The need to acquire observations on oceanic and atmospheric physical and biogeochemical processes continues to increase. These data are presently being used as initial conditions for model forecasts, for creating climatological fields, for calibration and validation of remotely sensed data, for model data assimilation, and for flux estimates. Presently, autonomous sensor platforms have been designed as low cost expendables and are capable of taking measurements of temperature, salinity, wind speed, and bio-optics. Recent advances in the development of in situ ocean sensors will shortly allow these autonomous sensors to also obtain measurements of pCO2, nitrate, silicate, ammonium, and iron. However, as more sensors are included on the sensor package, the ability to use them as expendables is reduced dramatically. This proposal seeks to investigate the development and testing of a new low-cost sensor platform that would be capable of retrieval and reuse. The goal would be to develop a self-navigating, self-powered platform controlled via two-way satellite communication. This instrument platform could then be augmented with a wide variety of presently available oceanic and atmospheric sensors. POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS Pacific Gyre is a developer and designer of state-of-the-art ocean sensors and ocean sensor platforms, which have been used by oceanographers worldwide. Development of a reusable, low-cost ocean sensor platform will allow Pacific Gyre to enhance its customer base by making it affordable for limited-budget science and commercial applications that cannot afford the continued costs associated with expendable sensor systems, research vessels, or ASV/AUVs. By having the additional features of two-way satellite communication and navigability, Pacific Gyre hopes to also access the commercial and government monitoring sectors by providing them with a very inexpensive way to remotely monitor and track specific oceanic and atmospheric features. Pacific Gyre?s goal is to develop a general instrument platform which customers can easily augment with their desired instrument suite.
