Full Spectrum Complete IOP Instrument Suite

In the Phase I effort, we developed conceptual designs and methods for novel oceanographic optical instruments that measure a complete set of water inherent optical properties across the full visible spectrum at high spectral resolution. One instrument is a new type of in-situ absorption meter that maintains high accuracy over a wide range of water optical properties, from the clearest waters to those of extremely high turbidity. Moreover, the design is superbly robust, allowing the instrument to be mounted on long-term moorings, AUV¿s and ROV¿s, drifters or deep profiling packages. The second instrument is a spectrometer-based, folded-path beam transmissometer. The third is a relatively compact instrument for measuring the volume scattering function at 11 equally spaced angles from 15 to 165 degrees. While currently there are commercial instruments for measuring absorption, beam attenuation and scattering, they all suffer from their own particular shortcomings and well-known limitations, in some cases severe limitations. The Phase II objectives are to build prototypes of each of these instruments, test them in the lab and then conduct an ocean deployment, and thoroughly characterize instrument accuracy. By the end of this effort, we expect to have complete schematics and shop drawings for commercial production models.