Evaluation of optical fiber Distributed Temperature Sensors (DTS) as a tool to constrain heat and mass transport between sediments and the overlying water column

PI已经申请了探索性研究（SGER）的小额赠款，以评估光纤分布式温度传感器作为限制沉积物和上覆水柱之间热量和质量传输的工具。使用光纤的温度测量系统代表了一种新技术，在提供空间和时间密集的海底上和海底下的温度测量方面具有很大的前景。PI要求资金在类似于海底但比海底更容易进入的环境中建造，校准和测试这项技术。PI建议搭载在由NSF水文计划资助的陆上实验上，该实验将使用各种工具，包括流浪汉温度探头，以研究威拉米特河中的潜流（地下）流的热收支。水文项目的基本目标-限制沉积物和上覆水之间的热量和质量传递模型-与海底冷泉相关的流体流动研究相似。PI计划利用合作PI Selker的经验，Selker最近刚刚从一个专注于探索水文学中的水文学应用的休假回来。由于需要密集间隔的温度时间序列来实现区域有线观测站和海岸观测站的一些科学目标，这是一个很好的机会，以海洋测试成本的一小部分来测试和校准OOI的一项非常有前途的技术。更广泛的影响这一项目是使一项新的和有前途的技术适应海洋环境的第一步。它还将导致对一名研究生和几名本科生和教师进行这些新技术的培训，其中一些人代表科学界人数不足的少数民族。

The PIs have requested a Small Grant for Exploratory Research (SGER) to evaluate optical fiber Distributed Temperature Sensors (DTS) as a tool to constrain heat and mass transport between sediments and the overlying water column. DTS systems using optical fibers represent a new technology with great promise for providing measurements of temperature on and beneath the seafloor that are dense in both space and time. The PIs request funds to build, calibrate and test this technology in an environment that is similar to, but much more accessible than, the seafloor. The PIs propose to piggy-back on an onshore experiment, funded by the NSF hydrology program, which will use a variety of tools, including HOBO temperature probes, to study the heat budget of hyporheic (subsurface) flow in the Willamette River. The fundamental objective of the hydrology project - to constrain models of heat and mass transfer between the sediment and overlying water - has parallels to studies of fluid flow associated with submarine cold seeps. The PIs plan to capitalize on the experience of co-PI Selker, who has recently returned from a sabbatical focused on exploring use of DTS in hydrology. Because densely-spaced temperature time-series are needed to achieve a number of the science objectives of the Regional Cabled Observatory and the Coastal Observatory, this is an excellent opportunity to test and calibrate a very promising technology for OOI at a fraction of the cost for a marine test. Broader ImpactsThis project represents a first step towards adaptation of a new and promising technology to the marine environment. It will also result in training of a graduate student and several undergraduates and faculty, several of whom represent minorities underrepresented in science, in these new techniques.