Acquisition of Satellite Communications Systems to Provide Continuous Internet Connectivity for Oceanographic Research Vessels at Sea

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0421025BohlenThis Major Research Instrumentation award to Joint Oceanographic Institutions, Inc. provides funds for acquisition of satellite communications systems to provide continuous Internet connectivity for oceanographic research ships at sea. This award increases from three to nine the number of vessels in the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) academic research fleet that use the HiSeasNet system for communication between ship and shore or ship and ship. It outfits all of the large, 'global-class' UNOLS vessels with full Internet connectivity, offers an economical methods for electronic and voice communication among researchers, and provides a testbed for the intermediate-sized 'ocean-class' vessels, using smaller antennas that potentially offer an appropriate capability for even smaller coastal or local research ships. It also provides a model for future communications involving research vessels and unmanned platforms (buoys and observing systems). The expanded communications capability supported here will conservatively impact more than 50,000 annual person-days of scientists, technicians and ship's crew at sea, and a similar number ashore, substantially enhancing research quality and productivity by shipboard researchers, and improving morale and communications among cruise participants. The broader impacts of the acquisition are extensive, as the 'always-on' communications facilitates much-expanded outreach and educational opportunities bringing together researchers in the field with students in the classroom, and engaging the general public in many ways. JOI, Inc. and its academic partner institutions Scripps Institution of Oceanography (University of California San Diego), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, University of Hawaii, University of Rhode Island and Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (Columbia University) are, together, providing 30% of the costs of the project from non-federal funds. This proposal is supported by the Division of Ocean Sciences at NSF. ***