RMST
RMST research themes
The RMST project aims to produce novel micro devices to measure chemistry and microbiology in the world's oceans and in related environmental and industrial applications.
This research will establish a new micro-systems technology for the next generation of in situ chemical and biochemical sensors for marine environmental monitoring. The technology will provide the means and the data to answer many pressing scientific problems. The project will address and resolve technological and engineering challenges in the field of integrated systems, and their deployment in harsh conditions. It will test and demonstrate the applicability of the technology using three example platforms: Argo (Apex) profiling float; submersible gliders (Webb) and an autonomous underwater vehicle (Autosub).
The technology aims to create a completely new suite of sensor systems. The technology will enable critical evaluation of current methods that link remote sensing (e.g. satellite) data to Marine primary production (PP) (which accounts for ~45% of the total annual planetary PP and therefore carbon fixation):
- Evolution and variability in phytoplankton blooms. We will measure nutrients and microbial populations on vehicles (e.g. gliders or AUVs) to allow tracking of developing blooms
- Maintenance of PP in the Subsurface Chlorophyll Maximum (SCM). The SCM accounts for ~9% of planetary PP. Cytometer, integrated temperature and nutrient measurements will enable us to evaluate the response of PP to the supply of nutrients and physical mixing (e.g. internal tides) across the thermocline.
- Monitoring of coastal waters. Large numbers of biogeochemical sensors will enable mapping of spatial extent and variability of biogeochemistry and pollution in this economically significant zone.