SIMBIOS Terms and Conditions

The loan request MUST be made through the SIMBIOS project office. The instrument pool section of the SIMBIOS website contains instructions, guidelines and everything you will need to know: Purpose, Deployment Policy, Loan Procedures, Loan Agreement, Instrument Loan Form, Instrument Descriptions and Instrument Schedules.

LOGISTICS

If you fulfill all SIMBIOS terms and conditions, and the item is available loan (SIMBIOS keeps a cruise schedule for all their pool instruments, there is also a cruise schedule here for our group) there are some further logistical considerations.

The Barnstead shipping case is 28" x 28" x 22" and weighs approx. 70lbs, there is also a box of ancillary equipment 2'8" x 1' x 1'6" weighing about 50lbs.

The ancillary equipment consists of: the pre-filter canisters and sections of garden hose to connect them, the pre-filters, the 4 main filters, dispenser nozzle and tubing, cowling for the dispenser, and another length of tubing to go from the unit to pre-filters.

HISTAR PACKAGE SPECIFICATIONS

For the calibrations a high purity water source will be required. This is usually going to be one of the Barnstead units.

People
Although this package comes with a technician, at least 2 more people are needed to help profile. Deployment and recovery operations may take several more depending on the set up. Other than explaining normal on-the-deck safety guidelines to get the package into and out of the water (and whatever ship procedures exist), there is a minimal amount of training required for any operators. The HiStar package is designed to free fall, hence there are very real dangers of the package drifting underneath the ship if care is not taken by the operator on deck or the bridge officer on watch. For this reason the ship's officers will also be given a run down of the operation and what is required of the ship.

Ship Needs
- Lab Space: The MODAPS deck unit is usually best secured on the floor of the lab (2'4" x 3' x 2'). In addition there should be about 4ft of bench space adjacent to the Deck Unit for its monitor and keyboard, and a laptop and printer.

- Deck Space: The cage and sea cable box need to be stored securely close to the point of deployment.

- Winches/Deployment etc: In order to get the HiStar package into and out of the water, there are a couple of options depending on what is available and the ships' own set up.

The sea cable is not really designed to take the weight of the package in air.   However it is fine to take the weight in water, when pulling the package up to the surface after a profile.

Hence an alternative line or cable should be set up to take the weight to get the package in and out of the water. Generally the packages' block will require space on an A frame type rig this will run the sea cable during the profiles. If the ship has a winch wire or air tugger available over a second block, we have a Sea Catch  quick release that can be utilised for deployments, and a mooring hook on a boat hook for recoveries. If no wire is available, but a capstan is, it is possible to attach a length of Dacron to the package to be used as the lifting means. With this, a second block is optional as the package block can be shared. A ship's crane if it exists is another possibility if an A frame is not available to take the block(s).

POST CRUISE RESPONSIBILITIES

These are part (and only part) of the SIMBIOS agreement and are merely re-stated here.

Data submission is the responsibility of the PI.

"The instruments will only be deployed on cruises that agree to provide to SeaBASS at least minimally complete validation data sets. Data submitted should conform to the SeaBASS format."

"The instruments will be deployed only by NASA-sponsored PI's on cruises providing data to SeaBASS, on a timely schedule (ca. 3-months following completion of the cruise), for SIMBIOS ocean color validation research"

Cost

"All shipping and other expenses associated with the use and deployment of the loaned instrument are the sole responsibility of the investigator. "