NeXOS Project

The coordinators of the 4 EC funded projects under the topic 2 of the call FP7-OCEAN-2013 (NeXOS, SenseOcean, CommonSense & Schema) have agreed to organize a specific session in the next meeting of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology & Oceanography (ASLO) to be celebrated between the 22-27 of February in Granada, Spain. Abstract submissions are invited from the ocean community on the subject of next generation of in situ sensors for aquatic systems. (see conference website for details).

Session 137 - Next Generation in situ sensors for aquatic systems

Aquatic systems, marine and freshwater, are key environments for the health and wellbeing of mankind, and sustainability of the environment.

Despite the global importance of the aquatic environment, it remains temporally and spatially under sampled. The major reason for this is the high cost of in situ observations and analysis. During the last 50 years, significant resources have been directed toward reducing costs through the incorporation of new technologies and capabilities for deployment and use of in situ observations and the tools needed for this. Recent advances in sensing technologies, observations systems and analyses through miniaturization, improved sensors and advances in on-board and external data processes offer significant opportunities for a new generation of capabilities. Aquatic sensors use a range of techniques from optical (e.g. optical fibers, hyperspectral imaging, optodes, spectroscopy), wet chemical, electrochemical, biosensors, and to acoustics. Measurements include physical properties (e.g., T, S), nutrients, trace metals, carbonate, pCO2, pH, oxygen, gas fluxes, organics and biological properties. In addition, challenges common to all sensor development such as their integration onto multiple platforms and instruments (observatories, autonomous underwater vehicles, remotely operated vehicles) and biofouling must be addressed. This session will present some of the latest developments in this important field combining technology, engineering, chemistry, biology and physics.