Development of a Long Term pH and pCO2 Lagrangian Drifter

Quantifying oceanic CO2 uptake and ocean acidification and understanding their impact on global climate and ocean ecology are key goals of NOAA’s climate change research programs. NOAA’s request for Development of a long-term Langrangian pH and pCO2 drifter aims to address these goals by developing technology that measures both pCO2 and pH that can be widely deployed in the world’s oceans. Sunburst Sensors proposes to develop an innovative pH and pCO2 prototype sensor based on the patented technology of its SAMI sensors. We will determine the feasibility of a new compact, cost-effective sensor design that can reliably measure both quantities with the required accuracy and precision. We will investigate two innovations that will significantly simplify and reduce the cost of our current sensors. First, we will combine the optics and flow cell using microfluidics techniques, resulting in a compact, inexpensive, modular sensor. Second, we will use a single reagent for both pCO2 and pH measurements in a single system. Phase I will culminate with a design based on the success of these innovations. This design will be refined and integrated into a surface float with satellite telemetry and become available as a commercial product in Phase II.