Oceanographic Technical Services 2007-2008, R/V Marcus G. Langseth

Columbia University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

0726710 Walsh This 2-year award to Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University in the City of New York provides support for technical services during NSF-funded programs on R/V Marcus G Langseth, a 235' research vessel that will, upon successful completion of conversion for research, be owned by NSF and operated as part of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System research fleet. LDEO will provide shipboard technicians on each cruise of R/V Langseth to support seagoing research projects and to maintain, calibrate and provide for qualified users items from their pool of shared-use research instrumentation. As part of the basic services, they will maintain and operate the multibeam sonar systems, magnetometers, gravimeters and oceanographic instrumentation. The vessel will also support specialized multi-channel seismic operations in both 2-D and 3-D modes, using one of more source arrays and one or more seismic streamers (up to four of each). Technical support for seismic operations is also provided via this award for NSF-funded research projects. The support provided here established a key component of marine geophysical infrastructure for NSF-funded ocean science, enabling researchers from any US academic institution to use cutting-edge tools for imaging crustal and mantle structures, studying sedimentary structures and stratigraphy to address problems in climate change and ancient ocean processes, and addressing critical problems in hazards research related to offshore earthquakes and tsunamis.