Field Notes

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Gilbert Tract: 2024-09-25 13:30:00 (DOY 269)
Author: Daphne Szutu
Others: Joe

Summary: Solar batteries stolen yesterday, Robert/Kuno chamber measurements, updated CR6 program to get complete EXO data, downloaded wetland thermocouple data, added sonic rangefinder for water level, set miniDOT clock

2024-09-25
Gilbert Tract

Joe and I arrived to the channel at 13:30 PST. Robert and Kuno were here earlier to take “high tide” CH4/CO2 and N2O chamber measurements. It was mild and sunny with a cool wind. Tide was high and ebbing. I collected the ADCP data, reset the clock manually, and restarted logging. I downloaded the CR6 EXO data, which is still missing the last two columns. The YSI tech, Matt, told me to change my SDI-12 command from M! to C! because the M! command returns a max of 9 parameters. I updated the CR6 program with the C! command and it seemed to work. I also removed the last data column where we saved the max of WipeV.

We got to the main tower at 13:50 PST. Joe and I put on waders and waded out into the wetland to download the thermocouple data. The water level was high and it came up to with a few cm of our waders. The temperature data seemed reasonable. All of the lithium power packs still had 5 LED status light. We brought spare lithium power packs but didn’t end up needing them. We recorded the CR10X and IRT serial numbers. I updated the previous field note so the metadata is complete. I didn’t download the miniDOT data today since I forgot the cable and the high water level made it hard to reach far underwater.

The staff gauge was 87.5cm at 15:25 PST.

Joe noticed that the ActionPacker battery box was on the ground and empty. I checked the data, which stopped at 17:00 yesterday, 2024-09-24, so the batteries were disconnected between 17:00 and 17:30. We used a lithium power pack to run the met data for now. Joe, Carlos, and I will be back tomorrow morning to replace the batteries. Joe walked around and thought about how to improve battery security.

I downloaded met, cam, and USB GHG data. I couldn’t check the 7550/7700 numbers since we didn’t have data. I downloaded the miniDOT data, changed its desiccant, and set its clock after connecting the laptop to my cell phone hotspot. The time error for miniDOT sn 906606 was -578 seconds (-9.6 minutes). This miniDOT saves raw data every 1 minute.

Joe added a new sonic rangefinder sn 68574-1 to the staff gauge post. This is a 5V analog sensor where the mV reading ~ mm reading. It’s wired to the extension box. I updated the CR1000 program to add the sonic rangefinder, removed the eosGP sensors, and removed the PRI sensors.

Sonic color – Extension color – CR1000
Red – Brown – 5V
White – Blue – Data SE
Black – Gray – G

I deployed the Song Meter Micro with freshly recharged AA batteries. The battery percentage was around 84% I think. I cleaned the flux and rad sensors and cleaned bird poop out of the rain bucket. I topped up the wash reservoir.

We left at 16:40 PST.

Back in the lab, I reported the theft to Molly and Katie. Molly recommended I file an official report. I filed a report with Officer Jackson from Oakley PD. Our case # is 24-2044.

4 photos found

20240925GT_BatteryBox.jpg ( 2024-09-25 15:30:25 ) Full size: 1440x1920
Empty ActionPacker battery box on the ground under the solar panels. Batteries stolen