Routine, long-term measurement of ocean processes is crucial to continued growth in our understanding and predictive modeling of complex natural phenomena that are highly variable and span enormous scales in space and time, said John Orcutt, principal investigator on the CI project and Professor of Geophysics at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego.
University of Washington was awarded the opportunity to begin leading one of the complex parts of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), to construct a cabled underwater research facility off the Oregon and Washington coastlines. The first year phase will focus on detailed engineering specifications to extend high-speed internet throughout the deep oceans. This underwater research facility will be the worlds first robot-sensor network to span a tectonic plate.
"Today we are taking an important first step in fulfilling the vision that John Delaney and his many colleagues articulated more than 12 years ago. We are embarked upon a very ambitious project which will transform our understanding of the planet on which we live through a deeper understanding of the oceans. This is science at its grandest, and the University of Washington is an eager participant in this venture," said University of Washington President Mark Emmert.
JOI presented the OOI Networks Conceptual Design, developed with input from the research community, in August 2006. A major focus of UWs contract will advance the conceptual planning documents toward JOIs development of the networks preliminary design and the OOI Networks Preliminary Design Review scheduled for late 2007.
"This new ocean observatory capability will provide novel and enduring ways to study the oceans. These new approaches are g
'"/>
Contact: Susan Boa
sboa@joiscience.org
202-232-3900
Joint Oceanographic Institutions
17-May-2007