Revised:  June 5, 2009

 

Tentative Agenda

DEep Submergence Science Committee

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Meeting Locations are Provided Below

Woods Hole, MA

June 15-17, 2009

 

A copy of this agenda can be downloaded as a pdf: <200906desag.pdf>

 

MEETING BEGINS AT 8:30 AM

 

Day One:  Monday, June 15, 2009 – Clark 507

 

0800    Coffee and Pastries

 

0830    Replacement Human Occupied Vehicle (RHOV) Practice Preliminary Design Review (PDR) - A PDR Packet will be mailed to RHOC and DESSC on Thursday, June 4th.

 

1015    Break

 

1200    Lunch Break

 

1430    Break

 

1630    RHOC / DESSC Executive Session – The committees will meet to formulate any questions/homework assignments for the WHOI RHOV team.

 

1730    Day One Wrap-up – RHOC/DESSC will provide list of questions and assignments to WHOI for presentation during Day 2.

Day Two:  Tuesday, June 16, 2009 - Carriage House

 

0800    Coffee and Pastries

 

0830    Replacement Human Occupied Vehicle (RHOV) Practice PDR (continued)

 

1015    Break

 

1200    RHOC and DESSC Executive Session (working lunch)

 

1300    Wrap-up Practice PDR and Closing Remarks

 

1330    Adjourn Practice PDR

[Note:  Clark Room 201 is available for breakout meetings as needed from noon to 1800 on Day 2]

 

1345    DESSC Meeting – Carriage House

 

1345    DESSC Meeting - Introductory Remarks (Deb Kelley)

A.     Review Agenda Items

B.     Accept minutes

 

The following items are topics for DESSC discussion.  Any items that are not addressed on June 16th will be continued for discussion on June 17th.

 

1)      WHOI Underwater Optical Communicators – Status of the low and high power underwater optical communicator systems under development by Maurice Tivey.

 

2)      Cruise Mobilization/Demobilization – Deb Kelley will report on RVOC’s response to the DESSC recommendation regarding standardized Fleet policies regarding access to accommodations during the cruise mobilization period. 

 

3)      NDSF Vehicle Turnaround Times – The NDSF policy regarding standard turnaround times between vehicle lowerings is available at http://www.whoi.edu/page.do?pid=11256.  DESSC has requested a better understanding of the turnaround requirements and constraints in order to determine if improvements can be implemented.  WHOI will provide a written report prior to the meeting.

 

4)      Mode of Operation for Jason Watches – DESSC had recommended that WHOI explore options for staggering the start and end times for Jason watches with the goal of achieving better continuity through a dive cycle.  A written recommendation is provided separately.

 

5)      Compile Inventory of Homer Beacon IDs - Compile a master list of Sonadyne 'Homer' beacon IDs so that the various deep submergence operators as well as PIs know what is in use and where.  Determine if there are other sensors/beacons on the seafloor that should be inventoried.  Karen Bemis has initiated this process.

 

6)      Hawaii Mapping Research Group (HMRG) Future –The future of the HMRG program and mapping systems <http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/HMRG/index.php> beyond 2009 is uncertain.  Review of current status. 

 

7)      Education/Outreach – Encourage students to create u-tube videos about the NDSF vehicles.  Assign students on upcoming NDSF cruises to create a blog. 

 

8)      DESSC Letter to NSF Regarding Uniform Funding – Deb will report on DESSC request that NSF adopt a uniform policy for requesting and funding the use of the National Deep Submergence Facility assets within their agency.

 

9)      New HOV Users on First RHOC Cruise - Discuss possibility of organizing/promoting a cruise to encourage new HOV users, to coincide with new sub coming on-line in summer 2011.  One option could be a North Atlantic proposal with some "mentors" to help put the proposal together.  If DESSC thinks this is a good idea then we could try and get this ready for Aug 15th NSF submission and DESSC could nominate heroes to make it happen?

 

10)  WHOI Chief Scientist for Deep Submergence – Chris German’s term runs out on Dec 31st and there is an option for a second 4 year period.  

 

11)  DESSC Membership

 

12)  Review Day 3 agenda and provide opportunity for discussion.

 

1700 DESSC Executive Session

 

Day Three:  Wednesday, June 17, 2009 - Carriage House

 

0800    Coffee and Pastries

 

0830    DESSC Meeting - Introductory Remarks (Deb Kelley)

A.     Review Executive Session Discussions and any Recommendations

B.     Wrap-up discussions from June 16.

 

0930   Agency Reports

A.     NSF – Brian Midson (10 minutes)

B.     ONR – Tim Schnoor(10 minutes)

C.     NOAA:

1.      New Cooperative Institute and NURP Centers Karen Kohanowich (15 minutes)

2.      Okeanus Explorer and URI Exploration Command Center - Catalina Martinez (15 minutes)

 

1020    Break

 

1040    National Facility Operators Report (Susan Humphris) – WHOI will provide written status reports on the following topics in advance of the meeting.  There will be time for questions:

A.     NDSF Vehicle Operations Summary:  Alvin, Jason, and ABE

B.     NDSF Data Management report: Archiving status

C.     Pilot Status and Personnel

D.     Deep Submergence Scheduling:  2009 and Beyond

 

1055    NDSF Vehicle Debrief Interviews

A. Feedback from recent Alvin cruises (Mike Tryon)

- Response from Pat Hickey

            B. Feedback from recent Jason cruise - (Bill Chadwick)

                        - Response from Matt Heinz

            C. Feedback from recent ABE cruise (Jeff Karson)

                        - Response from Andy Bowen

            D. General discussion on interview process and tracking from previous debriefs

 

1135    Upgrades to National Deep Submergence Facility (Andy Bowen)

 

1150    NDSF AUVs - ABE and Sentry

A.     ABE – The criteria for incorporating new assets into the NDSF <http://www.unols.org/committees/dessc/CRITERIADOCUMENT_062206.PDF>, require a review of operations after a year in service.  ABE has been in service for a year and WHOI will provide a written report prior to the meeting.  Discussion

B.     Sentry – Status of issues identified during J. Delaney cruise (Navigation, shear pins, data) – Jeff Karson/Andy Bowen

 

1220    HD Camera Status and NDSF Image/Film archives:

·         Status of HD Camera Upgrade and Cruise Deliverables

·         Review WHOI NDSF Archive Policy: http://www.whoi.edu/page.do?pid=11037

·         Proposal to NSF-STCI (written summary prior to meeting) to establish what technologies are required to convert old NDSF film/images to a digital format for long-term storage and future web-accessible capability.  A written summary will be provided prior to meeting.

·         DESSC will assist WHOI by prioritizing the film/image materials to be converted for modern storage.

 

1310    HROV Nereus – Report on recent cruise (A. Bowen)

SC

1320    Other business

·         DESSC Membership

·         Winter Meeting Dates - The Ocean Sciences meeting in February 2010 in Portland, OR.

 

1330    DESSC Adjourn