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

这份授予联合海洋研究机构公司的主要研究仪器合同为卫星通信系统的采购提供资金，为海上的海洋研究船提供持续的互联网连接。该合同将大学-国家海洋实验室系统（UNOLS）学术研究船队中使用HiSeasNet系统进行船与岸或船与船之间通信的船只数量从3艘增加到9艘。它为所有大型“全球级”UNOLS船只配备了完整的互联网连接，为研究人员之间的电子和语音通信提供了一种经济的方法，并为中型“海洋级”船只提供了一个测试平台，使用更小的天线，可能为更小的沿海或当地研究船提供适当的能力。它还为涉及研究船和无人平台（浮标和观测系统）的未来通信提供了一个模型。根据保守估计，扩大后的通讯能力每年可为海上的科学家、技术人员和船员及岸上的人员提供超过50,000人日的服务，大大提高船上研究人员的研究质量和生产力，并改善邮轮参与者之间的士气和沟通。此次收购的广泛影响是广泛的，因为“永远在线”的通信促进了广泛的推广和教育机会，将该领域的研究人员与课堂上的学生聚集在一起，并以多种方式吸引公众。JOI公司及其学术合作机构斯克里普斯海洋研究所（加州大学圣地亚哥分校）、伍兹霍尔海洋研究所、夏威夷大学、罗德岛大学和拉蒙特-多尔蒂地球观测站（哥伦比亚大学）共同从非联邦基金中提供该项目30%的费用。该提案得到了美国国家科学基金会海洋科学部的支持。＊＊＊

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. ***