Oceanographic Instrumentation - 2019

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA

Investigators

Abstract

A request is made to fund Oceanographic Instrumentation on R/V Atlantis, a 274? general purpose research vessel, and R/V Armstrong, a new 238? multidisciplinary vessel. Both are operated by WHOI as part of the U.S. Academic Fleet which is scheduled by the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS). Both are owned by the U.S. Navy, have state-of-the-art instrumentation and support all disciplines of oceanographic research. The vessels work 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 2018, R/V Atlantis completed 305 days at sea. NSF funded projects accounted for 78% of the total sailing schedule (238 days). In 2019, Atlantis is scheduled for 283 days with NSF accounting for 239 of those or 85%. R/V Armstrong sailed 252 total days in 2018 and 133 of these, 52%, were for NSF. Additionally, 67 days (27%) were for NSF-OOI. The vessel is scheduled for 215 days in 2019, 21% of which (44 days) are for NSF and 37% (78 days) are for NSF OOI. Oceanographic Instrumentation requested in this proposal includes: 1) Hidex Liquid Scintillation Counters $128,175 2) LAN Switches $45,385 3) McLane Pumps $122,475 $296,035 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. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.