Knorr
R/V Knorr

LI-COR Gas Analyzer is an in situ gas analyzer manufactured by LI-COR. They can be deployed on aircraft, research vessels, vehicles, balloons, and ground-based platforms. They provide measurements of various trace gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and water vapor (H2O). Most models use Optical Feedback-Cavity Enhanced Absorption Spectroscopy (OF-CEAS) to collect measurements. LI-COR gas analyzers have a typical measurement rate of 1 Hz and an operating temperature range of -25 to 45 degrees Celsius.

Generic-Atmospheric State (Gen-AtmsState) refers to non-specific instruments on a platform used for measurements of atmospheric state parameters. These are typically in situ sensors that measure temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed/direction. Types of atmospheric state instruments include thermometers, hygrometers, barometers, and anemometers.

Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) sensors are in situ instrument packages used to measure water depth, pressure, salinity, temperature, and density in the ocean. CTD sensors can be deployed on various water-based platforms such as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), buoys, gliders, or research vessels. When deployed on a vessel, CTD sensors are typically attached to a rosette and then lowered to the seafloor to measure water properties. CTD sensors have a typical sampling rate of 30 Hz and can collect precise measurements at specific water depths based on the researcher's needs.

Rain gauges are ground-based instruments that measure liquid precipitation amounts directly over a specified period. Different rain gauges, such as tipping buckets and weighing gauges, collect and record data in various ways. Because of their small size and easy setup, rain gauges can be placed in different locations and are often used alongside other precipitation instruments like disdrometers to gather more details, such as precipitation rate and size distribution.

A thermosalinograph (TSG) is an in situ shipborne instrument used to measure sea surface temperature and conductivity. TSGs are typically mounted near the ship’s seawater intake where they collect continuous measurements. A TSG uses a conductivity cell and a thermistor cell to measure conductivity and temperature from underway vessels. These measurements can be used to derive salinity and other ocean parameters.

The Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) is an in situ acoustic sensor used to measure ocean currents. ADCP utilizes the Doppler effect to detect sound waves, providing measurements of the speed and direction of currents throughout the water column. It can be easily mounted on various water platforms such as ships, buoys, and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Additionally, it can be deployed on the seafloor to deliver profile measurements of ocean currents.

Accelerometers are in situ sensors that measure the acceleration experienced by an object. Accelerometers utilize electromagnetic sensing to detect the vibration of an object. The force of vibration causes the sensor to produce an electrical charge, indicating how much force was exerted, which can be used to determine the acceleration. Accelerometers are typically used on aircraft when collecting flight navigation information. Accelerometers have also been deployed on research vessels and other water-based platforms such as buoys.

Generic-Radiometers refer to non-specific radiometers on a platform. These are typically passive microwave radiometers that measure brightness temperature. Radiometers can be used to retrieve temperature and water vapor profiles, soil moisture content, ocean salinity, precipitation and cloud properties, and vegetation.

Salinity Snake is a water-based instrument developed by Earth and Space Research (ESR) to measure sea surface salinity and temperature. It consists of two steel spiral rubber hoses mounted on a boom on the starboard side of the research vessel, positioning the hoses outside its wake. The device collects undisturbed water samples at depths of 1 to 2 cm. These samples are then pumped to a thermosalinograph (TSG) to measure conductivity and sea surface temperature to determine salinity.

The Vertical Microstructure Profiler (VMP) is an in situ full ocean-depth profiling system manufactured by Rockland Scientific. It consists of several sensors that collect profile measurements of turbulence, temperature, conductivity, and other ocean parameters. A VMP is deployed from ships and operates autonomously. It can collect profile measurements up to 6000 m in depth. It has a nominal sampling frequency of 512 Hz.