An underwater bioluminescence assessment tool (U-BAT)

We propose transition a novel bioluminescence (BL) sensor technology to develop a commercial general purpose bathyphotometer based product for biological assessment of natural waters. This proposal directly addresses ONR topic # N05-T026 for the need to transition new and novel BL sensing technologies from the research to the commercial realm in order to enable a more comprehensive quantification of the spatial and temporal variability of the biogeochemical complexity of coastal oceanic ecosystems. For this purpose, a leading manufacturer of in situ bio-optical instrumentation, WET Labs, has partnered with a renowned group of researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) to transition in situ bioluminescence (BL) sensing technologies developed at the University into a commercially viable combined bioluminescence and inherent optical properties integrated sensor suite. This Underwater Biological Assessment Tool (U-BAT) will provide unprecedented capabilities for scientists and resource managers to observe and discriminate bulk-phase biological processes in the water column. The envisioned invention will also directly address Naval survey and tactical operations in providing a visibility and vulnerability assessment for deployed assets and potential threats.