CICEET Progress Report for the period 3/16/06 Through 9/15/06

Project Title: Improved Performance Capabilities for the Acrobat Towed instrument Platform: Data Collection, Calibration and Interpolation/Graphic Visualization
Principal Investigator(s): Dr. Leonard W. Haas
Additional Investigator(s): Dr. Howard I. Kator, Dr. Iris Anderson, Dr. Mark J. Brush, Dr. Jian Shen
Project Start Date: September 15, 2005

Figures

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Figure 4

Tasks to meet objectives
Deploy upgraded ACROBAT in the lower York River on a regular basis during the hypoxic season and evaluate various cruise tracks and interpolation procedures to provide optimal estimate of distribution of hypoxic water, changes over time and hypoxic volume.

Progress on Tasks
In late March, 2006 Chris Casagrande (President of Sea Sciences Incorporated, ACROBAT manufacturer; SSI) met with personnel at Falmouth Scientific (FSI) and determined that the FSI micro-CTD on the present ACROBAT did not have the electronic capability, as we had anticipated, to control the triggering of the bottles on the mini-rosette that he planned to acquire from General Oceanics (GO) . The latter was to be attached to and electronically incorporated into the ACROBAT. This realization initiated an unanticipated chain of events which required six months before an ACROBAT instrument with attached mini-rosette was produced. The events included:

1. A new mini-rosette had to be designed and an independent means of firing the bottles developed. The new mini-rosette contained 6 bottles.
2. To construct the new mini-rosette, VIMS supplied, from its surplus instrument stock, a General Oceanics pylon ( the central control mechanism for a standard rosette), which was forwarded to SSI for testing and then shipped to GO to seve as the basis for the new rosette.
3. A custom-designed, PVC (to reduce weight) top plate was constructed at GO and attached to the pylon to hold the six bottles.
4. Six custom designed bottles were manufactured (250 ml capacity) at GO and attached to the top and bottom plates to complete the rosette.
5. To control the firing of the bottles on the rosette, a shipboard command and control box was purchased using VIMS funds ($2,000.00).
6. The control box and its connection to the rosette on the ACROBAT required two extra leads in the tow cable (a new 10 conductor tow cable vs. our existing 8 conductor tow cable), which was purchased (100 meter length) with VIMS funds ($2,500.00).
7. Mechanical and electrical terminations to the newly purchased tow cable were completed using VIMS funds ($600.00).
8. The new mini-rosette and protective cage with skids is heavier than originally anticipated, requiring the purchase (with VIMS funds ($10,500.00) of an electric-powered, deck-mounted, tow cable winch, including a 10 conductor slip ring assembly. This winch is required for deployment and retrieval of the new ACROBAT.
9. A bracket to hold the newest sensor addition to the ACROBAT (a CDOM sensor, colored dissolved organic matter) was designed and manufactured at SSI, using VIMS funds ($1,000.00).
10. A new T-cable to split off power to the rosette at the ACROBAT was constructed using VIMS funds ( $595.00)
11. The FSI mini-CTD on the original ACROBAT and all the sensors were returned to FSI for routine calibration of the CTD, electronic upgrades (new chips) to same and to add the additional sensor output (CDOM) to the ACROBAT data stream which is conducted through the CTD.
12. Once the mini-rosette was completed and shipped to and tested at SSI, our existing ACROBAT frame was shipped to SSI to be joined to the rosette. Damage to the ACRORBAT frame during shipment required a new motor housing and a new tail fin
13. The new tow cable and heavier ACROBAT required 2 new, heavy duty tow loops.

Hunter Walker traveled from VIMS to Rhode Island on September 5, 2006, rented a van and traveled to Newport, Rhode Island to participate with C. Casagrande in the final assembly of all the ACROBAT components and sensors, including the new rosette. He was also trained in the use of new software to accurately and readily calibrate ACROBAT depth and to fly the instrument. He then transported the complete instrument to FSI in Falmouth, MA and participated in the final “salting in” process for the CTD attached to the ACROBAT. He returned to VIMS with the completed instrument on Friday, September 8.

