Contributed Session.
Lead Organizer: Phillipe Wernette, Michigan Technological University (pwernett@mtu.edu)
Presentations
09:00 AM
Autonomous Underwater Glider Observations in Category 5 Hurricane Beryl (9453)
Primary Presenter: Travis Miles, Rutgers (tnmiles@marine.rutgers.edu)
Tropical cyclones are the costliest and deadliest disasters globally, with impacts to coastal communities expected to increase. Autonomous platforms have emerged as a critical component of tropical cyclone observing systems to support operational Earth system modeling and forecasting. Since 2018 autonomous underwater gliders have carried out targeted deployments as part of the NOAA Hurricane Glider Program and Coordinated Hurricane Atmosphere Ocean Sampling project. The glider operator community has supported near real-time transmission and submission of all glider data to the Global Telecommunication System for assimilation into forecast systems, regardless of science mission. In June - July of 2024 glider RU29 captured data in advance of, throughout, and following the passage of Category 5 Hurricane Beryl in the central Caribbean Sea. It became the furthest east formation of an Atlantic hurricane in the month of June. Hurricane Beryl underwent rapid intensification making it the first June Cat 4 storm on record, devastating the windward islands. As Beryl moved into the central Caribbean it rapidly intensified a third time and became the earliest Cat 5 storm on record. Glider RU29, equipped with a CTD, current profiler, and oxygen optode was rapidly re-positioned between Curaçao and the Dominican Republic to intersect the storm’s eye-center. RU29 started station-keeping 24 hours in advance of Beryl’s passage with 500 m dives to enable collection of hourly profiles. The eye of Beryl passed within 17 n mi of RU29, the closest approach of a Cat 5 tropical cyclone to an autonomous platform. In this presentation we will detail the glider mission, innovative piloting behaviors, operational data collection and usage, as well as preliminary analyses of the proximate upper ocean evolution during the storm event and advances through multiple collocations.
09:15 AM
Silicon nanophotonics for multi-omic marine detection (9364)
Primary Presenter: Halleh Balch, Stanford University (balch@stanford.edu)
Photosynthetic microorganisms, central to Earth’s carbon cycle, can form dense blooms that release biotoxins contaminating drinking water sources. Correlating how physico-chemcial drivers impact expression of metabolites remains a challenge, in part, due to the constraints in extending techniques like mass spectroscopy and sequencing to remote in-situ marine environments. Advances in remote vehicles now enable in situ measurements of temperature, pH, and fluorescence. Similar measurements of metabolites and nucleotides are critical but current in situ sensors are limited by low sensitivity, dynamic range, and scalability. Here, we present our approach based on silicon nanophotonics to simultaneously and rapidly measure multiple ‘omic’ signatures from water samples. Our nanoantennas are composed of sub-wavelength silicon nanoblocks that resonantly trap and strongly amplify the electromagnetic field intensity in a 15 micron sensing ‘pixel’. Thousands of resonator pixels can be fabricated as individually addressable elements and read out simultaneously on a simple CCD array. Molecular binding through self-assembled monolayers generates small perturbations to the local dielectric environment, strongly shifting the optical resonance. We use this platform to demonstrate quantitative, amplification-free sub-pM detection of DNA and the HAB toxins, microcystin and domoic acid. Finally, we discuss the integration of our metasurfaces with the Environmental Sample Processor developed at MBARI, offering a route to in situ phytoplankton and phytotoxin detection, processing, and analysis.
