Project Leader:
Dr. Wade McGillis
Earth Institute Contact: Dr. Wade McGillis
Additional External Researchers:
John Moison (NASA/WFF), Chris Fairall (NOAA/ETL)
Description:
This project focuses on development of an Ocean-Atmosphere Sensor Integration System (OASIS) that will be capable of taking a wide variety of measurements on oceanic and atmospheric processes. OASIS is composed of three parts: (a) reusable, solar-powered, autonomous, navigable, 2-way communication-capable (via Iridium modems), GPS-located, low cost (<$20K) Surface Autonomous Vehicles (SAVs); (b) low-cost, low-power, biogeochemical and air-sea process sensors; and, (c) NASA’s “Sensor Web Technology” software for command and control of individual and group OASIS fleet deployments. The project will interface a suite of air-sea flux and biogeochemical sensors on the OASIS fleet; implement NASA’s Sensor Web Technology (SWT) software to support command and control of the craft; and, develop and field-test both fleet and individual crafts under a variety of scenarios aimed at addressing several focused science and environmental monitoring issues. A variety of operational sampling modes—Station Keeping, Ocean Transit, Coastal Mapping, and Dynamic Cluster Mapping—will be developed. In addition to already commercially available sensors, such as Conductivity-Temperature devices for sea surface temperature (SST) and salinity (SSS), additional sensors will be developed and interfaced to measure air-sea gas, momentum and heat fluxes and ocean bio-optical properties. Field-testing of the crafts and sensor suites will focus on addressing the interplay between air-sea flux processes, ocean physics and ocean phytoplankton dynamics.
EI Unit:
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO)
Cross Cutting Themes:
Water
Core Disciplines:
Earth Sciences
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