Simultaneous Remote Measurement of Skin and Sub-skin Temperature for USVs & Buoys

气候变化研究需要了解海洋表面的温度，以估计空气和水之间的热量传递。这个温度，被称为皮肤温度，可以高达半摄氏度（约1华氏度）低于其下的温度，被称为皮下温度。在实践中，由于目前测量皮肤温度的技术既昂贵又复杂，因此使用模型而不是测量皮肤温度。这项技术使用一种被称为红外辐射计的非接触式传感器，远程测量来自海洋的热辐射。皮肤温度模型需要测量皮肤表面以下的温度（称为皮下温度），以便准确预测皮肤温度。当一艘船被使用时，可以通过沿着表面拖着一个温度计来测量皮肤下的温度。在未来，测量将由无人机进行，在无人机上拖着温度计是不切实际的。这项研究将利用技术改进和新研究的见解来开发一种仪器，可以测量无人机和浮标的皮肤和皮下温度。目前的冷皮肤效应模式为气候研究所需的海洋表面通量提供了足够的皮肤温度精度。然而，只有当使用被称为海蛇的拖曳传感器对非常接近表面温度的接触测量初始化冷皮肤模型时，才能实现这种水平的性能。可靠的无人水面车辆（usv）的出现促进了越来越多的社区共识，即需要自主进行准确的通量测量。由于从usv上部署海蛇是不切实际的，因此需要一种获得非常接近表面温度（亚皮肤）和/或皮肤温度本身的替代方法，以确保必要的通量精度。最近的结果表明，精确的红外（IR）测量皮肤温度从usv现在应该是可行的。此外，这些结果表明，将红外相机与校准的辐射计系统相结合，可以远程提供皮下温度。该项目将开发和测试IRISS（红外原位皮肤和皮下），这是一种基于红外的创新传感器系统，可以在所有天气条件下远程同时测量皮肤和皮下温度，用于usv和浮标的常规部署。通过利用商业可用传感器的稳定性，IRISS将具有紧凑，低功耗和成本效益，并将提供与当前系统相当的测量精度。该项目将包括与每个预期平台的现有舰载系统进行并排比较。在usv和浮标上的广泛使用将大大增加皮肤和皮下温度测量的数量和覆盖范围。对冷皮肤和近地表温度分层模型的改进将加强局部海洋学研究，如气体传输，解决当前业务预测的优先事项，并改进卫星海温算法的开发。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Climate change research requires knowledge of the temperature of the ocean right at the surface to estimate the transfer of heat between the air and the water. This temperature, known as the skin temperature, can be up to a half degree Celsius (about one degree Fahrenheit) cooler than the temperature immediately below, known as the sub-skin temperature. In practice, models rather than measurements of the skin temperature are used since current technology to measure the skin temperature is expensive and complicated. This technology uses a non-contact sensor known as an infrared radiometer that remotely measures the thermal radiation coming from the ocean. The skin temperature model needs a measure of the temperature just below the surface (known as the sub-skin temperature) in order to accurately predict the skin temperature. When a ship is used, the sub-skin temperature can be measured by towing a thermometer along the surface. In the future, measurements will be made from drones, where towing a thermometer is impractical. This research will use technology improvements and insight from new research to develop an instrument that can measure both the skin and sub-skin temperature from drones, as well as from buoys.Current models for the cool skin effect provide adequate skin temperature accuracy for ocean surface fluxes required for climate research. However, this level of performance is achieved only when the cool skin model is initialized with a contact measurement of very near surface temperature using a towed sensor known as a sea snake. The advent of reliable unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) has fostered a growing community consensus for the need to make accurate flux measurements autonomously. Since deployment of a sea snake from USVs is impractical, an alternative means of obtaining very near surface temperature (sub-skin) and/or the skin temperature itself is required to ensure the necessary flux accuracy. Recent results indicates that accurate infrared (IR) measurements of skin temperature from USVs should now be practical. Furthermore, these results show that combining an IR camera with a calibrated radiometer system can provide the sub-skin temperature remotely. This project will develop and test IRISS (InfraRed In situ Skin and Subskin), an innovative IR-based sensor system to remotely and simultaneously measure skin and sub-skin temperature under all weather conditions for routine deployment on USVs and buoys. IRISS will be compact, low-power, and cost effective by exploiting the increased stability of commercially-available sensors and will provide measurements with accuracy comparable to current systems. The project will include side-by-side comparisons with an existing ship-based system for each intended platform. Widespread use on USVs and buoys will greatly increase the number and coverage of skin and sub-skin temperature measurements. The resulting improvements to models for the cool skin and near surface temperature stratification will enhance topical oceanographic research such as gas transfer, address current operational forecast priorities, and improve satellite SST algorithm development.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.