Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

A Sensor Package for Mapping pH and Oxygen from Mobile Platforms

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-2016

Publication Title

Methods in Oceanography

Keywords

pH, Oxygen, Sensor, Acidification, Mobile, Mapping

ISSN

2211-122

Volume

17

First Page

1

Last Page

13

Abstract

A novel chemical sensor package named “WavepHOx” was developed in order to facilitate measurement of surface ocean pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature from mobile platforms. The system comprises a Honeywell Durafet pH sensor, Aanderaa optode oxygen sensor, and chloride ion selective electrode, packaged into a hydrodynamic, lightweight housing. The WavepHOx has been deployed on a stand-up paddleboard and a Liquid Robotics Wave Glider in multiple near-shore settings in the Southern California Bight. Integration of the WavepHOx into these mobile platforms has enabled high spatiotemporal resolution pH and dissolved oxygen data collection. It is a particularly valuable tool for mapping shallow, fragile, or densely vegetated ecosystems which cannot be easily accessed by other platforms. Results from three surveys in San Diego, California, are reported. We show pH and dissolved oxygen variability >0.3 and >50% saturation, respectively, over tens to hundreds of meters to highlight the degree of natural spatial variability in these vegetated ecosystems. When deployed during an extensive discrete sampling program, the WavepHOx pH had a root mean squared error of 0.028 relative to pH calculated from fifty six measurements of total alkalinity and dissolved inorganic carbon, confirming its capacity for accurate, high spatiotemporal resolution data collection.

Comments

©2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

ORCID ID

0000-0003-3556-7616

DOI

10.1016/j.mio.2016.04.004

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Peer Reviewed

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