Global Class Research Vessel
Community Input to Science Mission Requirement

Updated: September 22, 2006

Input received from the SMR on-line questionnaire form <http://www.unols.org/committees/fic/Global/GCSMR_Survey_Form.asp> will be posted at this site.


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Donglai Gong / Rutgers University

1 & 2. Discipline & Field of Study: Biological Oceanography, Physical Oceanography - continental shelf dynamics, biogeochemical cycles

3. Geographic Area of Interest: North Atlantic, North Atlantic High Latitude, Arctic, Antarctic - biogeochemical sampling in the sargasso, hydrological sampling on the Mid-Atlantic Bight

4. Accommodations - high

Minimum berths: 30

Maximum berths: 45

berth should have proper lighting (for reading), noise isolation, ventilation, proper tie-down in rough seas, adjustable temperature control, AC power outlet and computer network access (ethernet).

5. Range - medium

13000 to 17280 nautical miles

6. Speed - high

Maximum sustained transit speed: greater_than_fourteen knots

Station/Survey speed: six knots

rapid transit speed allows for more science and sampling for shorter time scale processes.

7.  Seakeeping - high

What is the maximum Sea State through which you would normally expect to carry out the following representative operations:

CTD operations 90% of the time: Six

Mooring deployments 75% of the time: Five

Coring operations 50% of the time: four

ROV or other sensitive deployment operations 50% of the time: Five

A flexible deployment/recovery arm for light ROV/AUV/glider (< 400 lbs) operations is highly desirable.

8Station Keeping Characteristics - high

Using DP, how closely would you need a Global Class vessel to hold station in the Sea State you specified for ROV operations above: three meters

9.  Deck Working Area - medium

What is the total open working deck area that you would need on the aft working deck?

4000 square feet

10.  Laboratory - high

Choose lab space type and size you consider appropriate for a Global Class R/V:

Lab Type Size range Required? in a van?
Main (dry) lab 1500 Required  
Wet lab 400 Required  
Hydro lab (separate) none Required  
Computer lab none Optional/Desired  
Analytical/Biochemical 300 Required  
Climate control chamber 150 Required yes
Walk in Freezer 100 Required yes
Darkroom 100 Optional/Desired  
Staging bay/ Hanger 500 Optional/Desired  
Science Office None Selected Not Required  

Space should be arranged such that its encourages communication between people working on different things, computers can be placed in main dry lab.

11.  Science Storage Requirements - medium

10000 cubic feet

12.  Winch and Wire Requirements - high

Winch Type Usage
CTD winch Need Every Cruise/Used Regularly
2nd EM Cable/CTD winch Need Every Cruise/Used Periodically
Small diameter FO Cable winch Need Every Cruise/Used Periodically
Trawl/coring winch (large wire rope) Never Used
Large diameter EM Cable winch Need Every Cruise/Used Periodically
Large diameter FO Cable winch Needed On Occasional Cruises

Spatial adaptive sampling using towed instrument will become increasingly more important and increase science efficiency. Having fast data transfer from tow instruments to ships lab is critical. Hard to go wrong with a very heavy-duty winch. The reliability of wiring is also critical, don't want it to go wrong often and if it does, ship's tech should be able to fix it him/herself.

13.  Towing Requirements - high

seasoar, vpr, net tow

14. Crane Requirements - high

15.  Over-the-side Handling Requirements - high

a nimble, reliable arm/frame for small AUV/glider operations in rough seas is essential.

16.  Acoustic System Requirements - high

System Frequency(s) Type, model, etc.
Acoustic Doppler Velocity Profiler (ADCP) 75, 250, 1000 kHz  
Multi-Beam Swath Mapping    
Precision Depth Sounder    
Acoustic Navigation System    

17.  Navigation - medium

there should be a (safe & secure) way to link up ships navigation system with PI's computer. this way sampling plan can be easily transfered from science to navigation.

