Instruments

A metal detector is an electronic instrument that detects the presence of metal nearby. Metal detectors are useful for finding metal inclusions hidden within objects, or metal objects buried underground. They often consist of a handheld unit with a sensor probe which can be swept over the ground or other objects.

Instruments separating gases, volatile substances or substances dissolved in a volatile solvent by transporting an inert gas through a column packed with a sorbent to a detector for assay by a mass spectrometer.

Instruments measuring the relative levels of electromagnetic radiation of different wavelengths in the gamma-ray waveband.

Tilt current meters are based upon the property that a tethered object will experience drag inside a current flow. If a restoring force perpendicular to the drag is introduced, the tethered object will tilt until the system of forces is balanced. Therefore, measuring the tilt allows calculation of drag force, from which current speed can be obtained. Measuring the direction of tilt gives current heading.

Tilt current meters operate under the drag-tilt principle and are designed to either float or sink depending on the type. A floating tilt current meter typically consists of a sub-surface buoyant housing that is anchored to the sea floor with a flexible line or tether. A sinking tilt current is similar, but the housing is designed such that the meter hangs from the attachment point. In either case, the housing tilts as a function of its shape, buoyancy (negative or positive) and the water velocity. Once the characteristics of a housing is known, the velocity can be determined by measuring the angle of the housing and direction of tilt.

The Qiagen TissueLyser II is a tissue processor designed to disrupt biological samples through high-speed shaking in plastic tubes with stainless steel, tungsten carbide, or glass beads. It is used for high-throughput disruption of human, animal, and plant tissues, bacteria, and yeast to access biological information for genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics applications. It automates the purification of DNA, RNA, and protein from 1 to 96 samples. Disruption and homogenization are achieved through the beating and grinding effect of beads on the sample material as they are shaken together in the grinding vessels. Using the appropriate adapter set, up to 48 or 192 samples can be processed at the same time. Alternatively, a grinding jar set can be used to process large samples. A range of beads, bead dispensers, and collection microtubes and caps are also available. It can be programmed to provide variable speeds from 3 to 30 Hz (180-1800 oscillations per minute) and run times from 10 seconds to 99 minutes.

ROV SuBastian is operated from the research vessel Falkor and the R/V Falkor(too). The ROV is outfitted with a suite of sensors and scientific equipment to support scientific data and sample collection, as well as interactive research, experimentation, and technology development. More information available at https://schmidtocean.org/technology/robotic-platforms/4500-m-remotely-operated-vehicle-rov/

A Shaker is a piece of lab equipment used to mix, blend, or to agitate substances in tube(s) or flask(s) by shaking them, which is mainly used in the fields of chemistry and biology. A shaker contains an oscillating board which is used to place the flasks, beakers, test tubes, etc.

ROV Hercules is operated via E/V Nautilus. Hercules is outfitted with features that allow it to perform intricate tasks, including two manipulator arms, a variety of sensors and samplers, a high-definition video camera, several LED lights, and high-resolution mapping tools. The submersible receives power from the surface through a fiber-optic cable, which also transmits data and video, to allow pilots located in the shipboard control van to "fly" the ROV in any direction through the use of its six thrusters. Other sensors located on Hercules measure pressure, depth, water temperature, oxygen concentration, and salinity to accommodate requests from scientists both onboard and onshore. Hercules is equipped with multiple cameras, including the high-definition video camera that allows for real-time telepresence.

The ROV is built to withstand pressures at a depth of 4,000 meters with more than 6,000 pound-force per square inch (psi) for up to three days. See more: https://nautiluslive.org/tech/rov-hercules

A device designed to measure temperature.

A machine vision camera captures images or videos of a scene, which are then processed and analyzed using machine vision algorithms.

Laboratory apparatus that automatically introduces one or more samples with a predetermined volume or mass into an analytical instrument.