On Wednesday, September 13, 2006 the initial field testing of the new ACROBAT (with the attached rosette and using the deck winch) was conducted. Despite several adjustments to wing angle/attitude, the position of the tow bracket to alter the center of gravity and the tail fin angle, we were unable to get the ACROBAT to fly at the surface. Additional flotation to increase the buoyancy is required. The additional buoyancy was designed and attached to the ACROBAT frame and will be field tested on 9/19/2006. An additional alteration is to test the flight capability of the ACROBAT using larger wings to be supplied by SSI.

Difficulties
The unanticipated need to design and custom manufacture a new rosette for the ACROBAT, and to develop an independent means of triggering the rosette bottles on demand, led to a cascade of delays as noted in detail above. The end result is that by the time the ACROBAT with the functioning rosette and attached CDOM sensor was delivered to VIMS, the hypoxic season had ended and none of the planned field work was accomplished.

Data Generated to date
There has been no further data collection during past 6 months as the ACROBAT has been inoperable. However, pictures of the rosette and ACROBAT with rosette attached are provided.

Project Objectives for Next Reporting Period

Objectives
(1) Re-learn how to effectively fly the new ACROBAT with the attached rosette. Since there will be no hypoxic/anoxic water in the Virginia tributaries during the next six months, it will not be possible to evaluate various cruise tracks, sampling frequencies and software programs to optimize three-dimensional depiction of low dissolved oxygen water.

(2) Experiment with interpolation methods and cruise tracks required for optimal 3D interpolation using an idealized, mid-summer DO field produced by the VIMS HEM-3D model. We will use the high resolution, modeled DO field as the “true” condition and test the effect of interpolation methods and settings, sampling density, and cruise track on interpolation accuracy and computation of hypoxic volume.

Tasks to meet Objectives
Perform field tests and make modifications to the new ACROBAT as required (primarily flotation), to produce the desired flight characteristics and flight control through the water column.

We will use the VIMS HEM-3D model to produce a typical, mid-summer DO field in the lower York River with vertical density stratification and bottom water hypoxia. This DO field will then be used as input data to a variety of interpolation methods using both EasyKrig (MATLAB freeware, US GLOBEC program) and the commercially available TecPlot. We will test a variety of interpolation routines (e.g. kriging, inverse distance weighting) and settings (e.g. search radius, weighting), as well as sampling frequencies and cruise tracks (e.g. parallel, saw-tooth, square-wave, sine wave). By comparing the interpolated values to the “true” model run, we will determine the optimal interpolation methods and sampling protocols for computing hypoxic volume to be used in the 2007 field season.

Work plan to Meet Objectives
In the next 6 months the emphasis and objective will be on learning and optimizing flight control of the ACROBAT with the rosette attached by conducting flight tests in the field. We will also spend the winter months interpolating the HEM-3D data and assessing optimal interpolation and sampling methods.

Anticipated Success in Meeting Objectives
The afore-mentioned, field flight tests are not dependent on a particular oxygen condition, therefore, weather permitting they can be conducted throughout the next 6 month period. We anticipate no obstacles to determining appropriate buoyancy to achieve flight control. Interpolation analyses should be similarly successful.

Overall Project Timeline Update
Since we missed the summer 2006 hypoxic/anoxic field conditions, it was not possible to evaluate various cruise tracks, sampling frequencies and software programs to optimize three-dimensional depiction of low dissolved oxygen water. The original timeline called for conducting “standard surveys” of hypoxia in the lower York in the summer 2007 season, using sampling and interpolation protocols tested and optimized in the 2006 season. Our plan now is to develop and thoroughly test a fully functional ACROBAT instrument and flight capability in the next six months, as well as to develop an optimized interpolation and sampling protocol, so that we are prepared at the beginning of the 2007 hypoxic season (May-June) to both evaluate various cruise tracks, sampling frequencies and software programs using field data to optimize three-dimensional depiction of low dissolved oxygen water and to complete a standard, season-long sampling plan. In this fashion all of the CICEET grant objectives will be met by the end of the contract.

