Adding Instruments or Platforms

The National Science Foundation encourages scientists to add new instruments or platforms onto the Observatory. Funding for such additions typically comes from outside of OOI, e.g. a research proposal to NSF core programs or another agency. The following outlines guidelines for how to approach adding instrumentation and platforms to the different types of OOI arrays.

Regional Cabled Array Connection

OOI’s Regional Cabled Array (RCA) is located off the coast of Washington and Oregon. With 900 km of backbone cable that provides high power and communication bandwidth, 7 primary nodes, and 18 junction boxes, RCA has capacity for the addition of significant instrumentation. Staff are available for one-on-one meetings to discuss researchers’ proposed plans and how such requests might be accommodated.

The first step in the process of adding an instrument or platform to the RCA is to provide a brief description of your concept by email to ooicable@uw.edu.

After establishing an appropriate point of contact, Regional Cabled Array staff will guide you through the following steps:

  • The researcher completes and and submits an Instrument Integration and Planning Form and a high-level description of the proposed addition.
  • The request is reviewed by OOI’s Science Oversight Committee (SOC), which considers technical matters, potential risks and outside OOI approvals. The SOC makes a recommendation whether or not to move forward with the process.
  • Considering feedback from the SOC review, the OOI staff works with the researcher to create a Technical Cost and Feasibility Letter, describing OOI associated-costs to be incorporated into a proposal as a subcontract (e.g. support for staff at sea if days are are added onto a cruise, data storage and access, etc.) and the technical scope of the project with a feasibility assessment for inclusion in a  proposal to NSF or other agency.
  • The researcher informs OOI staff of the outcome of the funding request.
  • If funding is approved, the researcher works with OOI staff to move forward and implement the addition.

Connecting to Uncabled Arrays and Moorings

OOI’s Coastal and Global Arrays include moorings that are not cabled to shore like the Regional Cabled Array, yet have the ability to provide power for instruments and telemetry of data. The uncabled installations include the Coastal Endurance and Pioneer Arrays as well as the Global Irminger Sea and Station Papa Arrays. Users can also propose to attach self-powered, internally recording instruments to Coastal and Global Array moorings.

The first step in the process of adding an instrument or platform to the uncabled arrays is to provide a brief description of your concept by email to ooi@whoi.edu.

After establishing an appropriate point of contact, staff from the relevant Coastal or Global Array will guide you through the following steps:

  • The researcher completes and and submits an Instrument Integration and Planning Form along with a high-level description of the proposed addition.
  • The request is reviewed by OOI’s Science Oversight Committee (SOC), which considers technical matters, potential risks and outside OOI approvals. The SOC makes a recommendation whether or not to move forward with the process.
  • Considering feedback from the SOC review, the OOI staff works with the researcher to create a Technical Cost and Feasibility Letter, describing OOI associated-costs to be incorporated into a proposal as a subcontract (e.g. support for staff at sea if days are are added onto a cruise, data storage and access, etc.) and the technical scope of the project with a feasibility assessment for inclusion in a  proposal to NSF or other agency.
  • The researcher informs OOI staff of outcome of funding request.
  • If funding is approved, the researcher works with OOI staff to move forward and implement the addition.