Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Ocean Instrumentation for UNOLS fleet CY 2020-2021

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA

Investigators

Abstract

A request is made to fund Oceanographic Instrumentation on R/V Atlantis, a 274-foot general purpose research vessel, and R/V Armstrong, a 238-foot multidisciplinary vessel. Both are operated by WHOI as part of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet (ARF) 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 2019, R/V Atlantis completed 284 days at sea. NSF funded projects accounted for 90% of the total sailing schedule (254 days). In 2020, Atlantis is scheduled for 138 days with NSF accounting for 72 of those or 52%. R/V Armstrong sailed 217 total days in 2019 and 43 of these, 20%, were for NSF. Additionally, 78 days (36%) were for NSF-OOI. The vessel is scheduled for 295 days in 2020, 25% of which (59 days) are for NSF and 33% (79 days) are for NSF OOI. With this proposal, WHOI provides technical descriptions and rationale for the acquisition of the following Instrumentation: 3) Hidex 300SL automatic LSC $128,175 (3) McLane Submersible Bio Pumps $122,475 (1) DAVPR Battery Case $6,406 (2) EK80 portable calibration systems $5,992 $263,048 Broader Impacts The principal impact of the present proposal is under Merit Review Criterion 2 of the Proposal Guidelines (NSF 19-602). 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.