Collaborative Research: Autonomous pH and Alkalinity Sensors: in situ Testing and Carbon Cycle Research

全球人类工业化极大地改变了地球的碳循环。碳从古化石沉积物向大气和海洋及陆地生物圈的移动有许多后果，其中很少有目前完全了解或可预测的。对碳循环的许多必要了解可能来自更好的观测方法，这些方法可以描述大范围的时间或空间。一组观测方法，自主传感器，可以提供空气，地球或水系统的高时间分辨率数据。在这项研究中，来自蒙大拿大学、俄勒冈州立大学和迈阿密大学的pi将开发和使用自主传感器，以促进我们对地球生物圈内碳循环的理解。在之前的支持下，他们开发了二氧化碳分压（pCO2）、pH和总碱度的传感器，可以通过热力学关系来量化溶解的无机碳的量。最近开发的、目前基于实验室的传感器（pH和碱度）将与更成熟的二氧化碳分压传感器一起，在两种不同的海洋环境中进一步完善后续部署；美国中部西海岸的沿海水域，以及波多黎各的浅层珊瑚生态系统。实地研究将从俄勒冈州纽波特俄勒冈州立大学码头附近的短期原位测试开始，然后部署在俄勒冈大陆架上，研究沿海上升流期间控制空气-海洋二氧化碳通量的过程。同时，同样的传感器将部署在波多黎各的La Parguera海洋保护区，这是一个由NOAA运营的珊瑚礁预警系统（CREWS）站点，重点关注珊瑚礁生态系统中碳酸钙饱和状态与钙化率的关系。该项目将产生许多广泛的影响，包括经过严格测试的传感器的技术发展，这些传感器将在海洋和淡水研究中广泛应用。学生将在化学传感器开发领域接受培训，他们将成为这一重要研究领域的下一代领导者。与赠款有关的外展活动将提高人们对温室气体变暖和海洋酸化等当代碳循环问题的认识。

The earth's carbon cycle has been dramatically altered by global human industrialization. The movement of carbon from ancient fossil deposits to the atmosphere and into marine and terrestrial biospheres has many consequences, few of which are currently fully understood or predictable. Much of the needed understanding of the carbon cycle may come from better observational methods that can characterize large spans of time or space. One group of observational methods, autonomous sensors, can provide high temporal resolution data within air, earth or water systems. In this research, PIs from the University of Montana, Oregon State University and University of Miami will develop and use autonomous sensors to advance our understanding of carbon cycling within the earth's biosphere. With prior support, they have developed sensors for the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2), pH and total alkalinity that can be used to quantify the amount of dissolved inorganic carbon through thermodynamic relationships. The more recently developed, currently laboratory-based sensors (pH and alkalinity) will be further refined for subsequent deployment, along with the more mature pCO2 sensor, in two contrasting marine environments; the coastal ocean waters off the U.S. central west coast, and a shallow coral ecosystem in Puerto Rico. Field studies will begin with a short, in situ test off Oregon State University's pier in Newport, Oregon followed by deployment on the Oregon shelf to study the processes that control air-sea carbon dioxide fluxes during periods of coastal upwelling. Concurrently, the same sensors will be deployed in La Parguera Marine Reserve, Puerto Rico, a Coral Reef Early Warning System (CREWS) site operated by NOAA to focus on the relationship of calcium carbonate saturation states to calcification rates in a coral reef ecosystem. The project will have a number of broad impacts including the technological development of rigorously tested sensors that will have a wide range of applications in marine and freshwater research. Students will be trained in the area of chemical sensor development who will subsequently become the next generation of leaders in this important research area. Outreach activities related to the grant will create awareness for contemporary carbon cycle issues such as greenhouse gas warming and ocean acidification.