Bermuda Institute of Ocean Science (BIOS) proposes to support technical services on R/V Atlantic Explorer, a 170? general purpose UNOLS research vessel operated by BIOS as part of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System research fleet. They request support for basic services and will provide two technicians on each seagoing research project of R/V Atlantic Explorer. They will support seagoing research projects and maintain, calibrate and provide for qualified users items from their pool of shared-use research instrumentation. The budget in this proposal is for the first year of a 5-year continuing grant.
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 support of 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.