18.  Shipboard Communication Needs - high

The main dry lab should be ready to support/network many computers, especially laptops. For network in particular we need Gigabit Ethernet, storage server compatible with multiple platforms (> 5TB, OS X, Linux, Windows), dedicated server power supplies, UPS backup for all computer power outlet, two LMR 800 low loss coaxial cable to ships mast, bridge to science intercomm (especially PO's desk), very optionally, an amatuar radio station for those who hold HAM license.

19.  External Communication - high

24/7 high-speed internet access critical (need to support VoIP, streaming video & VPN), satellite radio and TV.

20.  Van Requirements - high

Maximum number of vans you would need? 3

Do you think vans should be used for additional berthing? yes

List the type of vans you might need? Cold Van, Lab Van - general, Isotope Van, Equipment/Workshop van

21.  Other science requirements -

22.  Additional Comments:


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Oscar Schofield / Rutgers

1 & 2. Discipline & Field of Study: Biological Oceanography - continental shelves, global change and impact on ecosystems

3. Geographic Area of Interest: North Atlantic, North Atlantic High Latitude, Mediterranean or Baltic Sea, Caribbean & Gulf, Hawaii Is. Chain, Australia, Antarctic - we run experiments globally

4. Accommodations -

Minimum berths: <30

Maximum berths: 30

5. Range - medium

10061 to 13,000 nautical miles

6. Speed - high

Maximum sustained transit speed: twelve_to_fourteen knots

Station/Survey speed: six knots

7.  Seakeeping - medium

What is the maximum Sea State through which you would normally expect to carry out the following representative operations:

CTD operations 90% of the time: Seven

Mooring deployments 75% of the time: Seven

Coring operations 50% of the time: Five

ROV or other sensitive deployment operations 50% of the time: four

8Station Keeping Characteristics - medium

Using DP, how closely would you need a Global Class vessel to hold station in the Sea State you specified for ROV operations above: twenty meters

9.  Deck Working Area - high

What is the total open working deck area that you would need on the aft working deck?

3000 square feet

10.  Laboratory - high

Choose lab space type and size you consider appropriate for a Global Class R/V:

Lab Type Size range Required? in a van?
Main (dry) lab 1500 Required  
Wet lab 400 Required  
Hydro lab (separate) 300 Required  
Computer lab 300 Optional/Desired yes
Analytical/Biochemical none Optional/Desired yes
Climate control chamber none Optional/Desired yes
Walk in Freezer none Not Required  
Darkroom none Not Required  
Staging bay/ Hanger none Not Required  
Science Office none Not Required  

vans work fine for adding specific needs

11.  Science Storage Requirements - low

na cubic feet

12.  Winch and Wire Requirements - high

Winch Type Usage
CTD winch Need Every Cruise/Used Regularly
2nd EM Cable/CTD winch Need Every Cruise/Used Regularly
Small diameter FO Cable winch Need Every Cruise/Used Regularly
Trawl/coring winch (large wire rope) Needed On Occasional Cruises
Large diameter EM Cable winch Never Used
Large diameter FO Cable winch Never Used

13.  Towing Requirements - medium

14. Crane Requirements - high

15.  Over-the-side Handling Requirements - high

16.  Acoustic System Requirements - medium

System Frequency(s) Type, model, etc.
Acoustic Doppler Velocity Profiler (ADCP)    
Multi-Beam Swath Mapping    
Precision Depth Sounder    

17.  Navigation - medium

18.  Shipboard Communication Needs - medium

19.  External Communication - high

20.  Van Requirements - medium

Maximum number of vans you would need? 2

Do you think vans should be used for additional berthing? ???

List the type of vans you might need? Cold Van, Lab Van - general, Isotope Van, Equipment/Workshop van

21.  Other science requirements -

22.  Additional Comments:


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Shawn Smith / COAPS, The Florida State University

1 & 2. Discipline & Field of Study: Other - Marine Meteorology Air-sea fluxes of heat, momentum, radiation, and fresh water.

