Mid-scale RI-1 (M1:DP): Design and Construction of a New Generation of Ocean-Bottom Seismographs for the U.S. Academic Community

了解地球过程，如地幔动力学和板块构造，以及它们产生的现象，如地震，火山和行星尺度的元素循环，需要持续部署海底仪器，因为大约70%的地球表面被海洋覆盖。虽然来自陆地仪器的数据可以告诉我们很多关于海洋下的大规模结构和地震活动的信息，但与大洋中脊、热点、俯冲带和大陆边缘的结构和动力学有关的许多问题只能通过海底地震仪（OBS）获得的数据来解决。伍兹霍尔海洋研究所（WHOI）的海底地震仪仪器中心（OBSIC）为所有美国研究人员提供海底地震仪和海上技术支持，他们的研究将受益于海底地震观测。俄罗斯海底地震勘探公司目前拥有144台海底地震仪。 然而，现有的OBS设备大多陈旧，种类繁多，维护和运营成本高昂，不足以满足地震界当前和未来的需求。该奖项旨在满足美国地震学界对现代化、统一、高性能海底地震仪器的需求，从而获得更高质量的数据，降低实验成本，并降低维护和运营成本。该奖项将为新一代的OBS产生一个经过验证的设计，并将导致35个宽带/宽带OBS建立到这个新的设计。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得的支持，通过评估使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。

Understanding Earth processes, such as mantle dynamics and plate tectonics, and the phenomena they produce, such as earthquakes, volcanoes, and planet-scale elemental cycling, requires sustained deployments of seafloor instruments because about 70% of Earth's surface is covered by the oceans. While data from land-based instruments can tell us much about large-scale structure and earthquake activity under the oceans, many questions related to the structure and dynamics of mid-ocean ridges, hot-spots, subduction zones, and continental margins can only be addressed by data acquired with Ocean Bottom Seismometers (OBSs). Discovery is advanced by an efficient, effective means for scientists to acquire ocean-bottom seismic data.The Ocean Bottom Seismometer Instrument Center (OBSIC) at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) provides seafloor seismographs and at-sea technical support to all U.S. investigators whose research would benefit from seafloor seismic observations. OBSIC currently operates a fleet of 144 Ocean-Bottom Seismographs (OBS). The existing fleet of OBS, however, is mostly old, heterogeneous, expensive to maintain and operate, and inadequate to meet the current and future needs of the seismological community. This award is to meet the demand of the U.S. seismological community for a fleet of modern, uniform, high-performance, seafloor seismic instrumentation that results in higher quality data and lower experiment costs, and lower maintenance and operational costs. The award will generate a proven design for a new generation of OBS and will result in 35 broadband/wideband OBS built to this new design.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.