This ocean sciences instrumentation development project will produce a Time- or Event Triggered Automated Serial Plankton Pumping sampler (ASPP). The system will be designed to collect a series of plankton samples from the near surface to the seafloor at fine spacial scales and in a variety of flow regimes. A Longhurst-Hardy plankton recorder mechanism will collect and store the actual samples. The system's control functions will be programmable and will also operate in response to specified conditions monitored by either on board physical sensors or externally obtained data. The system will be deployable on a sub-surface mooring for water column studies, or bottom-mounted for benthic investigations. ASPP development is in response to long-standing biological sampling requirements for time-series data that is gathered independently of traditional net and pumping systems. Special attention will be given to designing the sample collector configuration to minimize sampling errors resulting from different flow environments. The system will be especially useful on certain upcoming scientific initiatives planned by NSF.
