Proposal Number: 0813606 Institution: Oregon State University PI: P. Zerr
The proposal requests one Shipboard Scientific Support items for Oregon State University for use aboard the R/V WECOMA; namely a replacement deck crane. Two additional items were initially requested (mooring recovery winch and replacement A-frame), but the panel felt there was not enough justification to support a dedicated mooring recovery winch at OSU, and the A-frame design was not sufficiently advanced to support award. The replacement deck crane will replace an aging unit and will provide greatly improved support capabilities to science.
Broader Impacts: The R/V WECOMA, as part of OSU?s College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, supports federally funded scientific research throughout the north Pacific. The operation routinely exposes students and the general public to seagoing oceanography through the ?Teachers at Sea? program and open houses such as ?HMSeaFest?. In 2007, WECOMA supported eleven NSF-funded cruises for a total of 140 days. Eight NSF-funded cruises totaling 85 days are planned for 2008.
This grant provided funding to support the operation of the NSF owned Research Vessel WECOMA and to support oceanographic and atmospheric research in the Pacific Ocean. The item budgeted for in this grant was a replacement deck crane of increased lifting capacity. The NSF supported research that will benefit from this enhancement to the vessel includes scientists and graduate students from a variety of academic institutions in the United States and overseas as well as federal agencies. These include the National Science Foundation (NSF), Navy (ONR) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) funded scientific research at sea. Work conducted off WECOMA includes biologic, chemical, physical and geological oceanographic investigations along with atmospheric science studies. This research provides data which enhances the understanding of various oceanic and atmospheric processes, contributes to ecologic knowledge in the study areas and has resulted in various papers published in the peer reviewed literature. The at sea operations have also provided opportunities for graduate students in atmospheric and oceanic science to gain research experience at sea as part of their education. As part of a previous Shipboard Scientific Support Equipment Proposal, a naval architect reviewed the structural and stability issues related with this modification. The naval architectural firm determined that the structure below the foundation for the crane would need to be modified further to accommodate the increased lifting capacity of the new crane. The crane was completed in mid 2009 and the structural modifications to the vessel were completed in the winter of 2009/2010. The crane is essentially used on every science mission onboard the Wecoma, in addition to being used for the loading and unloading of the science gear before and after each mission. The crane will greatly enhance the onboard infrastructure for research and education; allowing for a wider deployment of instrumentation, networks, and partnerships. The new crane was manufactured by Allied Marine Systems of Sherwood Oregon and has a capacity of at 27,000 pounds at a 28 foot radius to allow us to change out the deep sea storage winch. The capacity at a 40 foot extension and a 37 degree boom angle is 22,000 pounds. This new crane will allow the WECOMA to support uninterrupted deck crane operations that have become so vital to a majority of our operations. The items specifically funded through this grant include the manufacture of the crane and associated HPU, deck and structural modifications required for the new system, and a tripod to support the boom during at sea operations.
