EcoCTD for Profiling Oceanic Physical–Biological Properties from an Underway Ship

Abstract

The study of ocean dynamics and biophysical variability at submesoscales of O(1) km and O(1) h raises several observational challenges. To address these by underway sampling, we recently developed a towed profiler called the EcoCTD, capable of concurrently measuring both hydrographic and bio-optical properties such as oxygen, chlorophyll fluorescence, and optical backscatter. The EcoCTD presents an attractive alternative to currently used towed platforms due to its light footprint, versatility in the field, and ease of deployment and recovery without cranes or heavy-duty winches. We demonstrate its use for gathering high-quality data at submesoscale spatiotemporal resolution. A dataset of bio-optical and hydrographic properties, collected with the EcoCTD during field trials in 2018, highlights its scientific potential for the study of physical–biological interactions at submesoscales.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
May 01, 2020
Source ID
10.1175/jtech-d-19-0145.1

Entities

People

  • Amala Mahadevan
  • Andrew J. Baron
  • Benjamin Hodges
  • J. Thomas Farrar
  • Mara A Freilich
  • Mathieu Dever
  • Tom Lanagan

Organizations

  • Office of Naval Research Global
  • Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Logistics and Supply Chain Management.
  • Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Modeling, Data Assimilation, and Flux Boundary Layers
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology