Renewal of the Multidisciplinary Instrumentation in Support of Oceanography- MISO Facility A Community Instrumentation Facility for Deep-Sea Digital Imaging...

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Abstract (0649621 Fornari)Intellectual Merit: This project supports continued operation of an oceanographic facility (MISO) that makes deep-sea digital photographic equipment available to a wide spectrum of investigators who conduct geological, biological and chemical studies in the world's oceans. Equipment in the facility includes transponders, high-temperature vent fluid loggers, and camera and strobe equipment. This will be enhanced with the addition of a fiber optic camera that will allow the TowCam systems to provide equivalent sampling and CTD data functionality as well as near-real-time imaging capability up the cable. This new capability will be able to be deployed from large UNOLS ships equipped with a traction winch and fiber optic cable (e.g., Melville, Revelle, Atlantis, Knorr, Kilo Moana). A fee structure for the use of this instrumentation will remain consistent with past costs, and provides the necessary resources to ensure safe and successful use of the equipment. Broader Impacts: Broader impacts of the work are primarily in increasing and maintaining the infrastructure for research in the marine sciences. Equipment in the MISO facility has been used in research funded by the NSF RIDGE 2000 Program as well as a host of other scientific investigations. Images obtained by TowCam digital camera system have provided important visual products that have been used for public outreach to expose non-scientists to the excitement of deep sea research, as well as to engage students at many levels.