Collaborative Research: Optimization of the Multibeam Sonar Systems of the U.S. Academic Fleet through Coordinated System Testing, Tool Development, and Community Outreach

多波束咨询委员会（MAC）成立于2011年，旨在协调全舰队范围的声纳校准，对系统性能进行一致的常规评估，并为一致的数据采集实践提供工具和协议。该提案要求提供资金继续开展这些活动，重点是开发和维护与美国学术研究舰队（ARF）多波束声纳的操作和监测有关的技术资源、信息和工具。MAC将继续促进利益攸关方社区之间的沟通和知识共享，就广泛的多波束问题提供指导，以改进这些数据的收集和评估方式。这项合作提案是一项为期5年的持续资助。将根据年度报告与本方案协商年度增加额。 本提案的主要影响是提案指南（NSF 13-589）的优点审查标准2。它为科学家提供基础设施支持，以使用该船及其共享使用的仪器来支持他们的NSF资助的海洋学研究项目（这些项目单独接受NSF相关研究计划的单独审查）。 共享使用仪器的获取、维护和操作允许来自美国任何大学或实验室的NSF资助的研究人员使用工作、校准的仪器进行研究，降低研究成本，并扩大潜在研究人员的基础。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The Multibeam Advisory Committee (MAC) was established in 2011 to coordinate fleet-wide sonar calibration, perform consistent and routine assessment of system performance, and to provide tools and protocols for consistent data acquisition practices. This proposal requests funds to continue these activities, focusing on the development and maintenance of technical resources, information, tools regarding the operation and monitoring of multibeam sonars across the U.S. Academic Research Fleet (ARF). The MAC will continue to facilitate communication and knowledge-sharing among the community of stakeholders to provide guidance on a broad array of multibeam issues to improve how these data are collected and assessed. This collaborative proposal is for a 5-year continuing grant. Yearly increments will be negotiated with the Program based on the annual report.Broader Impacts: The principal impact of the present proposal is under Merit Review Criterion 2 of the Proposal Guidelines (NSF 13-589). 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.