Instruments

The light/dark bottle is a way of measuring primary production by comparing before and after concentrations of dissolved oxygen.

Bottles containing seawater samples with phytoplankton are incubated for a predetermined period of time under light and dark conditions. Incubation is preferably carried out in situ, at the depth from which the samples were collected. Alternatively, the light and dark bottles are incubated in a water trough on deck, and neutral density filters are used to approximate the light conditions at the collection depth.

Rates of net and gross photosynthesis and respiration can be determined from measurements of dissolved oxygen concentration in the sample bottles.

A lobster trap (often called a lobster pot) is a baited trap which traps lobsters or crayfish and is used in lobster fishing. A lobster trap can catch multiple lobsters at once and can be a various sizes. An opening permits the lobster to enter a tunnel of netting and proceed into a "chamber" or "kitchen", where there is bait, and then into the "parlor" from which it cannot escape.

The LongTrack Profiler was a custom data acquisition system that used the ship's SAIL-loop acquisition system with SeaBird conductivity and temperature sensors. The LongTrack Profiler used the R/V Endeavor's IEEE standard serial ASCII instrumentation loop (SAIL) shipboard data communication system to record data from SeaBird conductivity and temperature sensors. The serial ASCII Instrumentation Loop (SAIL) was a hardware and software protocol that was used for collecting data from a variety of instruments aboard the research vessel.

Liquid scintillation counting is an analytical technique which is defined by the incorporation of the radiolabeled analyte into uniform distribution with a liquid chemical medium capable of converting the kinetic energy of nuclear emissions into light energy. Although the liquid scintillation counter is a sophisticated laboratory counting system used the quantify the activity of particulate emitting (ß and a) radioactive samples, it can also detect the auger electrons emitted from 51Cr and 125I samples.

The the Marine-Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (M-AERI) is a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) sprectoradiometer with calibrations traceable to NIST standards. The M-AERI measures spectra in the infrared (about 3 to 18 micrometers) range with a resolution of about 0.5 cm-1. It uses two infrared detectors cooled to 78 K by a Stirling cycle cooler to reduce the noise equivalent temperature difference to levels well below 0.1 K.

The radiometric calibration of the M-AERI is done continuously using two internal black-body cavities, each with an effective emissivity of greater than 0.998. The mirror scan sequence includes measurements of the reference cavities before and after each set of spectra from the ocean and atmosphere. The absolute accuracy of the M-AERI calibration is monitored by episodic use in the laboratory of a NIST-certified water-bath black-body calibration target and residual errors in the M-AERI spectral brightness temperature measurements at temperatures typical of the ocean surface and lower troposphere are typically less than 0.03K.

The interferometer integrates measurements over a pre-selected time interval, usually a few tens of seconds, to obtain a satisfactory signal to noise ratio, and a typical cycle of measurements including two view angles to the atmosphere, one to the ocean, and calibration measurements, takes about ten minutes. The absolute accuracy of the spectral measurements (when expressed as a brightness temperature) is 20-30 mK. The measured spectra are processed in real-time to generate measurements of the skin SST and air temperature at the height of the instrument to accuracies much better than 0.1K.

Reference:

Minnett, P. J., R. O. Knuteson, F. A. Best, B. J. Osborne, J. A. Hanafin and O. B. Brown, 2001. The Marine-Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (M-AERI), a high-accuracy, sea-going infrared spectroradiometer. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 18: 994-1013.

"Manual Biota Sampler" indicates that a sample was collected in situ by a person, possibly using a hand-held collection device such as a jar, a net, or their hands. This term could also refer to a simple tool like a hammer, saw, or other hand-held tool.

The PMEL MAPR is an inexpensive, lightweight yet rugged, simple to use self-contained instrument for recording light-backscattering (for suspended particle concentrations), oxidation-reduction potential (ORP, for detecting the presence of reduced chemical species such as H2S and Fe+2), temperature, and pressure during a wide variety of seagoing operations. MAPRs especially target operations where hydrothermal plume data are not normally collected: rock cores, dredges, or deep-towed geophysical and bottom imaging are some examples. To make these operations multi-disciplinary requires an instrument that is sensitive enough to detect hydrothermal optical anomalies yet simple enough for untrained researchers to use as an ancillary program without detracting from the time or efforts of the main sampling programs. With such an instrument, the opportunities to collect hydrothermal plume data through collaborations with other researchers, and without the need for additional dedicated technicians, expand to the global ocean.

https://www.pmel.noaa.gov/eoi/PlumeStudies/mapr/

General term for instruments used to measure the mass-to-charge ratio of ions; generally used to find the composition of a sample by generating a mass spectrum representing the masses of sample components.

