SBIR Phase I: Modular, Low-cost Instrumentation System

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将研究开发一个模块系统，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，用于测量单个波长的光束衰减、光束吸收和后向散射、单个激发/检测波长对的荧光以及可见光光谱中的混浊度。模块化系统将允许整合其他低成本设备，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，这将促进通过移动电话技术或无线电收发机进行通信，用于陆地、河口和沿海应用。该系统将以参与海洋颜色验证计划的机构为目标，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的全球变化研究计划、NOAA、NASA和国家气象局等组织进行现场观测的项目。对于大多数研究来说，最低成本的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模型数据的验证，这些卫星数据就毫无用处。这套模块化仪器将使研究人员能够在有限的预算内准确和独立地核实从卫星数据的“逆分析”中获得的数据，以获得固有的光学性质和浑浊度。通过降低遥感成本，这项活动有可能向教育工作者开放实际操作的遥感，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.