Oceanographic Instrumentation - 2015

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA

Investigators

Abstract

A request is made to fund additional and back-up instrumentation on R/V Atlantis, a 274? general purpose Global vessel operated by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution as part of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System research fleet. The vessel is owned by the U.S. Navy, has state-of-the-art instrumentation and supports all disciplines of oceanographic research. The Global vessel and can accommodate a scientific party of up to 32 persons for as many as 60 days. The vessel works in all the world?s oceans supporting science funded primarily by U.S government agencies. R/V Atlantis is specifically outfitted for launching and servicing Alvin, the human occupied submersible as well as other vehicles of the National Deep Submergence Facility (NDSF). R/V Knorr was retired in 2014 after over 30 years of excellent service in the Academic Fleet. In 2014, R/V Knorr completed 251 days at sea. NSF funded projects accounted for 51% of the total sailing schedule (128 days). R/V Atlantis completed 316 days at sea in 2014. NSF funded projects accounted for 92% of the total sailing schedule (291 days). In 2015, Atlantis is scheduled for 285 days with NSF accounting for 245 of those or 86%. Oceanographic Instrumentation requested in this proposal includes: Lowered Digital Autonomous Video Plankton Recorder $114,009 MC-800 Shipping and Sampling Equipment $23,508 $137,517 Broader Impacts The principal impact of the present proposal is under Merit Review Criterion 2 of the Proposal Guidelines (NSF 13-589). It provides 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.