The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution will acquire sea- going data management systems and items of oceanographic instrumentation that will be placed in a pool of shared use equipment. This equipment is maintained for use on or in association with the three research vessels operated by the institution. A substantial part of the ships' operating schedules during 1990 is in support of NSF-sponsored research projects. The instrumentation will also increase the capabilities of the ships and of the institution to support research and engineering activities. The instrumentation includes: -Shipboard data management systems and components for real- time acquisition, management, analysis, and display of large environmental data sets, -CTD sensors, pressure gauges, and other enhancements for obtaining detailed profiles of seawater conductivity and temperature as a function of depth, -Seagoing computer, disk drive system and other peripheral equipment for increasing the reliability and capabilities of shared-use CTDs, -Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler for continuous, underway measurements of subsurface circulation features, and acoustic backscattering as a measure of the abundance of planktonic organisms, -Precision acoustic transponder for use in determining the precise position of a scientific instrument package relative to the seafloor, and -Portable fume hoods for removing chemical fumes from the ship's laboratories. The Office of Naval Research is cost sharing the acquisition of this equipment. The instrumentation described above will increase the capability of the organization to support NSF- sponsored research and engineering projects.
