C6P Submersible Fluorometer deployed at Exploratorium

Parameters: Turbidity, CDOM, Chlorophyll, Phycoerythrin, Crude Oil, Refined Fuels

In May 2016, Turner Designs deployed a new C6P Submersible Fluorometer at the Exploratorium in San Francisco. The Exploratorium is a public learning laboratory in exploring the world through science, art, and human perception. Its mission is to create inquiry-based experiences that transform learning worldwide. As an educational facility, they make use of their new waterfront location with the installation of an environmental field station. This station is a collection of atmospheric and in-water instrumentation measuring weather, air and water quality. The C6P installed is a 6-channel fluorometer measuring the concentration of multiple water column constituents including turbidity, CDOM, chlorophyll, phycoerythrin, crude and refined fuels. A description of the project and links to the data sets can be found here.

Data from the in-water instrumentation are acquired by a Campbell Scientific data logger housed inside a waterproof box. The Turner Designs C6P provides critical insight into the biological response of physical forcing being measured by a CTD. In addition, the C6P provides insight into the response of the pCO2 mooring which can be affected by both physical and biological variability. Below are data plots from the instrumentation, chosen as an example of a regime shift in the water column. The presence of multiple instruments in relative proximity allows researchers to determine the relationship between the physical and biological variability. In addition, it adds confidence in data collected as features can be seen across multiple instruments signaling the arrival of a distinct water mass. For example, looking at the plots below, it is apparent that on 9/27, a new water mass was detected across some of the fluorometer channels as well as on the pCO2 mooring.

Author: Luke Beatman

Institution: Turner Designs Location: The Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA, USA