of the river plume on regional productivity. Historical observations have
shown that in spite of weaker upwelling winds the Washington shelf is more highly productive than
much of the Oregon shelf. Comparative measurements of biological rates, chemical constituents including
iron and other micro nutrients and plankton growth and grazing as well as community distributions were
made in the three regions. These data complement data from three moored arrays deployed in the study
area, data from a second ship, the R/V Pt. Sur, that focused on mixing rates and large scale physical,
nitrate, fluorescence surveys as well as frontal processes, and data from remote sensing and model studies.
RISE-3 Figures:
Cruise Track
Stations and Moorings
Wind Events
Chief Scientist: Kenneth W. Bruland
University of California-Santa Cruz
• RISE05W3
• RISE-3
• RISE3W
• We0508
• we0508