SBIR Phase I: Modular, Low-cost Instrumentation System

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目将研究开发一个模块化系统，该系统将大大降低收集海洋现象数据的成本。该系统由单独的模块组成，设计用于测量光束衰减、光束吸收和单个波长下的反向散射、单个激发/检测波长对的荧光以及可见光谱中的浊度。模块化系统将允许结合其他低成本设备，如现成的温度或CTD传感器。此外，还将设计一个低成本的通信模块，通过手机技术或无线电收发器为陆地、河口和沿海应用提供通信便利。 该系统将针对参与海洋颜色验证计划的机构，特别是观察和了解海洋在全球气候变化中的作用。它还将针对NSF全球变化研究计划、NOAA、NASA和国家气象局等组织的现场观测项目。大多数研究的最低成本测量方案是使用免费提供的或低成本的卫星数据。然而，如果没有地面实况数据和来自卫星测量的建模数据的验证，该卫星数据是无用的。这套模块化仪器将使预算有限的研究人员能够准确和独立地核实从卫星数据“反演分析”中获得的数据，以获得固有的光学特性和浊度。由于降低了遥感的费用，这项活动有可能使教育工作者有机会亲身体验遥感，并扩大所有群体的参与，包括代表性不足的群体。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will study the development of a modular system that will significantly lower the cost of collecting data on oceanographic phenomena. This system consists of individual modules designed to measure beam attenuation, beam absorption, and backscattering at single wavelengths, fluorescence for single excitation/detection wavelength pairs, and turbidity in the visible spectrum. The modular system will allow for the incorporation of other low-cost devices, such as off-the-shelf temperature or CTD sensors. In addition, a low-cost communications module will be designed, which will facilitate communications via cell phone technology or radio transceivers for terrestrial, estuary, and coastal applications. This system will target institutions participating in ocean color validation programs, specifically observing and understanding the role of the oceans in global climate change. It will also target projects with in-situ observations at organizations such as; NSF's Global Change Research Programs, NOAA, NASA, and the National Weather Service. The lowest cost measurement scheme for most researches is to use freely available or low cost satellite data. However, this satellite data is useless without ground truth data and validation of modeled data from satellite measurements. This set of modular instruments will allow a researcher on a limited budget to accurately and independently verify data obtained from "inversion analyses" of satellite data to obtain inherent optical properties and turbidity. By lowering the cost of remote sensing, this activity has the potential to open up hand-on remote sensing to educators, and broaden the participation of all groups, including underrepresented groups.