EAGER: Development of a Prototype Sensor Package to Quantify In-Situ Rates of Aquatic Carbon Cycling Processes

在这个项目中，研究人员计划开发一种新型的传感器组件，能够测量水生碳循环的速度。在沿海和开阔海域，人们对碳循环过程的速率并不完全了解。该项目将为未来传感器组件的全面开发铺平道路，这将大大提高我们对海洋碳循环测量和海洋未来如何应对人类压力的预测的信心。这项拟议的工作将推动两位早期职业科学家的职业生涯。此外，他们计划通过伍兹霍尔海洋研究所暑期学生研究员计划、WHOI的学期计划和伍兹霍尔伙伴计划招收本科生。PIS将开发一个传感器原型包来解决技术挑战，并对光合作用速率、细菌呼吸速率和商以及光化学氧化速率和商的量化进行初步测试。这项急切的提议的重点将是克服关键的技术挑战，以开发这一原型。拟议的开发工作将为今后开发和测试一种全面的、可部署的现场设备铺平道路。如果成功，他们将开发出第一个此类传感系统的原型，以同时测量任何地表水中光合作用、微生物呼吸和光化学氧化的原位速率。风险领域是泵送和管道系统以及生物污垢的缓解。他们一直致力于解决这些问题的许多方法，但将不得不进行大量测试，看看哪种方法效果最好。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

In this project the researchers plan to develop a novel, new sensor package capable of measuring rates of aquatic carbon cycling. In the coastal and open ocean, rates of carbon cycling processes are not completely understood. This project will pave the way for future full-scale development of the sensor package that could substantially improve our confidence in the marine carbon cycle measurements and predictions for how the ocean may respond to human stressors in the future. The proposed work will advance the careers of two early career scientists. In addition, they plan to recruit undergraduate students through the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Summer Student Fellow Program, the semester at WHOI program, and the Woods Hole Partnership ProgramThe PIs will develop a prototype sensor package to resolve technical challenges and conduct preliminary tests of the quantification of photosynthesis rates, bacterial respiration rates and quotients, and photochemical oxidation rates and quotients. The focus of this EAGER proposal will be on overcoming critical technical challenges in order to develop this prototype. The development work proposed will pave the road for future development and testing of a full-scale, deployable in-situ device. If successful they will develop a prototype of a first of its kind to sensing system to simultaneously measure the in-situ rates of photosynthesis, microbial respiration, and photochemical oxidation in any surface water. The risk areas are in the pumping and plumbing systems and mitigation of biofouling. They have been working on a number of ways to resolve these issues but will have to do a lot of testing to see what works best.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.