09:30 AM
A new type of autonomous aquatic sampling instrument (9717)
Primary Presenter: James Birch, MBARI (jbirch@mbari.org)
In order to understand the myriad of biological processes at work in aquatic systems, collecting samples repeatedly and over extended periods of time is often required. Yet this requirement is often difficult to meet, as weather, access, funding, and personnel issues can make repeated, extended sampling difficult. Over 18 years ago we developed the Environmental Sample Processor (ESP), a robotic system capable of automatically sampling and processing in situ. While the ESP has repeatedly demonstrated the advantages of autonomous sampling, its size, complexity, and cost have limited its use at scale. To address this problem, in collaboration with the USGS, we have designed a new type of robotic sampler, initially developed for environmental DNA studies where preservation of samples is the primary goal. This device, called FIDO (Filtering Instrument for DNA Observations), was designed from the start with cost and ease-of-use in mind. FIDO is capable of acquiring 140 samples, and operates from a simple web-interface via cell or satellite linkage. In this talk we will explain the drivers that led to the development of FIDO, as well as it's efficacy at eDNA collection compared to traditional methods, based on results from a recent validation study at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
09:45 AM
SECCHI DISK MEETS UNDERWATER COMPUTER VISION: ADVANCING THEORY AND METHOD (9169)
Primary Presenter: Amir Hadad, University of Haifa (amirhadadad@gmail.com)
Underwater visibility has long been a subject of interest for sailors, fisherfolk, coastal navigators, and scientists, who, over time, have developed various tools for its measurement and prediction. Among the most enduring is the Secchi disk, a simple white disk lowered into the water using a marked line, whose depth of disappearance serves as a visibility proxy. Although the theory behind Secchi disk visibility (i.e. Secchi disk depth) was formulated in the 1950s and has undergone several revisions since then, the current model still omits important factors regarding the visual perception of the observer, physical characteristics of the disk, and the effect of dynamic environmental conditions. Here, we propose a holistic version of Secchi disk visibility theory that bridges these gaps, leveraging advances in underwater computer vision. We formulate a Secchi disk image formation model that explicitly accounts for the characteristics of the observer’s visual system, as well as the size and pattern of the disk. Then, using physically-based Monte Carlo simulations, we assess the effect of different optical properties of the water body and sea surface conditions on the estimated Secchi disk depth values. In addition, we modernized the disk itself, motorizing it, adding a depth sensor, and replacing the human observer with a camera. Powered by our new image formation model, this modernized Secchi disk device estimates spectral attenuation coefficients from RGB photographs, providing objective and actionable data for scientists, citizen scientists, and coastal communities.
10:00 AM
Build it yourself: a robust autonomous water monitoring system for non-roboticists (9576)
Primary Presenter: Mingi Jeong, Dartmouth College (mingi.jeong.gr@dartmouth.edu)
Monitoring water quality in seas, coastal, and inland waters is crucial for identifying pollutant sources, tracking trends, and ensuring compliance with water use policies. Traditional methods, such as manual sampling, high-frequency buoys, and remote sensing, face challenges in providing real-time data and capturing spatial variations. While Autonomous Surface Vehicles (ASVs) offer advanced solutions, their high cost (often exceeding 10k USD), primarily due to specific custom designs, limits accessibility for community-driven science. To address these challenges, we designed Catabot, a low-cost, open-source ASV platform designed for accessibility to (and use by) aquatic scientists. We also worked on its autonomy for obstacle avoidance to reduce the level of human supervision. Catabot provides a reliable, real-time water monitoring solution with key features: (1) stable and reliable vehicle motion and accurate sensor measurements; (2) modular design for easy transportation, assembly, and operation; (3) robust capabilities, including long-range communication, automated path following, integration of multiple sensors, and motion planning; and (4) user-friendly operation, including automated data processing for non-roboticists.Catabot ASV offers significant academic support and fosters a more inclusive and interdisciplinary community – e.g., monitoring water quality and long-term environmental monitoring; assisting as a hands-on tool for limnology-based classes; bathymetric mapping of lake and coastal waters; and supporting the work of Lake Protection Associations.
10:15 AM
An ultrasonic benchtop sensor for near real-time microplastic identification and characterization (9357)
Primary Presenter: Christopher Verlinden, Applied Ocean Sciences (cmaverlinden@gmail.com)
Applied Ocean Sciences, LLC (USA) and partners are developing the first near real-time sensor for detecting microplastics between 1 and 20 microns in water. This ultrasound-based sensor will significantly improve current methods of microplastic detection, making the process faster and cheaper compared to FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. The UltraPlastics Sensor (US patent pending) uses multiple acoustical processes like backscatter, reflection, through transmission, attenuation, and resonance to detect bulk microplastic abundance. As ultrasound travels through water, it interacts with particles by scattering, resonating, absorbing energy at specific frequencies, and affecting the fluid's attenuation. These interactions allow for the direct detection of microplastic concentration and composition. Trials show that different plastics and biomass produce distinct signals, and the sensor can differentiate between microfiber fragments and microspheres. This makes it an affordable yet highly sensitive measurement for microplastics under 20 microns—those most harmful to human and ecosystem health but hardest to measure with traditional optical methods. Some of the first prototypes will be tested with water treatment centers in California, the first state to mandate microplastic monitoring in drinking water. The sensor will provide a near real-time bulk measurement of microplastics, with flagged samples available for detailed spectral analysis as needed.
CS12 - Novel Methods
Description
Time: 9:00 AM
Date: 27/3/2025
Room: W206B