Collaborative Research: Development of a low-cost PHOtosynthesis, Respiration, and Carbon balance Yielding System (PHORCYS)

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The PI's request funding to develop an in situ incubator called PHORCYS (PHOtosynthesis, Respiration, and Carbon balance Yielding System). PHORCYS will include development of a simple, modular, low-cost PHORCYS system capable of making high-precision oxygen measurements in clear and opaque incubation chambers deployed in situ; configuration of PHORCYS for use on a drifting array in order to study upper water column primary production; configuration of PHORCYS for use with sediment traps in order to assess sinking particle respiration rates; creation of an experimental version of PHORCYS with extended capabilities that can be used for in situ amendment incubation experiments; testing different configurations on short cruises in coastal waters and on cruises of opportunity to the open ocean; comparison of PHORCYS results with those collected using other techniques; and creation of a standalone unit for education. The goal is to create a PHORCYS system that will be widely adopted by the oceanographic community and used for a variety of process studies.Broader Impacts: These instruments would be of great value to the oceanographic community since they are relatively cheap and portable and would eventually permit widespread use and worldwide intercomparisons. Beyond the training of MSc and PhD. students this activity will target the education of high school students. The PI's have a successful long term commitment to broadening ocean education (e.g. the Ocean Inquiry project) to constituents outside the community and this will be furthered in this activity. Exciting young scientist about the ocean is both a vehicle of recruitment to the field as well as a vehicle to enhance science and ocean literacy in the greater public.