A Multi Collector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) is a type of mass spectrometry where the sample is ionized in a plasma (a partially ionized gas, such as Argon, containing free electrons) that has been generated by electromagnetic induction. A series of collectors is used to detect several ion beams simultaneously.

A MC-ICPMS is a hybrid mass spectrometer that combines the advantages of an inductively coupled plasma source and the precise measurements of a magnetic sector multicollector mass spectrometer. The primary advantage of the MC-ICPMS is its ability to analyze a broader range of elements, including those with high ionization potential that are difficult to analyze by Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TIMS). The ICP source also allows flexibility in how samples are introduced to the mass spectrometer and allows the analysis of samples introduced either as an aspirated solution or as an aerosol produced by laser ablation.

McLane pumps sample large volumes of seawater at depth. They are attached to a wire and lowered to different depths in the ocean. As the water is pumped through the filter, particles suspended in the ocean are collected on the filters. The pumps are then retrieved and the contents of the filters are analyzed in a lab.

MET station systems are designed to record meteorological information on board ships or mounted on moorings. These are commonly referred to as EMET (Electronic Meteorological Packages) or IMET (Improved Meteorological Packages) systems. These sensor packages record measurements of sea surface temperature and salinity, air temperature, wind speed and direction, barometric pressure, solar and long-wave radiation, humidity and precipitation.

A Methot Net, a type of plankton net, is used to sample juvenile fish, shrimp, and 'larger' plankton, e.g. 4 millimeters and larger. Named after its designer, Richard D. Methot, of La Jolla, California, it is also called a Methot Trawl. It is a single net with a large square opening or mouth. The net is deployed from the stern and towed behind the vessel. The Methot uses fine mesh (e.g. 4 mm) but with openings slightly larger than other plankton net systems. The larger mesh size allows the net to be towed at higher speeds. A flowmeter suspended in the mouth of net measures the flow of water moving through the net and allows for the calculation of the volume of water sampled. With its larger mouth and faster speed through the water, the Methot is designed to catch the larger zooplankton that are often missed by other plankton net samplers.

The Metrohm 805 Dosimat is a dispensing instrument for titrating and dosing operations in the laboratory. The 805 Dosimat is controlled by Touch control or PC control software. The instrument controls the dosing of liquids, which are attached via an exchange unit. Metrohm recommends using the Metrohm 806 Exchange units which come with 1, 5, 10, 20, or 50 milliliter (mL) dosing cylinders. The instrument can read and overwrite data from the exchange unit. It has a resolution of 20,000 steps per cylinder volume and a dosing/filling time of 18 seconds.

The 805 Dosimat and the corresponding 806 Exchange Unit are suitable as a buret not only for simply dosing auxiliary solutions but also for titrations. Additional information is available from the instrument manufacturer: https://www.metrohm.com/en_au/products/2/8050/28050010.html

The Multi-parameter Inorganic Carbon Analyzer (MICA) developed in the USF/College of Marine Science is an autonomous multi-parameter flow-through CO2 system capable of simultaneously measuring pH, carbon dioxide fugacity (fCO2), atmospheric carbon dioxide partial pressure (pCO2), and the total dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) of natural water.

Multiparameter Inorganic Carbon Analyzer (MICA)

An externally powered, high-accuracy instrument, designed for shipboard determination of sea surface (pumped-water) conductivity and temperature. Salinity and sound velocity can also be computed.

Membrane-introduction mass spectrometry (MIMS) is a method of introducing analytes into the mass spectrometer's vacuum chamber via a semipermeable membrane.

The Pop-up Archival Transmitting (Mk10-PAT) tag, manufactured by Wildlife Computers, is a combination of archival and Argos satellite technology. It is designed to track the large-scale movements and behavior of fish and other animals which do not spend enough time at the surface to allow the use of real-time Argos satellite tags. The PAT can be configured to transmit time-at-depth and time-at-temperature histograms, depth-temperature profiles, and/or light-level curves. The histogram duration (1 to 24 hours) and bin ranges can also be configured. PAT archives depth, temperature, and light-level data while being towed by the animal. At a user-specified date and time, the PAT actively corrodes the pin to which the tether is attached, thus releasing the PAT from the animal. The PAT then floats to the surface and transmits summarized information via the Argos system. Argos also uses the transmitted messages to provide the position of the tag at the time of release.

