Low-cost drifter platforms can be used to gather an enhanced suite of data that is essential for integrating present and future satellite measurements of biological and physical processes with in situ observations. It is proposed to design, field-test and commercially manufacture a novel biological irradiance sensor system and a novel thermistor data-chain for these drifters, and to integrate these new sensors with existing sensors into an AUTONOMOUS DRIFTING OCEAN STATION (ADOS). Phase I will develop new sensor designs which will produce one working model of a bio-optical sensor, and detailed plans for building the thermistor data-chain. Also, a planning document will be developed for integration of the new sensors with existing drifter sensors, field testing, and data products formats. ADOS will measure the biological response of the upper ocean to physical forcing and this response can be compared to that computed from the combined measurements from different satellites which sample the surface of the ocean on different space scales and at different times. ADOS has also broad use in observations in both climate and operational ocean sciences.
Potential Commercial Applications:ADOS will provide Clearwater Instrumentation with a new drifter having expanded capabilities addressing observational requirements of the oceanographic community which have not existed previously. It will be useful to oceanographers observing the ocean from space and for those requiring ocean drifters to observe light and surface thermal structure. ADOS has the potential to build upon our strong business base in universities and government centers in research and applied science such as fisheries biology, both in the United States and abroad. We also expect ADOS to play a particularly important role in expanding our markets because it offers the research and observational communities a multi-parameter observing system the products of which can be shared by many programs, thus decreasing costs to each programs.
