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| Deploying the Near Surface Ocean Profiler (NSOP): Image Credit: Richard Sims |
The
existence or not of near surface gradients is of importance when attempting to
calculate air sea fluxes, as measurements from a research ships underway system
at 5-7m depth may not be representative of the oceans interface. Gradients
may be created by physical gradients like temperature or chemical gradients
induced by biology (plankton).
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| Richard Sims |
Richard
Sims is a PhD student at PML. His research is focused on measuring near surface
(10m) trace gas gradients in shelf seas. In order to obtain a good vertical resolution
for his measurements of temperature, salinity, depth and fluorescence, he developed the Near Surface Ocean
Profiler (NSOP), a free floating buoy which rides the swell and floats away
from the local disturbances caused by the ship. Water is pumped back to the ship
where it is passed through a membrane equilibrator for CO2 analysis.
Richard hopes to use his measurements to characterise gradients across the
entire shelf.
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| Near Surface Ocean Profiler (NSOP): Image Credit: Richard Sims |
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| Near Surface Ocean Profiler (NSOP): Image Credit: Richard Sims |
