Devices for environmental observations

This paper describes some systems, designed and built by CNR in Messina and by Viterbo Tuscia University in its Civitavecchia laboratory, to fill the gap between traditional offshore oceanography and the modern operational oceanography. The evolution of the main parts of such devices is analysed, together with the pro's and con's of design choices, not excluding the economic point of view, that, together with instrument precision and reliability is one of the main design constraints. Technological and scientific advancements in the state of the art were obtained, offering scientists new low cost instruments to perform research both in coastal and in harsh environment areas, exploiting the progress in electronic devices, both in elaboration and in transmission ones. The systems were designed to operate from fixed and mobile platforms, like Ships of Opportunity (SOOP) or towed vehicles. To this aim, CNR Messina set up a device able to automatically release up to eight expendable probes. Ruggedized versions of systems were built to be installed on small towed vehicles in harsh environments (Arctica), in sites at the sea-ice interface where blocks falling from glaciers, due to ice melting, make it too difficult and dangerous to operate by traditional ship. During the June 2017 Svalbard campaign, a new generation water sampler, able to fill eight 500 ml bottles, was tested on field and showed a good operational performance. Various measuring instruments can be connected to the data acquisition and transmission system according to the research needs. They include multiparametric probes, expendable probes launched from SOOPs, water samplers for subsequent laboratory analysis, and any kind of device having a standard interface or providing a voltage-current signal. The land-based data assimilation can integrate the acquired in-situ data with satellite observation and the output of mathematical models.