A gas flow multicounter (GM multicounter) is used for counting low-level beta doses. GM multicounters can be used for gas proportional counting of 32Si to 32P. For more information about GM multicounter usage see Krause et. al. 2011.

The chemiluminescence method for gas analysis of oxides of nitrogen relies on the measurement of light produced by the gas-phase titration of nitric oxide and ozone. A chemiluminescence analyzer can measure the concentration of NO/NO2/NOX.

One example is the Teledyne Model T200: https://www.teledyne-api.com/products/nitrogen-compound-instruments/t200

The Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) unit is an integrated instrument package designed to measure the conductivity, temperature, and pressure (depth) of the water column. The instrument is lowered via cable through the water column. It permits scientists to observe the physical properties in real-time via a conducting cable, which is typically connected to a CTD to a deck unit and computer on a ship. The CTD is often configured with additional optional sensors including fluorometers, transmissometers and/or radiometers. It is often combined with a Rosette of water sampling bottles (e.g. Niskin, GO-FLO) for collecting discrete water samples during the cast.

This term applies to profiling CTDs. For fixed CTDs, see https://www.bco-dmo.org/instrument/869934.

Instruments that quantify carbon, nitrogen and sometimes other elements by combusting the sample at very high temperature and assaying the resulting gaseous oxides. Usually used for samples including organic material.

Instruments that measure the proportion of the sky covered by cloud (cloud amount) and/or the height of the cloud above the ground (cloud base). Also called ceilometers.

Devices that collect samples from the sediment layer surface using suction. The mechanism of suction can be accomplished by either vacuum, by pressure difference between the air inside the sampler and surrounding water, by pumping water directly into the sampler, or by under pressure air to elevate the sediment inside the sampler. Devices are typically diver- or remotely-operated.

A Continuous Flow Interface connects solid and liquid sample preparation devices to instruments that measure isotopic composition. It allows the introduction of the sample and also reference and carrier gases.
Examples: Finnigan MATConFlo II, ThermoScientific ConFlo IV, and Picarro Caddy.

Note: This is NOT an analyzer

Measures 2D velocity flow fields, usually by scanning particles with a laser beam and capturing images of the illuminated particles. 

Bushmaster samplers are original instruments created at Penn State to collect hydrothermal vent and methane seep communities. Hydraulic rods are attached to a very fine mesh that is deployed over the tubeworm patch of interest to collect the tubeworms and associated community. Once the assemblage is enclosed, the net is cinched closed using the submersible or ROV manipulator. This allows for quantitative collections of tubeworm communities.

Tekran 2500 Total Mercury Analysis System (not automated; cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry)

Instruments that generate enlarged images of samples using the phenomena of reflection and absorption of electrons behaving as waves.

The mussel pot is a 12-quart aluminium-clad stainless steel pot with a twistable handle connected to a Kevlar bag insert. It is used to sample mussel beds and associated communities. The pot is deployed over the select mussel patch using the submersible or ROV manipulator, then collects the enclosed assemblage by cinching the Kevlar bag closed by turning the handle. This method allows for quantitative analysis of deep-sea mussel bed communities.

Vibracoring is a sediment sampling technology to obtain undisturbed cores of unconsolidated, sediment in saturated or nearly saturated conditions by driving sampling tubes with a high-frequency-low-amplitude vibrating device. During sediment coring, the high-frequency vibration transfers the energy to the sediment and aids in the liquefaction of the surrounding sediment. It greatly reduces the friction between the core tube and sediment and eases the core tube to penetrate into the sediment layer. Comparing to non-vibratory coring devices, such as box cores, gravity cores, and piston cores, vibracore has higher core sample recoveries. Vibracorers are effective in both shallow and deep environments. They retrieve core samples with different lengths depending on sediment lithology.

Electronic devices that record data over time or in relation to location either with a built-in instrument or sensor or via external instruments and sensors.

