Developing a Seafloor Sediment Multicorer With a Real-time Camera System for US Oceanographic Multidisciplinary Research

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA

Investigators

Abstract

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution proposes to take advantage of an off-the-shelf, commonly used Multicorer system developed by Ocean Instruments, Inc. (Model MC800) that is presently operated by at least six UNOLS operating institutions. This system would be integrated with WHOI-MISO deep-sea cameras, strobes, data transmission electronics, and basic water sampling and CTD capabilities to provide a more capable and comprehensive Multicorer capability for routine use on UNOLS vessels. The principal impact of the present proposal is under criterion two, providing infrastructure support for scientists to use the vessel and its shared-use instrumentation in support of their NSF-funded oceanographic research projects (which individually undergo separate review by the relevant research program of NSF). 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.