This award will fund 2005 operating funds for the National Deep Submergence Facility (NDSF). Resources will provide support for the following NDSF vehicles: Deep Submergence Vehicle Alvin, the Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) JASONII, MEDEA, ARGO-II and the DSL-120A towed sonar. These assets are available for use with funded science programs utilizing the engineering and operational personnel of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's Deep Submergence Group. The 2005 operating plan includes 393 assigned operating days for DSV ALVIN and the ROVs. There are 101 days on station for R/V ATLANTIS during eight cruises for the National Science Foundation, NOAA, and the Navy. Recommended ROV use includes 214 assigned ROV operating days: 18 aboard R/V ATLANTIS, 103 on R/V THOMPSON, and 93 on R/V MELVILLE.
This report covers the 2005 - 2009 operating funds for the National Deep Submergence Facility (NDSF). Resources provided under this award include the manned Human Occupied Vehicle (HOV) Alvin, the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Jason and the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Sentry. These assets are available for use with funded science programs utilizing the engineering and operational personnel of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s Deep Submergence Group. The facilities time requested by this proposal is for direct support of the at-sea fieldwork requested by the National Science Foundations’ principal investigators as well as principal investigators from ONR and NOAA. The peer-reviewed proposals resulting in these cruises have been thoroughly evaluated for scientific and intellectual merit as an integral part of the grant review and award process. The competitive nature of this award granting process insures a high level of intellectual merit. The knowledge to be gained and the discoveries to be made will enhance our understanding of the oceans and our planet. The supported operational days will provide scientists and students with the tools required to safely and productively pursue their research endeavors in the deep ocean using some of the most reliable and capable oceanographic research facilities in the world.