The Multiple Opening/Closing Net and Environmental Sensing System or MOCNESS is a family of net systems based on the Tucker Trawl principle. The MOCNESS-1 carries nine 1-m2 nets usually of 335 micrometer mesh and is intended for use with the macrozooplankton. All nets are black to reduce contrast with the background. A motor/toggle release assembly is mounted on the top portion of the frame and stainless steel cables with swaged fittings are used to attach the net bar to the toggle release. A stepping motor in a pressure compensated case filled with oil turns the escapement crankshaft of the toggle release which sequentially releases the nets to an open then closed position on command from the surface. -- from the MOCNESS Operations Manual (1999 + 2003).

The Double MOCNESS 1D carries 20 1m2 nets usually of mesh size 335micron and is designed to collect macrozooplankton.

This MOCNESS system uses the same underwater and shipboard electronic system for operation and data acquisition as other MOCNESS systems. The nets are opened and closed sequentially by commands transmitted from the surface deck unit through a single conducting cable to the underwater unit. The command circuit has a provision to permit commands to be sent to either the left of right set of nets when using the double MOCNESS-1D. - from Wiebe et al, 1985.

The Coupled Asymmetrical Multiple Opening/Closing Net and Environmental Sensing System (MOCNESS) couples two sub-systems (1-m2 and 4-m2 net sizes) working in synchronization. The system allows for sampling of both zooplankton prey and icthyoplankton predator fields by employing a combination system of two sets of nets with different mesh and mouth sizes. This Coupled Asymmetrical MOCNESS, first described by Guigand et al. (2005), was constructed using a 1-m2 and a 4-m2 MOCNESS system from Biological Environmental Sampling System Inc. (B.E.S.S. Inc.). The individual net frames were removed and a new frame was constructed, joining the two systems, at the Rosentiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS) in Miami. Refer to:
Guigand, C.M., Cowen, R.K., Llopiz, J.K., and Richardson, D.E. 2005. A coupled asymmetrical multiple opening closing net with environmental sampling systems. Mar. Technol. Soc. J. 39(2): 22–24. doi:10.4031/002533205787444042.

The Geotek Standard Multi-Sensor Core Logger (MSCL-S) is a commercially available tool for gathering both physical and chemical properties from core samples in an automated and quality controlled way. See more info from the manufracturer: https://www.geotek.co.uk/products/mscl-s/

An analytical instrument that can measure multiple parameters, such as pH, EC, TDS, DO and Temperature with one device.

A Multibeam Echosounder system is used to measure bathymetry (depth of the ocean). The resultant data can be used to map large areas of the seafloor.

The Multiple Unit Large Volume Filtration System (MULVFS) was first described in Bishop et al., 1985 (doi: 10.1021/ba-1985-0209.ch009). The MULVFS consists of multiple (commonly 12) specialized particulate matter pumps, mounted in a frame and tethered to the ship by a cable (Bishop et al., 1985; Bishop and Wood, 2008). The MULVFS filters particulates from large volumes of seawater, although the exact protocols followed will vary for each project.

In general, sediment traps are specially designed containers deployed in the water column for periods of time to collect particles from the water column falling toward the sea floor. The Neutrally Buoyant Sediment Trap (NBST) was designed by researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The central cylinder of the NBST controls buoyancy and houses a satellite transmitter. The other tubes collect sediment as the trap drifts in currents at a predetermined depth. The samples are collected when the tubes snap shut before the trap returns to the surface. (more: http://www.whoi.edu/instruments/viewInstrument.do?id=10286)

Neuston Nets are nets that collect zooplankton that live in the top few centimeters of the sea surface (the neuston layer). This specialized net has a rectangular mouth opening usually 2 or 3 times as wide as deep, i.e. 1 meter by 1/2 meter or 60 cm by 20 cm, with sometimes hollow piping construction to aid in flotation. They are generally towed half submerged at 1-2 kts from the side of the vessel on a boom to avoid the ship's wake.

The Model 1010X NISKIN-X External Spring Niskin Water Sampler is a Niskin water sample bottle with the stainless steel closure springs mounted externally. The external closure mechanism is designed to support applications such as trace metal analysis where the inside of the sampler must be totally free of contaminants. The 1010X Niskin bottle, manufactured by General Oceanics Inc., is available in a variety of sizes (sample volume). It can be activated by the GO Devil Messenger (1000-MG) if individually or serially attached to a hydrocable or can be deployed as part of a Rosette multibottle array. The bottles can be teflon-lined and are available as GO-FLO bottles to further avoid sample contamination. (more from General Oceanics)

A Nordic 264 surface rope trawl is a 198-m long, 25-m wide, 35-m vertical trawl net, equipped with a 1.2-cm mesh liner in the cod end and towed at the surface.

