OBSIP: An Evolving Facility for the Future of Geoscience

Abstract:

The Ocean Bottom Seismograph Instrument Pool “OBSIP” was founded in 1999 as a National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsored instrument facility that provides ocean bottom seismometers and technical support for research in the areas of marine geology, seismology, and geodynamics. OBSIP provides both short period instruments (for active source seismic refraction studies) and long period instruments (for long term passive experiments). OBSIP is comprised of three Institutional Instrument Contributors each of whom contribute instruments and technical support to the pool and an OBSIP Management Office.

In the past year, OBSIP has provided instruments for five experiments and supported over 12 research cruises recovering and/or deploying instruments. The most extensive OBSIP experiment in the past few years has been the Cascadia Initiative. The Cascadia Initiative is an onshore/offshore seismic and geodetic experiment deployed in the Pacific Northwest to study questions surrounding the evolution of the Juan de Fuca plate and the Gorda plate. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), OBSIP IIC's built 60 new ocean bottom seismometers. Both LDEO and SIO designed new seismometer packages to withstand trawling by local fisherman for deployment in shallow areas. The Cascadia Initiative has required close cooperation between the OBSIP, the Deep Submergence Facility, the University National Oceanographic Laboratory System (who coordinates ship schedules for the cruises), and the Cascadia Initiative Expedition Team.

At the recent ARRA Workshop, members from the scientific community met to discuss the future of the ARRA instruments and determine how OBS instrumentation can be best utilized to serve the scientific community. The OBSIP Management Office has developed a comprehensive Data Quality Plan that includes all steps of the data collection process, from instrument design to quality controlling data after it is uploaded to the Data Management Center. The OBSIP Management Office and the IICs are starting to review current data quality practices as the first step in the Data Quality Plan. OBSIP continues to evolve as it works to better serve the scientific community and the public.