3. Geographic Area of Interest: North Atlantic, North Atlantic High Latitude, Mediterranean or Baltic Sea, Caribbean & Gulf, South Atlantic, N.E. Pacific, Alaska, EPR & Cent. Amer., Hawaii Is. Chain, Western Pacific, Equatorial Pacific, South Pacific, Australia, Indian Ocean, Arctic, Antarctic - I am interested in marine meteorological and near surface ocean (underway) observations from the global oceans. Data collection from a wide variety of ocean regimes is essential to my research.

4. Accommodations - low

Minimum berths: <30

Maximum berths: none selected

My research rarely requires a presence on board the vessel (beyond the marine and IT techs).

5. Range - medium

<10000 to 15000 nautical miles

6. Speed - low

Maximum sustained transit speed: None Selected knots

Station/Survey speed: None Selected knots

7.  Seakeeping - high

What is the maximum Sea State through which you would normally expect to carry out the following representative operations:

CTD operations 90% of the time: None Selected

Mooring deployments 75% of the time: Five

Coring operations 50% of the time: None Selected

ROV or other sensitive deployment operations 50% of the time: None Selected

With the upcoming ORION project, Global Class vessels should be capable of mooring operations in the higher sea states expected in the Southern Ocean (planned mooring sites)

8Station Keeping Characteristics - low

Using DP, how closely would you need a Global Class vessel to hold station in the Sea State you specified for ROV operations above:

9.  Deck Working Area - low

What is the total open working deck area that you would need on the aft working deck?

None Selected square feet

10.  Laboratory -

Choose lab space type and size you consider appropriate for a Global Class R/V:

Lab Type Size range Required? in a van?
Main (dry) lab None Selected    
Wet lab None Selected    
Hydro lab (separate) None Selected    
Computer lab 700 Required  
Analytical/Biochemical None Selected    
Climate control chamber None Selected    
Walk in Freezer None Selected    
Darkroom None Selected    
Staging bay/ Hanger None Selected    
Science Office None Selected    

Must have sufficient space for underway data collection hardware and displays that will be permanent and not interfere with hardware brought on board by other science parties.

11.  Science Storage Requirements - low

na cubic feet

12.  Winch and Wire Requirements - low

Winch Type Usage
CTD winch  
2nd EM Cable/CTD winch  
Small diameter FO Cable winch  
Trawl/coring winch (large wire rope)  
Large diameter EM Cable winch  
Large diameter FO Cable winch  

13.  Towing Requirements - low

14. Crane Requirements - low

15.  Over-the-side Handling Requirements - low

16.  Acoustic System Requirements - medium

System Frequency(s) Type, model, etc.
Acoustic Doppler Velocity Profiler (ADCP)    

ADCP measurements are useful to remove current component from the true winds. Improves quality of air-sea flux estimates from vessels.

17.  Navigation - high

Vessel position data must be collected at high precision (e.g., 0.0001 deg) and should provide for accurate course over ground and speed over ground measurements (all from GPS OK). In addition, vessel must provide accurate measurement of vessel heading (via GPS or Gyrocompass) and the vessel speed relative to the water (fore/aft and port/starboard components using a speed log or equivalent). These measurements are essential for accurate conversion of vessel relative winds to earth (true) or ocean relative winds.

18.  Shipboard Communication Needs - low

19.  External Communication - high

Broadband communications (e.g. HiSeasNet or equivalent) are necessary to transmit high data volumes from ship to shore for near-real time data applications. In addition, vessels should be capable of real time line of sight wireless communication between multiple vessels, moorings, or autonomous vehichles (using SWAP or equivalent technology).

20.  Van Requirements - medium

Maximum number of vans you would need? 1

Do you think vans should be used for additional berthing? yes

List the type of vans you might need? Other (describe below)

Van would be brought on board when participating in underway comparisons of shipboard instruments to a portable air-sea flux standard. The van would contain all instrumentation and computers needed for the comparison.

