A Profiling Bioluminescence Sensor for use in the Coastal Ocean

Collecting and understanding marine bioluminescence (BL) distribution data is an important Navy requirement for strategic operations. Bioluminescence profile, spatial distribution, and temporal data can be used to understand the vulnerability of covert operations or to determine the detection threshold of hostile forces. Additionally, the low-cost collection and cataloging of this information will enhance Naval and scientific communities' understanding of BL behavior for predictive purposes. This proposal describes a unique design concept that allows fast, inexpensive, and accurate collection of BL data. Based on a design developed at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Benthos Inc., a world leader in the production of oceanographic equipment in collaboration with WHOI, offer this proposal to develop the Expendable Bathy-Photometer (XBPM). The Navy standard in use for collecting BL information, HIDEX (High Intake Defined Excitation Bathy-Photometer) is unsuitable and cost prohibitive for high speed and repetitive measurements. The XBPM will be small, economical (under $1000), lightweight, and deployable by one person allowing for rapid deployment from a moving vessel (ship, small boat, helicopter, etc.). The data returned will offer adequate detail and can be related to previous HIDEX observations. The XBPM will also be available in an affordable (under $10,000) recoverable version for training or when station keeping is permitted. Both versions will be described here with the intent to produce the recoverable device in Phase II of the STTR.