Dissemination
Publications: None to Date

Workshops: None during the current 6 months.

Conferences: Sea Sciences Incorporated has a booth at the Marine Science and Technology Oceans 2006 Conference in Boston MA, September 18-21, 2006, the most comprehensive conference and exhibition of ocean engineering, science and technology in the U. S. The SSI booth is prominently promoting ACROBAT with the attached rosette with a large format picture as a marketing tool.

Manuals, Protocols: None to date

Outreach Activities: VIMS is currently negotiating with VA Department of Environmental Quality, for the application of ACROBAT technology to measure the spatial and temporal extent of hypoxia/anoxia in the York and Rappahannock Rivers as an integral component of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s criteria assessment monitoring program in CB tributaries.

In early September 2006, the U. S. EPA/Chesapeake Bay Program published the draft of the Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Dissolved Oxygen, Water Clarity and Chlorophyll a for the Chesapeake Bay and Its Tidal Tributaries-2006 Addendum (copy may be downloaded at www.chesapeakebay.net/baycriteriaaddendum.htm). This document is an addendum to the April 2003, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Dissolved Oxygen, Water Clarity and Chlorophyll a for the Chesapeake Bay and Its Tidal Tributaries (Regional Criteria Guidance. The 2006 Bay criteria addendum contains proposed numerical chlorophyll a criteria for Chesapeake Bay, its tidal tributaries and embayments as well as revised, detailed criteria attainment assessment procedures for all Bay water quality criteria for all designated use habitats. When published, these criteria and revised criteria attainment assessment methods will replace the previously published criteria/procedures. Delaware , Maryland , Virginia and the District of Columbia have all committed to work to adopt the methods contained within the Bay criteria addendum into their state water quality standards regulations through their respective public review and promulgation procedures. At several different locations in this document, there is specific mention of the value, need and utility of three-dimensional depiction of dissolved oxygen in CB tributaries, to meet desired criteria assessment attainment objectives. Although not stated explicitly, the VIMS ACROBAT is the expected and preferred methodology to meet this objective.

Contact with End Users: During the past 6 months we have been in nearly daily email or telephone contact with Mr. Chris Casagrande who is primarily responsible for the development and integration of the rosette and its integration with the ACROBAT.

During the past six months we have been in contact with Rick Hoffman, as his role at VA DEQ is to implement the use of new technologies in the CBP monitoring effort, as noted above in “Outreach Activities”.

Contact with Stephen Preston during the past 6 months has been less frequent, but his role in the CBP monitoring effort and his interest in the ACROBAT technology and its application to CBP tributaries manifests itself in the various chapters of the Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Dissolved Oxygen, Water Clarity and Chlorophyll a for the Chesapeake Bay and Its Tidal Tributaries-2006 Addendum, as noted above in “Outreach Activities”.

Patent, Copyright, Invention Disclosure Activity: None to date

Expenditures
Expenditures from the CICEET grant are in the range anticipated for the work accomplished to date. However it should be noted that considerable funds from external sources (c. $17,000.00 in red in Section B, above) were required and provided to accomplish a completed and functional ACROBAT/rosette instrument.

End User Advisor Feedback
Name: Christian Casagrande
Organization: Sea Science Inc.
Location: 40 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA 02474
Phone Number: Cell (401) 529-2282
E-mail: sales@seasciences.com

1) At this stage, what are the potential applications for this research? Please discuss how you and others could potentially use the technology.
We began to market this technology at the Oceans 2006 conference in Boston (Sept 18-22).

2) What, if anything, has changed about the project’s potential applicability since the last reporting period (not applicable to the first progress report).
The difficulty of interfacing older technology required Sea Sciences to provide modifications in the Rosette design in order to adapt it to the Acrobat vehicle in the shortest time possible. The end result was a Rosette with larger sampling bottle capacities (from 60ml to 250ml) and independent sampling control.

