R/V Kilo Moana BOEM Research Cruise

海洋和地质标准表明，深海锰结核可能出现在夏威夷专属经济区东南部的深海区域，该区域大部分未绘制地图，也未被勘探。这一研究项目的目标是查明深海锰结核的存在，确定这些深海区域存在哪些水柱、海底和海底下特征，观察结核的分布和丰度以及伴生的动物群，并收集结核、沉积物和生物的物理样品。这些数据将有助于描述这一远景深海结核区域的基线地质和生物环境，并提供关键的矿产和生态系统资源潜力。为完成这项工作，将在任何有地图空白的感兴趣区域收集船载多波束探测仪和后向散射数据。将在优先区域部署BOX核心设备，以获取实物沉积物样本，用于地质(结核、沉积物成分、粒度)和生物(表层和次动物群多样性、丰度、分布以及成因分析)分析。CTD将被投放在靠近盒子核心位置的地方，为EDNA和基本营养分析收集水样，以完成研究数据收集要求。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.