Download - Air-Sea Interaction Profiler (ASIP)
Air-Sea Interaction Profiler (ASIP)
Scientific objectives behind ASIP:
What is the functional depth distribution of the physical/chemical/biological components at the ocean surface?
Do the species assemblage and/or abundance of neustal organisms influence O2 production and CO2 uptake, and therefore the exchange of gases across the air–sea interface?
To what extent does the interplay of the physical/chemical/biological processes affect each other?
What is the concentration gradient of gases within the ocean surface layer and how much does this affect the determination of the gas fluxes?
What is the quantitative dependence of CO2 air–sea fluxes on the following factors: wind speed,turbulence level, stratification, temperature, salinity, insolation, humidity, precipitation, bubble population, skin effect
Upper Ocean Autonomous Profiling The Air-Sea Interaction Profiler (ASIP) measures several parameters from one platform
Positively buoyant instrument submerged with a thruster
Measurements made during ascent only
Maximum depth 100m
Ascent rate ~ 25 cm/s
Overall length ~ 2 m
Weight ~65 kg
Onboard power 1000Whr from Li-ion batteries
GPS receiver to determine position
Iridium modem for transmitting position and mission parameters
Realtime mission change with iridium SBD (short burst data)
Xenon flasher for nighttime location
ASIP Sensors
Sensors:
- Shear (x2)
- Temperature microstructure
- Conductivity
- PAR
- Fluoresence
- Oxygen
- Pressure
- Video
ASIP Autonomous Profiling
Thruster submerges ASIP to programmable depth
ASIP descends at an angle for profiling in undisturbed water
Thruster controlled by onboard computer
ASIP Autonomous Profiling
Air-Sea Interaction Profiler (ASIP) Shear (x2) to estimate rates of dissipation
Temperature (x2) for microstructure and stratification
Conductivity (x2) for microstructure and density
Air-Sea Interaction Profiler (ASIP) Pressure for a record of depth within the water column
Fluorescence/transmissivity for chlorophyll and
water clarity
Video microscope for high–resolution images of biological species and bubbles
Air-Sea Interaction Profiler (ASIP) Oxygen for chemical gradients in the water
PAR for light absorption in the water column
ASIP during deployment
Profiles over the depth of the mixed layer
Typical mission of 5-minute profiles for 24 hours
Ocean turbulence from shear and temperature microstructure
Chlorophyll from fluorometer (calibrated with shipboard water samples)
Attenuation of light from PAR sensor
Profiles of oxygen