Construction of Advanced Fluorescence Systems for Automatic Measurements of Phytoplankton Biomass, Physiology, and Photosynthetic Rates aboard R/V Araon

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to construct two miniaturized bench-top instruments, called Fluorescence Induction and Relaxation (mini-FIRe) Systems, for measurements of the abundance and physiological status of phytoplankton in the ocean. One FIRe instrument is design for discrete sample analysis; the second one - for continuous underway measurements in a flow-through cuvette. These instruments have been installed aboard R/V ARAON and will be used for basic research at KOPRI laboratories. In contrast to previous FRRF and FIRe fluorometers invented and developed by the Rutgers team, the new instruments exhibit enhanced (ca. 10x) sensitivity and provide a greater quantity of physiological parameters in real-time. The extreme sensitivity of the new instruments makes them invaluable for field work in the open ocean