R/V Kilo Moana BOEM Research Cruise

海洋学和地质学标准表明，深海锰结核可能存在于夏威夷专属经济区东南部的深海区域，该区域基本上没有测绘和勘探。这一研究项目的目标是，查明深海锰结核的实际存在情况，确定这些深海区域存在什么样的水柱、海底和海底下的特征，观察结核的分布和丰度以及伴随的动物群，并收集结核、沉积物和生物的实物样本。这些数据将有助于确定这一潜在深海结核区的基线地质和生物环境的特征，并为重要的矿产和生态系统资源潜力提供信息，为完成这项工作，将在任何有测绘空白的感兴趣区域收集船载多波束回声测深仪和反向散射数据。将在优先区域部署箱式岩芯设备，以获取沉积物实物样本，用于地质（结核、沉积物组成、粒度）和生物（表层和下层动物多样性、丰度、分布以及遗传分析）分析。CTD将被铸造接近盒核心位置收集水样eDNA和基本的营养分析，以完成研究数据收集的要求。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过评估使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准的支持。

Oceanographic and geologic criteria indicate that abyssal manganese nodules may occur in the abyssal regions of the southeastern portion of the Exclusive Economic Zone of Hawaii, which has been largely unmapped and unexplored. The goals of this research project are to ground truth the occurrence of abyssal manganese nodules, determine what water column, seafloor, and sub- seafloor features exist in these abyssal regions, observe nodule distribution and abundance as well as the concomitant fauna, and collect physical samples of nodules, sediments, and biology. These data will help characterize the baseline geological and biological environment in this prospective abyssal nodule region and inform critical mineral and ecosystem resource potential.To complete this work, ship-based multibeam echosounder and backscatter data will be collectedin any regions of interest with mapping gaps. Box core equipment will be deployed at priorityregions to obtain physical sediment samples for geological (nodules, sediment composition,grain size) and biological (epifaunal and infaunal diversity, abundance, distribution as well asgenetic analysis) analyses. CTD will be cast close to box core locations to collect water samplesfor eDNA and basic nutrient analyses to complete the research data collection requirements.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.