2009 OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTRUMENTATION

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 operated by Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University as part of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System research fleet. The award includes the following five items:

1) Sound Source Umbilicals

2) MCS Digital Air Management Manifolds

3) MCS Streamer Level Device Upgrade

4) Sound Source Umbilicals x 4

5) Vane Tow Wire

Broader Impacts: 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. The enhansements to the seismic source array of R/V Langseth will provide the vessel with heightened abilities to perform state-of-the-are seismic reseach. She is the only vessel in the world that is dedicated to scientific research and capable of performing 3D seismic exploration.