Oceanographic Instrumentation for the R/V Savannah

University Of Georgia Research Foundation Inc, Athens GA

Investigators

Abstract

A request is made to fund additional and back-up instrumentation for the R/V Savannah. The R/V Savannah is a 92 foot coastal research vessel operated by Skidaway Institute of Oceanography as part of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) research fleet. Since put into service in the fall of 2001, this 92-foot coastal/local class research vessel has proven to be a capable and cost-effective platform for a range of research and education projects. The primary working area for the vessel has been the continental shelf, coastal and estuarine environments of the Southeastern United States. The ship has also conducted cruises that have crossed the Gulf Stream into the western Sargasso Sea and as far as Curacao in the SE Caribbean. In 2011, the R/V Savannah completed 140 days at sea. NSF funded projects accounted for 62% of the total sailing schedule. In 2012, R/V Savannah is scheduled for 161 days with NSF days accounting for 61% of the total sailing schedule. Oceanographic instrumentation requested in this proposal includes: 1) Multibeam data collection and analysis system $24,375 2) Portable clean water system $11,369 TOTAL $35,744 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.