| NSF Org: |
OCE Division Of Ocean Sciences |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | July 20, 2022 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | July 20, 2022 |
| Award Number: | 2218189 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
James Holik
OCE Division Of Ocean Sciences GEO Directorate for Geosciences |
| Start Date: | August 1, 2022 |
| End Date: | July 31, 2023 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $611,799.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $611,799.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1500 SW JEFFERSON AVE CORVALLIS OR US 97331-8655 (541)737-4933 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
OR US 97331-8507 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTRUMENTATION |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): | |
| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.050 |
ABSTRACT
This proposal seeks funds for acquisition of a seagoing computed tomography (CT)-scanning system for the Oregon State University Marine Sediment Sampling Facility (MARSSAM), which supports NSF coring programs across the United State Academic Research Fleet (ARF). The system they propose to acquire, a GeoTek Vertical X-ray CT-scanner (VXCT) has a small footprint allowing it to be installed in a containerized lab for deployment aboard many of the ARF platforms. The scanner can collect three-dimensional images at resolutions of between 350 and 30 microns for cores of up to 150 cm in length in a vertical orientation, allowing for preservation of the sediment water interface. Full-length core sections can be scanned in as little as 40 minutes at 64-micron resolution, allowing for data collection at a pace that falls within the flow of core processing aboard the ship
Seagoing Sediment Core Computed Tomography Scanner $611,799
Broader Impacts
The principal impact of the present proposal is under Merit Review Criterion 2 of the Proposal Guidelines (NSF 19-602). It provides infrastructure support for scientists to use the vessel and its shared-use instrumentation in support of their NSF-funded oceanographic research projects (which individually undergo separate review by the relevant research program of NSF). The acquisition, maintenance and operation of shared-use instrumentation allows NSF-funded researchers from any US university or lab access to working, calibrated instruments for their research, reducing the cost of that research, and expanding the base of potential researchers.
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.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
This proposal funded the acquisition of a new seagoing computed tomographic (CT) scanning system for use in studying marine sediment cores. The scanner is managed as part of the inventory of the Marine Rock and Sediment Sampling (MARSSAM) Facility at Oregon State University, and is made available to support NSF research across the US Academic Research Fleet as well as on other platforms utilized for NSF research on a contract basis (e.g., R/V Nathanial B. Palmer). The ability to CT scan marine sediment cores immediately upon recovery at sea demonstrably increases the efficiency of field operations, ensuring cored materials capture the environmental, biological, and/or geologic records required to successfully accomplish the funded research. These data sets also inform follow-on study of the recovered cores, allowing for investigation of in-faunal organisms and bioturbation structures, distributions of authigenic sediments, turbidite deposits recording submarine landslides and/or hyperpycnal flows, lamination preservation indicating intervals of benthic hypoxia, ice-rafted debris presence from glacial activity, among many other applications. The seagoing GeoTek CT scanner acquired for this project is a unique resource for US marine geoscience - and was immediately placed in service to NSF-GEO research including projects funded by OCE and OPP in its first year of implementation. The principle investigators supported by the scanner to date, including researchers from Columbia University, University of Florida, University of Texas, Austin, University of Florida, University of South Florida, Oregon State University, University of Washington, University of North Carolina Wilmington, and Louisiana State University have all been strongly positive about the value of the scanner in supporting efficient shipboard and post-cruise research, and the scanner is in (insupportably) heavy demand for use in support of NSF coring cruises in 2024.
Last Modified: 12/20/2023
Modified by: Maureen H Walczak
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