Summary

Measurements of the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) can be related to the concentration of CO2 in seawater. Ships all over the world have been outfitted with surface underway pCO2 systems as a low cost way of mapping the global oceans. But ship-based measurements are limited in spatial extent, and surface measurements do not give information about how carbon is distributed and cycled in the water column. Gliders (AUVs) can operate independently and sample throughout the water column, so we have outfitted one with a pCO2 sensor in this ground-breaking project.

We partnered with the sensor manufacturer Pro-Oceanus to develop a modified version of their existing membrane-based Mini Pro CO2 sensor that is light, compact, and relatively low power.

The sensor aboard a Teledyne Webb Slocum Glider

Data collected in Resurrection Bay, Seward, AK. The slow response time of the sensor required hovering the glider at prescribed depths for fixed periods of time - a hover mission.

Carbon Glider Configuration

Posters and Presentations

PDF of Poster presented at AMSS 2017
(click to enlarge)

PDF of Presentation at AMSS 2017.
(click to enlarge)