Project Grant 2421605

This $315,503 federal Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's Geosciences Program (CFDA 47.050) will fund a collaborative research effort led by the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (Tees) to develop an advanced optical sensing system for characterizing marine particulate matter. The goal is to equip autonomous underwater vehicles and remotely operated platforms with a multifaceted sensor suite capable of rapidly detecting variations in particle size, shape, and composition. This will enable targeted sampling of biogeochemically relevant zones within the ocean. The research will integrate camera-based particle imaging, fluorometry, and optical transmission sensors into a compact, adaptable package that can be deployed on both large and small underwater vehicles. The optical sensing system is intended to enhance the observational capabilities of these robotic platforms and facilitate more efficient study of complex marine particle processes that influence the flow of carbon and other nutrients. This three-year project will culminate in an engineering sea trial to test the system's performance in characterizing hydrothermal plume particle dynamics in the Juan de Fuca Ridge.