NSF Org:	OCE Division Of Ocean Sciences
Recipient:	WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION
Initial Amendment Date:	April 5, 1990
Latest Amendment Date:	July 31, 1991
Award Number:	8917750
Award Instrument:	Continuing Grant
Program Manager:	Bruce T. Malfait OCE  Division Of Ocean Sciences GEO  Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date:	April 1, 1990
End Date:	March 31, 1993 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$499,107.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$499,107.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 1990 = $407,663.00 FY 1991 = $91,444.00
History of Investigator:	G. Michael Purdy (Principal Investigator) mpurdy@ldeo.columbia.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:	DATA NOT AVAILABLE
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	GFKFBWG2TV98
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s):	OCEAN DRILLING PROGRAM
Primary Program Source:
Program Reference Code(s):
Program Element Code(s):	572000
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.050

ABSTRACT

The nature of the shallow oceanic crust produced at seafloor spreading centers is poorly constrained by available geophysical data. Recent studies suggest that the shallowest layers of the crust are characterized by extremely low seismic velocities, but that the velocity increases rapidly with depth. Understanding the processes that control these variations are important in determining the porosity of the crust, alteration of crustal rock, and the local and regional significance of crustal drilling data. The present award will support a near bottom refraction study of a segment of the East Pacific Rise in the eastern equatorial Pacific. The project will allow a detailed study of the shallow crust by using both a receiver and acoustic source deployed at the seafloor. This technique will provide a higher resolution study than is available from normal surface ship observations. Data from the experiment will be compared to drilling results which are planned along this same section of ridge. The principal investigators on this project have distinguished records in both experimental and theoretical analysis of crustal data.

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