Nutrient Autoanalyzer is a generic term used when specific type, make and model were not specified. In general, a Nutrient Autoanalyzer is an automated flow-thru system for doing nutrient analysis (nitrate, ammonium, orthophosphate, and silicate) on seawater samples.

A Langdon Oyxgen Titrator is an amperometric oxygen titration system developed to measure dissolved oxygen in seawater. The device uses a conventional polarographic electrode in connection with chronoamperometry to overcome many of the problems limiting the performance of oxygen electrodes. Reproducibility is typically better than +/- 0.8 micromolar and essentially drift-free for several weeks. A microcomputer controls all phases of the measuring process: pulse generation, data acquisition, reduction, and storage. Software is used to correct sensor output for temperature dependence and an activity coefficient, a function of temperature and salinity, is computed to correct for salinity. (Langdon, 1984. Deep Sea Research Part A. Oceanographic Research Papers, Volume 31, Issue 11, pp. 1357-1367; Culberson and Huang, 1987. Automated amperometric oxygen titration. Deep Sea Res. 34:875-880).

Optical backscatter instrument measuring scattering in water between 140 - 160 deg for a wavelength of 875nm. It has a turbidity range of 0-2000 FTU and a maximum working depth of 500m. This instrument was superseded by the OBS-3+ model in 2005. The D and A Instrument Company and its OBS product line were purchased by Campbell Scientific Inc who now has full responsibility for D and A Instruments.

The Onset HOBO (model numbers UA-002-64 or UA-001-64) is an in-situ instrument for wet or underwater applications. It supports light intensity, soil temperature, temperature, and water temperature. A two-channel logger with 10-bit resolution can record up to approximately 28,000 combined temperature and light measurements with 64K bytes memory. It has a polypropylene housing case. Uses an optical USB to transmit data. A solar radiation shield is used for measurement in sunlight. Temperature measurement range: -20 deg C to 70 deg C (temperature). Light measurement range: 0 to 320,000 lux. Temperature accuracy: +/- 0.53 deg C from 0 deg C to 50 deg C. Light accuracy: Designed for measurement of relative light levels. Water depth rating: 30 m.

An OPC provides quantitative measurements of abundance and sizes of mesozooplankton ranging between approximately 0.25 and 14 mm in Equivalent Spherical Diameter (ESD), and has the capability to integrate measurements from other sensors such as a CTD, fluorometer and Global Positioning System (GPS). It can be deployed on a variety of instruments such as SeaSoar, Aries, Scanfish, MOCNESS, a bongo net or simple towing frame. The data from an OPC are typically transmitted to a data acquisition computer through two conducting wires in a towing cable at real time, but it can also be modified to have an internal memory. Large amounts of data are produced. The procedures employed by OPC users vary from; i) estimating integrated biomass by integrating the OPC size distributions, ii) comparing size distributions between OPC and net samples, and iii) simply isolating a size region in the OPC size distribution which correspond solely to specific taxa, eg. Calanus spp..

from: Zhou, M., Tande, K., 2002. Optical Plankton Counter Workshop. GLOBEC Report 17, University of Tromso, Tromso

Otter trawls have large rectangular otter boards which are used to keep the mouth of the trawl net open. Otter boards are made of timber or steel and are positioned in such a way that the hydrodynamic forces, acting on them when the net is towed along the seabed, pushes them outwards and prevents the mouth of the net from closing. The speed that the trawl is towed at depends on the swimming speed of the species which is being targeted and the exact gear that is being used, but for most demersal species, a speed of around 4 knots (7 km/h) is appropriate. More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottom_trawling

A PAR sensor measures photosynthetically available (or active) radiation. The sensor measures photon flux density (photons per second per square meter) within the visible wavelength range (typically 400 to 700 nanometers). PAR gives an indication of the total energy available to plants for photosynthesis. This instrument name is used when specific type, make and model are not known.

This partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) analysis system sampled from the vessel R/V Tangaroa's underway system. The pCO2 was measured by infrared analysis of the carbon dioxide of air continuously equilibrated with pumped seawater. The pCO2 rig was located on a bench in the temperature controlled laboratory off the fish factory, beside the pH systems (continuous and discrete) and the alkalinity system.additional details are available in the SAGE pCO2 Data Report

The Lambda 35 is a double beam UV/Vis spectrophotometer from Perkin Elmer, packing pre-aligned Tungsten and Deuterium Lamps. It has a wavelength range of 190-1100nm and a variable bandwidth range of 0.5 to 4nm.

