Geochemical and Environmental Research Group, Texas A&M University Oceanographic Instrumentation

The Geochemical Environmental Research Group (GERG) at Texas A&M University (TAMU) requests instrumentation as well as materials for ROV compatible instrument frames. These instruments are proposed as shared-use instruments for the fleet. The first research cruise for their NSF funded project, OCE #1851378 (TAMU) and 1851365 (FSU), titled “Collaborative Research: Defying Dissolution: Unraveling the Enigma of North Pacific Deep-Sea Scleractinian Reefs in Undersaturated Water” was originally scheduled for September 2020 and was postponed (currently scheduled for August 2021) because delivery of critical instrumentation for the deep-sea coral lander was delayed due to COVID-19 closures by suppliers.

In addition, the lack of redundancy in their instruments was noted by the UNOLS safety review panel and to remedy this concern were advised to submit this Oceanographic Instrumentation proposal for a second set of instruments to deploy. The instrument lander consists of a SAMI-pH, SAMI-CO2, and Aanderaa Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) with CTD, oxygen sensor, and data logger. The proposed Oceanographic Instrumentation includes:

1) SAMI-pH $24,036 2) SAMI-CO2 $28,796 3) Aanderaa ADCP $36,726 4) ROV compatible frame $9,969 $99,527 Broader Impacts

The principal impact of the present proposal is under Merit Review Criterion 2 of the Proposal Guidelines (NSF 19-602). It provides 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.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.