A tape measure or measuring tape is a flexible ruler. It consists of a ribbon of cloth, plastic, fibre glass, or metal strip with linear-measurement markings. It is a common tool for measuring distance or length.

The OXY-10 mini is a precise multi-channel oxygen meter for up to 10 'in-house' sensors, simultaneously controlling and reading them. The meter is used with oxygen sensors based on a 2mm optical fibre. The meter is compatible with sensors that are type PSt3 which has a detection limit 15 ppb, 0 - 100% oxygen.

A device used for measuring or for drawing straight lines, consisting of an elongated piece of rigid or semi-rigid material marked with units for measurement.  Device that allows one or more physical dimensions of a sample or specimen to be determined by visible comparison against marked graduations in units of measurement of dimension length.

An artificial colonization substrate (or "settlment plate") made from PVC pipe cut length-wise and engraved with lines to roughen its surface. It is used to determine the extent of colonization and/or the diversity of settled organisms in a marine or artificial environment.

A device for determining heats of combustion by igniting a sample in a high pressure of oxygen in a sealed vessel and measuring the resulting rise in temperature.

A diving mask (also half mask, dive mask or scuba mask) is an item of diving equipment that allows underwater divers, including, scuba divers, free-divers, and snorkelers to see clearly underwater.

Snorkel: A breathing apparatus for swimmers and surface divers that allows swimming or continuous use of a face mask without lifting the head to breathe, consisting of a tube that curves out of the mouth and extends above the surface of the water.

Germanium detectors are semiconductor diodes having a p-i-n structure in which the intrinsic (i) region is sensitive to ionizing radiation, particularly x rays and gamma rays. Under reverse bias, an electric field extends across the intrinsic or depleted region. When photons interact with the material within the depleted volume of a detector, charge carriers (holes and electrons) are produced and are swept by the electric field to the p and n electrodes. This charge, which is in proportion to the energy deposited in the detector by the incoming photon, is converted into a voltage pulse by an integral charge sensitive preamplifier. Germanium detectors are mostly used for gamma spectroscopy in nuclear physics, as well as x-ray spectroscopy.

A laser scanning confocal microscope is a type of confocal microscope that obtains high-resolution optical images with depth selectivity, in which a laser beam passes through a light source aperture and then is focused by an objective lens into a small (ideally diffraction-limited) focal volume within or on the surface of a specimen.

The confocal microscope uses fluorescence optics. 'Confocal' means that the image is obtained from the focal plane only, any noise resulting from sample thickness being removed optically. 'Laser scanning' means the images are acquired point by point under localized laser excitation rather than full sample illumination, as in conventional widefield microscopy.

A pump is a device that moves fluids (liquids or gases), or sometimes slurries, by mechanical action. Pumps can be classified into three major groups according to the method they use to move the fluid: direct lift, displacement, and gravity pumps

Laser diffraction is particle sizing technique for materials ranging from hundreds of nanometers up to several millimeters in size. Laser diffraction measures particle size distributions by measuring the angular variation in intensity of light scattered as a laser beam passes through a dispersed particulate sample. One example is the Beckman Coulter LS200.

Analog to Digital cards used for logging data from analog sensors (voltages, etc)

A stand-alone oxygen optode with integrated temperature sensor, manufactured by Aanderaa. This instrument exploits the physio-chemical principle of dynamic fluorescence quenching to measure absolute oxygen concentration and percent saturation. Depth rating: 300 m, 3000 m or 6000 m; oxygen concentration accuracy of < 8 uM or 5 %, and resolution of < 1 uM; air saturation accuracy of < 5 %, and resolution of 0.4 %; response time (63 %): < 8 s.

The Aanderaa tide gauge measures and records the time and height of the sea surface as it changes with the tides.

