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VICE
Title: President
Phone: (206) 282-2396
THIS PROPOSAL PRESENTS A PROGRAM TO RESEARCH THE TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF AN OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTRUMENT CAPABLE OF RETRIEVING SAMPLES FROM THE UPPER 0.2 TO 1.0 METERS OF EXPOSED ROCK, OXIDE CRUSTS, POLYMETALLIC SULFIDE DEPOSITS, AND STIFF SEDIMENTS FROM SPECIFIC SITES ON THE SEAFLOOR. TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY, THIS DEVDEVICE MUST BE PROTABLE AND EASILY DEPLOYED FROM SHIPS OF OPPORTUNITY, COST EFFECTIVE IN PROCUREMENT AND OPERATION, AND CAPABLE OR RELIABLE OPERATION IN WATER DEPTHS TO 4000 METERS. THE DEVICE SHOULD INCORPORATE INSTRUMENTATION TO PERMIT PRECISE POSITIONING ON THE BOTTOM, AND PROVIDE REAL TIME VIDEO FOR SITE AND OPERATIONAL EVALUATION. ASPECTS OF TTHE CONCEPT TO BE INVESTIGATED INCLUDE: SAMPLING METHOD, SAMPLE RETRIEVAL, INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL SYSTEMS, POSITIONING SYSTEMS, PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL CONFIGURATION, AND SHIPBOARD HANDLING. THE PROPOSAL OUTLINES PRELIMINARY TECHNICAL OBJECTIVES, AND INCLUDES AN EXAMPLE CONCEPT DESIGN. THE PROPOSED SAMPLING DEVICE WOULD ADDRESS A RESEARCH NEED WHICH CURRENTLY LIMITS OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE RESOURCE POTENTIAL OF CRUST DEPOSITS AND MINERALIZED SEDIMENTS AT OR NEAR THE SEAFLOOR-SEAWATER INTERFACE. A TOOL WHICH CAN RECOVER MULTIPLE SHORT CORES OF RELATIVELY UNDISTRUBED MATERIAL CAN BE OF GREAT VALUE IN DETERMINING THE GEOTECHNICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF POTENTIAL MINE SITES WITHIN THE EEZ. THE POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATION AS DESCRIBED BY THE AWARDEE: COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL IN THE CONSTRUCTION, LEASE, AND OPERATIONAL SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED SAMPLING DEVICE FOR USE IN SEA FLOOR RESEARCH AND ORE DEPOSITE EVALUATION.
* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *