Improving the Scientific Capabilities and Safety of the Marine Operations and Diving Programs at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories

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San Jose State University?s Moss Landing marine Lab is awarded a grant to purchase a Nitrox and SCUBA Cylinder Filling Station and CTD Rosette. Nitrox is used at mid-depths of 15-40m and standards for scientific diver use of Nitrox were adopted by AAUS in 1998. Nitrox training is offered to all MLML research divers.. Nitrox increases available bottom time, and decreases diving injury risks due to high partial pressures of nitrogen at depth. In 2007, MLML scientists made 1267 mid-depth dives in 2007, compared with 908 dives in 2006. Therefore the overall number of dives at depths that would benefit by breathing Nitrox is increasing and expected to continue to increase in the future. It is important that researchers and students have this resource easily available to them for increased safety while diving. The CTD will improve their ability to collect water at various depths and an attached CTD allowing continuous measurement of time, depth, temperature, and salinity. This rosette/CTD will be associated with the vessel, therefore, available for all researchers using this vessel. Moss Landing Marine Laboratory (MLML) is a very productive marine lab. They are particularly efficient at using limited resources to achieve results. Their work is voluminous and of high quality. NSF and other federal agencies are important funding sources for the research on-site. The scientific productivity is in part due to the accessibility of a plethora of marine environments.Broader ImpactsThe proposed improvements would impact a large number of internal and external users. MLML serves a consortium of 7 CSU campuses, thus it inherently has a regional impact. The enhanced Nitrox capabilities proposed here would increase the amount of safe time available for divers underwater. The proposed program changes will enhance infrastructure for research and education by upgrading diving facility and safety and increase time underwater, broadening boating access and safety, expanding research capabilities of small vessels. The equipment will be available to a broad range of researchers, teachers and students. Moss Landing has both active community engagement and interaction with outside institutions as collaborators and visitors. The broader impacts include advanced teaching and research tools and increased data access to K-12 educational systems.