Ship Request

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For all NEW or RESUBMITTED Projects/Ship Time Requests, go to https://mfp.us and create a new SME. Some STRs for projects starting in 2022 and beyond have already been moved to Marine Facilities Planning (mfp.us). Check your MFP Science Portal for any projects that might already be moved. If you need to make edits to projects that begin in 2022 and beyond, please contact mfp@unols.org for assistance. Be sure to indicate the Project and STR IDs that you would like to edit. For more information on getting into MFP, see the More Information button below.

  VENTS  -  2012  -  Global  
  Project Information  
Project Title: NOAA-VENTS Research Program on Undersea Hydrothermal Venting Systems Project Status: Submitted
Principal Investigator: Robert W. Embley, PMEL Project Institution: NOAA_PMEL
Project ID: 101557 Version #: 7
Date Submitted: 5/23/2008 7:50:00 PM Created By: Paul Kunicki
Date Last Modified: 6/17/2011 11:09:00 AM URI Serial #: None
Funding Agencies: NOAA - NONE - Funded
Summary of Field Work: Since 1984, NOAA’s VENTS Program has conducted a global program of exploration and chemical, biological, and geological research on volcanically hosted ecosystems in the deep sea. VENTS has pioneered the development of interactive observatories to document the evolution of such ecosystems on the decadal time scale. These investigations are supported with ~ $2M/yr of NOAA base funds, leveraged through collaborations with outside investigators. Following the layup of several large NOAA vessels on the west coast in the mid-1990s, VENTS has relied on a mix on NOAA and charter vessel support to accomplish its annual operations. Areas of recent focus are summarized below:

NE Pacific Process and Time Series Studies
The VENTS program has an interest in maintaining observatory-based time series experiments, discovering new hydrothermal and volcanic features, and responding to volcanic and tectonic events on the Juan de Fuca Ridge and other spreading centers in tne NE Pacific. To do this, the program will continue to need annual ship and submersible time in this region. Our initial priority in the NE Pacific is to maintain our time series work at the New Millenium Observatory (NeMO) at Axial Volcano, and the Neptune Observatory the Endeavour Segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge. At both of these sites long-term (> 10 years) geodetic, chemical, and microbiological observations are underway. Ongoing observatory research activities include time-series sampling of specific hydrothermal vent sites for chemistry, microbial and vent fauna community structure; instrumental time-series sampling; high-precision depth survey at geodetic benchmarks; water-column plume time-series; and temperature monitoring. In addition to these time-series observations, the VENTS program is interested in discovering new hydrothermal and volcanic features in the NE Pacific. Some of these discoveries are expected to be associated with other work in the region, while others may be associated with volcanic and tectonic events that are likely to occur in this region over the next 5 to 10 years.

Western Pacific Exploration and Systematic Studies
VENTS expects to continue studies of volcanoes and hydrothermal systems of the Mariana arc, Lau Basin and other areas of the western and southern Pacific over the next five years. The ship and submersible time needs for this work could be as much as 21 days on station per year. Depending on ship availability, this could involve UNOLS, NOAA, or foreign vessels, as well as international collaborators. The long-term goals include exploration for new hydrothermal sites and features, process studies on unique environments (e.g. active volcanic eruption sites, liquid carbon dioxide vent sites), investigation of shallow hydrothermal sites, and extended monitoring of selected sites.

Maintenance of hydrophones
VENTS requires approximately 2 to 3 days of ship time per year to maintain recording hydrophones associated with the TAO buoy sites in the eastern tropical Pacific. The hydrophone array in the equatorial Pacific is used for identification of seafloor volcanic activity that may affect deep-sea hydrothermal ecosystems. Additionally, the hydrophones provide information on the distribution of Blue Whales via detection of the vocalization patterns. Blue Whales are a listed on the Marine Mammal Protection Act and are considered globally endangered. Ship time to support the hydrophone arrays is generally available when needed aboard NOAA vessels on TAO cruises.
Summary of Facility Requirements: Most VENTS cruises involve the use of JASON-II, ROPOS, or similar ROV for conducting dive operations, however the ALVIN manned submersible does also on occasion cover some of these requirements. Other cruise activities involving water column studies, seafloor mapping, and deployment/recovery of moorings and AUVs can also be accomplished on platforms not necessarily involving ROVs or manned submersible support.
Summary of other requirements and comments: The program’s intention is to operate with an alternating annual sequence of cruises in the Juan de Fuca Ridge / NE Pacific region, with a significant ship/submersible expedition (10-15 days on station) alternating with a shorter-duration maintenance cruise (4-5 days) every other year. For 2009, a maintenance cruise opportunity (on collaborative/ancillary basis) will be sought in this region.
In correspondence with this alternating cruise pattern will be an effort to secure field time elsewhere, in particular within the western or southern Pacific areas of interest to the program (Mariana Arc and/or Lau Basin) as described above. If cruise time is unavailable in the Western Pacific, an expanded Eastern Pacific project may be conducted in coordination with the observatory maintenance cruise.
Ship Request Identification
Type of Request: Primary Ship Use Request Status: Submitted
Request ID: 1004220 Created By: Paul Kunicki
Date Last Modified: 6/17/2011 11:09:00 AM Date Submitted: 12/8/2010 6:25:00 PM
Requested Ship, Operating Days and Dates
Year: 2012 Ship/Facility: Global
Optimum Start Date: 5/1/2012 Dates to Avoid: Threat of hurricane becomes increasingly possible before April 1st.
 
