A request is made to fund replacement instrumentation on the R/V Endeavor, a 185? general purpose research vessel operated by the University of Rhode Island as part of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) research fleet. The request includes one item:
1) 24-bottle Carousel and CTD Conductivity sensor
Broader Impacts: The principal impact of the present proposal is under criterion two, providing 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.
" is intended to support sea-going research by enabling academic institutions that operate research ships to purchase needed oceanographic equipment. In 2011, URI's Graduate School of Oceanography was provided funds that enabled us to purchase two major items: (1) Repair parts for a metal sampling carousel that had been damaged during use in heavy seas the previous year. The carousel is a critical piece of oceanographic equipment that is used in a wide variety of shipboard experiments. By repairing the carousel frame instead of purchasing a new one we saved approximately $10,000. (2) An acoustic pinger that is used to help control sampling equipment -- for example, the carousel discussed in item (1) -- near the sea floor and prevent the equipment from being damaged by impacting the sea floor. The pinger allows scientists on board the ship to determine with great precision when the sampler is getting close to the bottom of the ocean. The new pinger replaces an obsolete model that no longer is supported by the manufacturer. Both the repaired frame and the new pinger are in use on board URI's research vessel Endeavor as it operates in the Gulf of Mexico this year.
