9530693 Knox This award provides funding to purchase shipboard instrumentation in support of NSF-funded research. The instruments will be used aboard the R/Vs MELVILLE, a 279 foot vessel, NEW HORIZON, a 170 foot vessel , and the SPROUL, a 125 foot vessel. The MELVILLE is owned by the Navy, while the NEW HORIZON and the SPROUL are owned by the University. All the ships are operated by the Institute in support of oceanographic research funded by a variety of Federal, state and private organizations, although NSF is the primary user of all the ships. Instrumentation requested includes both shared-use equipment for specific ships and shared-use instrumentation that will be maintained by the central Ocean Data Facility(ODF) and used aboard a variety of SIO and non-SIO ships. The instrumentation requested is required for support of NSF- funded cruises aboard the MELVILLE, NEW HORIZON and SPROUL during 1996 and will enhance the scientific capability of these vessels in the future. ***