"The WET Labs AC-9 is a type of in-situ spectrophotometer that simultaneously determines the spectral transmittance and spectral absorption of water over nine wavelengths. The unit offers compact size, high precision, and excellent stability in providing a method for determining the absorption (a(l)) and beam attenuation (c(l)) coefficients. The AC-9 employs a 25-cm pathlength for effective measurement of the cleanest natural waters. The unit is also available in a 10-cm pathlength configuration." (more from WET Labs)

The ADCP measures water currents with sound, using a principle of sound waves called the Doppler effect. A sound wave has a higher frequency, or pitch, when it moves to you than when it moves away. You hear the Doppler effect in action when a car speeds past with a characteristic building of sound that fades when the car passes. The ADCP works by transmitting "pings" of sound at a constant frequency into the water. (The pings are so highly pitched that humans and even dolphins can't hear them.) As the sound waves travel, they ricochet off particles suspended in the moving water, and reflect back to the instrument. Due to the Doppler effect, sound waves bounced back from a particle moving away from the profiler have a slightly lowered frequency when they return. Particles moving toward the instrument send back higher frequency waves. The difference in frequency between the waves the profiler sends out and the waves it receives is called the Doppler shift. The instrument uses this shift to calculate how fast the particle and the water around it are moving. Sound waves that hit particles far from the profiler take longer to come back than waves that strike close by. By measuring the time it takes for the waves to bounce back and the Doppler shift, the profiler can measure current speed at many different depths with each series of pings. (More from WHOI instruments listing).

A device that collects a sample of aerosol (dry particles or liquid droplets) from the atmosphere.

A gel electrophoresis system that is used to separate DNA or RNA molecules by size, achieved by moving negatively charged nucleic acid molecules through an agarose matrix with an electric field.

A single channel, networked, gas chromatograph that separates and analyses compounds into separate components and can be used for chemical, petrochemical and petroleum analyses. The sample is introduced into the injector and then vaporised in the instrument. A chemically inert gas (e.g. helium and nitrogen) carries the vaporised solute into the column that is maintained in a temperature controlled oven. As the solute elutes from the column, it enters the heated detector. An electronic signal is generated upon interaction of the solute with the detector. The Agilent 6850 has a similar performance to the Agilent 6890N GC, but is half as wide. The local interface provides run control and status information and the instrument comes network-ready with a built-in LAN communications interface. There is a choice of detectors available, the Flame Ionization Detector (FID), Thermal Conductivity Detector (TCD) or Mass Selective Detector (MSD). There is an option of split/splitless or packed inlets, a variety of automated sample introduction systems and products available for headspace analysis. This model is no longer in production.

 Device for spraying liquid by means of compressed air.

Measures air temperature

WET Labs’ Aquatic Laser Fluorescence Analyzer (ALFA) provides spectrally and
temporally resolved measurements of key bio-environmental variables in oceanic,
coastal, and fresh waters. Operation modes allow underway shipboard measurements
and discrete sample analysis for accurate assessments of pigment biomass,
phytoplankton community structure and physiology.
 
Features
• Spectral deconvolution of overlapped fluorescence bands with Raman normalization
• Improved assessment of chlorophyll concentrations for estimating phytoplankton biomass
• Discrimination of 5 phycobiliprotein pigments for structural phytoplankton characterization
• Fluorescence assessment of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM)
• Measures variable fluorescence, Fv/Fm, with correction for background CDOM fluorescence
• Instrument software allows real-time data analysis and display with GPS coordinates and time

more information from Wet Labs

A rapid flow analyser (RFA) that may be used to measure nutrient concentrations in seawater. It is an air-segmented, continuous flow instrument comprising a sampler, a peristaltic pump which simultaneously pumps samples, reagents and air bubbles through the system, analytical cartridge, heating bath, colorimeter, data station, and printer. The RFA-300 was a precursor to the smaller Alpkem RFA/2 (also RFA II or RFA-2).

The Heatflow probe is a temperature measuring device on the submersible Alvin. It is a 0.6 m titanium tube containing a linear heater and 5 thermistors. The Heatflow probe is designed to measure temperature gradients when inserted into soft sediments.