Oceanographic Instrumentation - 2016

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). In addition, the proposal requests funds for instrumentation of R/V Neil Armstrong, a new, state-of-the-art, Ocean Class vessel. Armstrong has not begun her science career yet but is scheduled to make her maiden science voyage in 2016. In 2015, R/V Atlantis completed 286 days at sea. NSF funded projects accounted for 90% of the total sailing schedule (259 days). In 2016, Atlantis is scheduled for 273 days with NSF accounting for 172 of those or 63%. R/V Armstrong is scheduled for 200 days, 60% of which (119 days) are for NSF. Oceanographic Instrumentation requested in this proposal includes: USBL Software $52,884 pCO2 Analysis System $108,795 Video Plankton Recorder $112,650 $274,329 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.