3) Do you see any key challenges that the researchers may want to address or keep in mind?
In order for this technology to gain as wide a market as possible it must be adaptive to other brands of instrumentation (not just the FSI CTD) that may be part and parcel of the Acrobat payload.

The additional weight of the sample water, Rosette, and supporting frame may require a small winch for deployment and recovery. Also adjustments to the towing configuration may be necessary in order to get full surface to bottom capability; the adjustments may include a larger wing set as well as tow bar and payload positioning for a more ideal center of gravity location.

4) Does this report offer you enough information to adequately address the above questions?
Yes.

5) Other feedback?
The original request by VIMS was to collect just enough sample water to calibrate the Acrobat payload sensors. This requirement has now been modified to collect water samples that are representative of extreme values such as very low dissolved oxygen and provide a calibration sample. This will require further refinement of the older Rosette sampling method.

At present this method charges a capacitor which discharges about 10 seconds later to trip the Rosette sample. The electronics will have to be changed to trip a Rosette bottle at the instant desired.

Also desired is an interface to the independent Rosette deck controller to place an event marker in the collected data file for each sample taken. Newer CTD technology can incorporate both the Rosette control and the event marker in the collected data file.

Name: Stephen Preston PhD., Monitoring Coordinator
Organization: Chesapeake Bay Program
Location: 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109, Annapolis, MD
Phone Number: 410-267-9875
E-mail: spreston@usgs.gov

Name: Mr. Rick Hoffman, Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Coordinator
Organization: VA Department of Environmental Quality
Location: P.O.B. 10009, Richmond VA 23240-0009
Phone Number: 804-698-4334
E-mail: fahoffman@deq.virginia.gov

1) At this stage, what are the potential applications for this research? Please discuss how you and others could potentially use the technology.
Management applications at this stage are limited because the ACROBAT instrument capabilities and products are still in the development phase. Potential applications for regulatory application in assessment of dissolved oxygen conditions remain strong and unchanged. Once successfully developed, the technology should be very useful in determining attainment of VA State water quality standards.

2) What, if anything, has changed about the project’s potential applicability since the last reporting period (not applicable to the first progress report)
Nothing has changed about the projects potential applicability.

3) Do you see any key challenges that the researchers may want to address or keep in mind?
A key challenge will be preparing usage of the ACROBAT data in the regulatory environment. Usage of this CBP interpolator model has been recently re-affirmed as a primary tool for regulatory dissolved oxygen assessments in the draft “Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Dissolved Oxygen, Water Clarity and Chlorophyll a for the Chesapeake Bay and Its Tidal Tributaries-2006 Addendum”. The researchers should keep in mind that any new interpolator model or oxygen data assessment protocols will eventually have to be compared to the protocols described in this EPA document.

4) Does this report offer you enough information to adequately address the above questions?
Yes

5) Other feedback?
None

PI Response to End User Advisor Feedback
Response to C. Casagrande:
1. Please refer to Fig. 2-4 for verification of marketing effort by SSI.
3. Six (6) sampling bottles of 250 capacity each are sufficient for present needs.
4. All of these potential changes in configuration will be evaluated in the next six months. The required winch has been purchased and installed on the tow vessel.
5. The present bottle-tripping mechanism will attain the intended and desired goal of exactly co-locating the timing of a specific water sample with readings from relevant sensors. Water sampling time is not presently noted on the file of sensor output, but can be manually recorded and then later married with the appropriate sensor reading(s). The capability to immediately sample a desired water mass based on a unique or unusual sensor output in real time remains a further refinement of our technique.

Response to Preston review:
N/A

Response to R. Hoffman:
1. As noted above, the 2006 CBP addendum projects significant use for the ACROBAT in their regulatory monitoring for dissolved oxygen in the VA tributaries.
3. PI’s on the present CICEET grant will likely be PI’s for the dissolved oxygen criteria assessment in VA and are aware that specific protocols may be required by the Chesapeake Bay Program. On the other hand the efforts of this grant are expected to contribute to the development of those protocols.