NSF Org:	OCE Division Of Ocean Sciences
Recipient:	WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION
Initial Amendment Date:	May 4, 2009
Latest Amendment Date:	May 4, 2009
Award Number:	0934651
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Barbara Ransom bransom@nsf.gov  (703)292-7792 OCE  Division Of Ocean Sciences GEO  Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date:	May 1, 2009
End Date:	April 30, 2010 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$58,603.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$58,603.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2009 = $58,603.00
History of Investigator:	William Lange (Principal Investigator) wlange@whoi.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution 266 WOODS HOLE RD WOODS HOLE MA  US  02543-1535 (508)289-3542
Sponsor Congressional District:	09
Primary Place of Performance:	Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution 266 WOODS HOLE RD WOODS HOLE MA  US  02543-1535
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	09
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	GFKFBWG2TV98
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s):	BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY
Primary Program Source:	01000910DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s):	0000, 1319, 1650, 4444, 7914, OTHR
Program Element Code(s):	165000
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.050

ABSTRACT

This research is a time critical (RAPID) response cruise by a coalition of investigators to investigate a newly discovered explosively erupting undersea volcano in the Northern Lau Basin in the Western Pacific Ocean. The discovery of actively erupting undersea volcanoes is a rarity and data that addresses many fundamental geological, hydrothermal, volcanic, and biological issues will be collected. The volcano being investigated is one in which there is an unusual high-intensity hydrothermal plume and explosively erupted volcanic material. Goals of this work are to document the fauna that colonize the initial stages of back arc volcanism, as well as to sample early stage hydrothermal fluids. The intensity of fluid flow from the vents will also be examined. It is likely that novel and previously unknown microbiological life forms associated with these fluids will be discovered. Work is complementary to data being gathered to the south in an area of intense NSF-funded work (the Ridge 2000 Program). Broader impacts of the work include graduate student and postdoctoral training, support of a PI whose gender is under-represented in the sciences, use of a novel ROV for undersea exploration, and public outreach through media outlets. An additional impact is the cross agency nature of the project between NSF and NOAA.

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