Oceanographic Instrumentation - 2010

Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, Chauvin LA

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal requests funds for Oceanographic Instrumentation through Grants for Rapid Response Research for the R/V Pelican in support of research days for the calendar year 2010 and beyond. On April 22, 2010 the Gulf of Mexico suffered a major disaster in the sinking of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig 41 miles off the Louisiana coast. The rig sank in waters approximately 5,000 feet deep, resulting in three leaks, spewing about 5,000 barrels (or 210,000 gallons) of oil a day from the uncapped well. Crude oil continues to discharge from the well at an alarming rate. Work on drilling a relief well which would stop the leak, if successful, will take at least three months. Even if the oil was secured today (May 5, 2010), the true impacts on this region will take years to calculate. The entire Gulf region is currently, or potentially will be impacted through fisheries, tourism, human health, and general environmental hazards of this spill. Broader Impacts: The acquisition, maintenance and operation of shared-use instrumentation allows NSF-funded researchers from any US university or lab access to working, calibrated instruments for their research, reducing the cost of that research, and expanding the base of potential researchers.