 
Earliest Start Date: 4/1/2012 Multi-Ship Op: No
Latest Start Date: 7/31/2012 Other Ship(s):

Operating Days Needed: Science Days Mob Days De-Mob Days Estimated Transit Days Total Days
20 2 1 0 23
Repeating Cruise?
(within same year)
No Interval:   # of Cruises:  

Description of Repeating cruise requirements:
Justification/Explanation for ship choice, dates,
conflicts, number of days & multi-ship operations:
This cruise would support exploration for hydrothermal activity in the northern Lau Basin between Samoa and Tonga. The main thrust of this activity would be ROV work around hydrothermal plumes combined with multi-beam mapping of seafloor bathymetry. The area of interest would be the spreading centers of the NE Lau Basin. The viability of this scenario will depend on the availability of ship time in the southwestern Pacific region, and also on the existence of other funded expeditions in this region. Ideally our expedition work in the South Pacific would be combined with other project plans, possibly funded by NSF or another agency.
Work Area for Cruise
Short Description of Op Area
for use in schedules:
Lau Basin
Description of Op Area: Lau Basin - South Pacific
Op Area Size/Dia.:  
 
  Lat/Long Marsden Grid Navy Op Area
Beginning
17.5° S / 173° W map
353 map
SP01 map
Ending
14.5° S / 178° W map
353 map
SP01 map
  Show Degrees Minutes    
Foreign Clearance and Permitting Requirements
Foreign Clearance Required? Yes Coastal States:

France, Tonga, Fiji, Western Samoa
 Important Info on Foreign Research Clearances  

Are you or any member in your science party bringing in any science equipment items which are regulated for export by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR)?
No If yes, have you applied for the necessary permits through your export control office? No
 Questions about ITAR/EAR regulations?

Comments about foreign clearance requirements or
description of any other special permitting requirements
(e.g., MMPA, ESA, IHA, Marine Sanctuaries, etc.)
Port Calls
Requested Start Port Intermediate Port(s) Requested End Port
Pago Pago Harbor, American Samoa None Pago Pago Harbor, American Samoa
Explanation/justification for requested
ports and dates of intermediate stops
or to list additional port stops
Apia or Suva would also work if transits are minimized. However, Pago Pago advantageous due to customs issues with samples

 Important Info on Working in Foreign Ports

 
Science Party
Chief Scientist: Robert W. Embley, PMEL
# in Science Party 38 # of different science teams 2 # Marine Technicians to be
provided by ship operator:
(include in science party total)
1
Explanation of Science Party Requirements and Technician Requirements One to three science teams may be involved.
Instrumentation Requirements That Impact Scheduling Decisions
Selected Dynamic PositioningUnselected ADCPSelected MultibeamUnselected Seismic
Unselected Dredging/Coring/Large Dia. Trawl WireUnselected Stern A-frameUnselected Fiber Optic (.681)Unselected 0.680 Coax Wire
Unselected SCUBA DivingUnselected Radioisotope use - briefly describeUnselected NO Radioisotope use/Natural level workUnselected Other Operator Provided Inst. - Describe
0 PI-Provided Vans - briefly describe Unselected MOCNESS  
Explain Instrumentation or Capability
requirements that could affect choice
of ship in scheduling.

Prefer vessel scheduled for other projects, or transits through the region, with use of JASON, capabilities for multibeam survey, and full ocean depth CTD winch system.

Major Ancillary Facilities (that require coordination of schedules with ship schedule)
Aircraft
Unselected Helicopter Ops (USCG)Unselected Twin OtterUnselected Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) 
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV)
Unselected Other AUVUnselected Sentry  
Coring Facility
Unselected Jumbo Piston CoringUnselected Large Gravity Core Unselected MC800 multicorer w/ MISO camera/telemetryUnselected OSU Coring Facility (MARSSAM)
Unselected Other Large Coring FacilityUnselected WHOI Long Core  
Human Occupied Vehicle (HOV)
Unselected AlvinUnselected Clelia (HBOI)Unselected JSL I & II (HBOI)Unselected Other HOV
Other Facility
Unselected MISO Facility - deep-sea imagingUnselected Other FacilityUnselected Potential Fields Pool Equipment 
Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV)
Selected JasonSelected Other ROV  
Seismic Facility
Unselected Ocean Bottom Seismograph Instrument Center (OBSIC)Unselected Ocean Bottom Seismograph Instrument Pool (OBSIP)Unselected Ocean-Bottom Seismometer Program (UTIG)Unselected Other Seismic/OBS Facility
Unselected PASSCALUnselected Portable MCS groupUnselected Portable MCS/SCS groupUnselected U.S. Geological Survey Ocean Bottom Seismometer Facility (USGS at WHOI)
Towed Underwater Vehicle
Unselected ARGO IIUnselected Hawaii MR1 (HMRG)Unselected IMI12 (HMRG)Unselected IMI120 (HMRG - formerly DSL 120A)
Unselected IMI30 (HMRG)Unselected Other Towed Underwater VehicleUnselected Towfish 
UNOLS Van Pool
Unselected AUV Lab Van #1Unselected Clean Lab VanUnselected Cold Lab VanUnselected General Purpose Lab Van
Unselected Radioisotope Lab VanUnselected Wet Lab Van  
UNOLS Winch Pool
Unselected Mooring SpoolerUnselected Portable WinchUnselected Turn Table 
Explain Major Ancillary Facilities
Requirements and list description
and provider for "other" systems.

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