Oceanograpic Instrumentation R/V Cape Hatteras

Duke University, Durham NC

Investigators

Abstract

A request is made to fund additional and back-up instrumentation for the R/V Cape Hatteras, a 136-ft long research vessel owned by the National Science Foundation and operated by the Duke/UNC Oceanographic Consortium as part of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) research fleet. Two items were submitted for review. In order of priority they were: 1) Chelsea Fluorometer 2) ROV Broader Impacts: 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.