21.  Other science requirements - high

Achieving high quality underway marine meteorological and near-surface ocean measurements requires skilled, on-board marine and IT technicians. As possible, Global class vessels should have a minumum of two techs on every cruise to monitor and maintain meteorological and underway ocean measurements.

22.  Additional Comments:

Global class vessels should provide for a bow mast location for underway meteorological instrumentation (provides best exposure on most large vessels). The mast should be designed in a way to minimize distortion of the wind flow around the mast and should be free of unnecessary instruments and obstacles. The mast should be designed in a way to allow safe maintanence of instrumentation at sea. An alternate, more easily accessable location that is generally free from shadows should be provided for radiation instruments (these sensors require very frequent cleaning of the domes and need not be on a bow mast).


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Dave Hebert / University of Rhode Island

1 & 2. Discipline & Field of Study: Physical Oceanography - Mixing processes

3. Geographic Area of Interest: North Atlantic, North Atlantic High Latitude, South Atlantic, Equatorial Pacific, Antarctic -

4. Accommodations - medium

Minimum berths: <30

Maximum berths: 37

5. Range - high

12000 to 13495 nautical miles

6. Speed - medium

Maximum sustained transit speed: twelve_to_fourteen knots

Station/Survey speed: three knots

Sampling speed based on towing speed. I assume the ship could hold station for a CTD cast.

7.  Seakeeping - high

What is the maximum Sea State through which you would normally expect to carry out the following representative operations:

CTD operations 90% of the time: Six

Mooring deployments 75% of the time: Five

Coring operations 50% of the time: None Selected

ROV or other sensitive deployment operations 50% of the time: None Selected

8Station Keeping Characteristics - medium

Using DP, how closely would you need a Global Class vessel to hold station in the Sea State you specified for ROV operations above:

9.  Deck Working Area - medium

What is the total open working deck area that you would need on the aft working deck?

4000 square feet

10.  Laboratory - high

Choose lab space type and size you consider appropriate for a Global Class R/V:

Lab Type Size range Required? in a van?
Main (dry) lab 1500 Required  
Wet lab 400 Required  
Hydro lab (separate) 300 Optional/Desired  
Computer lab 300 Optional/Desired  
Analytical/Biochemical None Selected    
Climate control chamber None Selected    
Walk in Freezer None Selected    
Darkroom none Not Required  
Staging bay/ Hanger 200 Optional/Desired  
Science Office none Not Required  

11.  Science Storage Requirements - high

10000 cubic feet

12.  Winch and Wire Requirements - high

Winch Type Usage
CTD winch Need Every Cruise/Used Regularly
2nd EM Cable/CTD winch Needed On Occasional Cruises
Small diameter FO Cable winch Needed On Occasional Cruises
Trawl/coring winch (large wire rope) Need Every Cruise/Used Periodically
Large diameter EM Cable winch  
Large diameter FO Cable winch  

I am not sure what small vs large diameter actually means; thus, I only checked one of them.

13.  Towing Requirements - medium

Towing undulating bodies like SeaSoar and ScanFish.

14. Crane Requirements - high

Need to load 20 containers from a pier.

15.  Over-the-side Handling Requirements - high

16.  Acoustic System Requirements - medium

System Frequency(s) Type, model, etc.
Acoustic Doppler Velocity Profiler (ADCP) 38KHz Ocean Surveyor
Multi-Beam Swath Mapping    
Precision Depth Sounder    

17.  Navigation - medium

18.  Shipboard Communication Needs - medium

19.  External Communication - medium

24/7 internet connection

20.  Van Requirements - medium

Maximum number of vans you would need? 1

Do you think vans should be used for additional berthing? no

List the type of vans you might need? Storage Van, Equipment/Workshop van

21.  Other science requirements -

22.  Additional Comments:

The present Global ships meet my needs as far as I know.