A Phytoplankton Net is a generic term for a sampling net having mesh size of 150 microns or less that is used to collect phytoplankton. It is used only when detailed instrument documentation is not available.

The piston corer is a type of bottom sediment sampling device. A long, heavy tube is plunged into the seafloor to extract samples of mud sediment. A piston corer uses a "free fall" of the coring rig to achieve a greater initial force on impact than gravity coring. A sliding piston inside the core barrel reduces inside wall friction with the sediment and helps to evacuate displaced water from the top of the corer. A piston corer is capable of extracting core samples up to 90 feet in length.

measures rain or snow precipitation

A pressure sensor is a device used to measure absolute, differential, or gauge pressures. It is used only when detailed instrument documentation is not available.

A Pump Air Sampler is an instrument that continuously supplies a flow of air either to an analytical instrument, over a sensor, through filters or from which discrete samples may be drawn for subsequent analysis. This instrument designation is used when specific make and model are not known.

The 'Pump-underway ship intake' system indicates that samples are from the ship's clean water intake pump. This is essentially a surface water sample from a source of uncontaminated near-surface (commonly 3 to 7 m) seawater that can be pumped continuously to shipboard laboratories on research vessels. There is typically a temperature sensor near the intake (known as the hull temperature) to provide measurements that are as close as possible to the ambient water temperature. The flow from the supply is typically directed through continuously logged sensors such as a thermosalinograph and a fluorometer. Water samples are often collected from the underway supply that may also be referred to as the non-toxic supply. Ideally the data contributor has specified the depth in the ship's hull at which the pump is mounted.

A piece of apparatus that consists of an ion source, a mass-to-charge analyser, a detector and a vacuum system and is used to measure mass spectra. The detector is a quadrupole mass-to-charge analyser, which holds the ions in a stable orbit by an electric field generated by four parallel electrodes.

Underwater radiometer with a PAR spectral response (400-700nm). Standard configuration had a spherical collector measuring 4-pi scalar irradiance but a flat plate cosine collector was available as an identically-designated option.

Shipboard radiometer with a PAR spectral response (400-700nm) designed to monitor surface irradiance during underwater light profile measurement. Hemispherical collector measuring 2-pi scalar irradiance.

This is a duplicate entry. Use instead: https://www.bco-dmo.org/instrument/500

The QuikSCAT is a polar orbiting satellite with an 1800 km wide measurement swath on the earth's surface. Generally, this results in twice per day coverage over a given geographic region. This specialized microwave radar measures near-surface wind speed and direction under all weather and cloud conditions over Earth's oceans. Wind retrievals are done on a 25km x 25km spatial scale.

The RaDeCC is an alpha scintillation counter that distinguishes decay events of short-lived radium daughter products based on their contrasting half-lives. This system was pioneered by Giffin et al. (1963) and adapted for radium measurements by Moore and Arnold (1996).

References:
Giffin, C., A. Kaufman, W.S. Broecker (1963). Delayed coincidence counter for the assay of actinon and thoron. J. Geophys. Res., 68, pp. 1749-1757.
Moore, W.S., R. Arnold (1996). Measurement of 223Ra and 224Ra in coastal waters using a delayed coincidence counter. J. Geophys. Res., 101 (1996), pp. 1321-1329.
Charette, Matthew A.; Dulaiova, Henrieta; Gonneea, Meagan E.; Henderson, Paul B.; Moore, Willard S.; Scholten, Jan C.; Pham, M. K. (2012). GEOTRACES radium isotopes interlaboratory comparison experiment. Limnology and Oceanography - Methods, vol 10, pg 451.

Vaisala RS80-GPS radiosondes carried aloft by helium balloons measure atmospheric temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction. The GPS receiver of the GPS-radiosonde measures a shift in Doppler frequencies using a codeless detection and measurement technique. The measured Doppler shifts are a combination of satellite and radiosonde motion and contain the pertinent information for wind speed and
direction computation. Doppler frequency measurements of up to 8 satellites are sent to the ground equipment using a low bandwidth (1200 baud) digital link. New independent GPS Doppler measurements from the GPS-sonde are provided every 0.5 seconds for up to 8 channels with 24-bit resolution. The ground equipment computes the wind
speed and direction using the differential GPS concept. For more information see www.hobeco.net/pdf/RS80_GPS.pdf.