The Miniaturized Autonomous Moored Profiler (Mini AMP)

This proposal addresses WET Labs design and development efforts of a compact, low power, autonomous, scalable, bottom-up profiling system termed the Miniaturized Autonomous Moored Profiler (Mini AMP). The Mini AMP’s novel design includes a robust suite of physical, biological and optical sensors, an integrated package control system, a power system, and a telemetry unit as a part of a modular, self contained, winch-driven profiling platform. The compact, hydrodynamic, low power design of the Mini AMP system will support a variety of long-term coastal applications, where real-time, high vertical resolution physical and bio-optical data are required. The overarching goal of this project is to provide a Mini AMP system that offers the customer a high level of flexibility in sensing parameters, data telemetry and data control, while maintaining a high level of performance, reliability, accuracy, and ease of use. The compact light weight design of the Mini AMP system will facilitate a variety of possible deployment methods in coastal areas ranging from 3 to 100 meters. In this Phase II work, two beta Mini AMP systems will be constructed and tested for operational performance in a variety of coastal environments ranging from inland waters to nearshore coastal waters.