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Peter Michael / The University of Tulsa

1 & 2. Discipline & Field of Study: Marine Geology and Geophysics -

3. Geographic Area of Interest: North Atlantic, North Atlantic High Latitude, South Atlantic, N.E. Pacific, Equatorial Pacific, Arctic - mid-ocean ridges and back arc basins globally

4. Accommodations - medium

Minimum berths: <30

Maximum berths: 38

5. Range - low

12000 to 15000 nautical miles

It may be economical to have a longer range if there are large differentials in fuel costs between different ports.

6. Speed - medium

Maximum sustained transit speed: twelve_to_fourteen knots

Station/Survey speed: zero knots

7.  Seakeeping -

What is the maximum Sea State through which you would normally expect to carry out the following representative operations:

CTD operations 90% of the time: four

Mooring deployments 75% of the time: four

Coring operations 50% of the time: Six

ROV or other sensitive deployment operations 50% of the time: Five

8Station Keeping Characteristics - high

Using DP, how closely would you need a Global Class vessel to hold station in the Sea State you specified for ROV operations above: five meters

Lets be realistic!

9.  Deck Working Area - high

What is the total open working deck area that you would need on the aft working deck?

3000 square feet

Need most space on stern or wherever rock sampling is done. Also need space for ancillary operations and for sample processing

10.  Laboratory - high

Choose lab space type and size you consider appropriate for a Global Class R/V:

Lab Type Size range Required? in a van?
Main (dry) lab 1500    
Wet lab 500    
Hydro lab (separate) 700    
Computer lab 400    
Analytical/Biochemical 1000    
Climate control chamber none    
Walk in Freezer none    
Darkroom none    
Staging bay/ Hanger 750    
Science Office none    

11.  Science Storage Requirements - medium

15000 cubic feet

Need to be able to store equipment and samples for several voyages.

12.  Winch and Wire Requirements - high

Winch Type Usage
CTD winch Needed On Occasional Cruises
2nd EM Cable/CTD winch Never Used
Small diameter FO Cable winch Needed On Occasional Cruises
Trawl/coring winch (large wire rope) Need Every Cruise/Used Regularly
Large diameter EM Cable winch Needed On Occasional Cruises
Large diameter FO Cable winch Needed On Occasional Cruises

Every Global Class ship should be able to dredge rocks using a FAST and DEPENDABLE winch. UNOLS should strongly consider upgrading the wire used on trawl winches to something that has a higher working strength and better wrapping characteristics than the current 9/16" cable that has a triangular cross section. The StarLift? cable used on some German ships is an example. In addition, there should be the ability to add a small modular winch with Kevlar cable and very fast operation, such as we used for wax rock coring on KM0417 (Kilo Moana).

13.  Towing Requirements - low

Unless the fast up-down winch is considered "towing", importance is low for us.

14. Crane Requirements - medium

Crane is mostly for moving around equipment on deck, and occasionally emptying a dredge. Also for loading and unloading vans from decks.

15.  Over-the-side Handling Requirements - high

It is important to be able to deploy dredges, wax rock cores and CTDs without modifying the deck. The operations should not interfere with each other. The A-Frame should be able to handle the load anticipated if we are using newer heavier wire that should be installed on all UNOLS trawl winches. 9/16" is obsolete.

16.  Acoustic System Requirements -

System Frequency(s) Type, model, etc.
Multi-Beam Swath Mapping 30 kHz  
Precision Depth Sounder    
Sub-bottom profiler    

Multibeam should have good

17.  Navigation - medium

18.  Shipboard Communication Needs - medium

Good comms with all decks is important

19.  External Communication - medium

Ship-ship is important for multi-ship cruises. Video streaming would promote remote operations by shore-based scientists, if that is the direction we are heading.

20.  Van Requirements -

Maximum number of vans you would need? 2

Do you think vans should be used for additional berthing? no

List the type of vans you might need? Storage Van, Lab Van - general

21.  Other science requirements -

22.  Additional Comments:


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