A request is made to fund additional and back-up instrumentation on the R/V Marcus Langseth, a 235? Global seismic vessel with general oceanographic capabilities operated by Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University as part of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System research fleet. The request includes three items listed by priority:
1) BOLT fire chambers and spreader bars $254,806 2) 50% Diverter Doors $24,400 3) EM 122 Water column logger license $9,197 Total $288,403
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.
During the last year, LDEO's Office of Marine Operations added a new capability to its Kongsberg EM-122 Multibeam (MB) system. The Kongsberg EM-122 Water Column Logging software module further enhances and take advantages of the EM-122 multibeam (MB) system currently on the R/V Marcus G. Langseth for performing detailed seafloor bathymetry. We have installed the Kongsberg water column logger module for the existing EM-122 on the Langseth. This software module has opened up a new capability on the Langseth for both multi-channel seismic (MCS) cruises but also a variety of general oceanograhic process studies. Dr. Paul Johnson of University of Washington provided an excellent example from his 2011 R/V Atlantis cruise (see attached) and concluded that this new capability demonstrated at the Endeavour segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge. As the attached unprocessed image demonstrate, Dr. Johnson noted that "this technique can easily image high temperature plumes in a water depth of 2400 meters. This capability is now proven to be able to image bubbles and steep density gradients within the water column and would be useful for studies of hydrothermal systems, methane vent areas; hydrate decomposition zones high salinity mid-water intrusions, large zooplankton concentrations, among other important phenomena".
