This project will aid the commercialisation of recent inventions of oceanographic / environmental sensor technology developed in collaboration by the National Oceanography Centre Southampton and the University of Southampton. They have developed novel miniaturised high performance sensors that measure the conductivity, temperature and oxygen content of water. The measurement of these parameters is essential in a wide range of environmental studies in both fresh and salt (sea) water. The small size and high performance of these new sensors suggests that they could be developed into a product with potential benefits to both science and industry. Prior to this project the inventors have commissioned a market survey and this has highlighted sizeable markets in a number of sectors. Crucially the potential customers include non scientists in sectors where potential sales volumes are large. This project seeks to investigate these commercial opportunities further and complete adaptation and testing of the technology to allow it to be demonstrated to key user groups and companies. The project will also explore business models, partnerships, patenting, and routes to manufacture.

The ocean is key in the global C cycle, taking up ca. 25% of the CO2 we emit, slowing climate change and giving us more time to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The Ocean C Value Chain (VC) of observations, data QC & analysis delivers key information around this to decision makers such as the Conference of the Parties. The RIs play a pivotal role in the VC via their ability to operate at scale & pool resources to ensure common data standards and operational practices. The urgency of the climate crisis drives us to put this VC on a much more robust footing with the World Meteorological Organisation leading the planning of a Global Greenhouse Gas Watch (G3W) covering all components of the Earth System. Unfortunately the VC currently delivers estimates of Ocean C uptake much larger than those from models, leading to a damaged ability to manage climate change. However further work suggests that observations at a much higher density in the Southern Ocean (SO) would substantially resolve this issue. Our ability to deliver these via ships is limited by the small number that enter the SO and we therefore need many more observations from research vessels, citizen science platforms, autonomous robotic floats & surface platforms. This step change requires substantial technological innovation and complex data synthesis. TRICUSO will address these needs by a) improving the sensing technologies on floats and small uncrewed surface vessels, b) supporting citizen science on yachts and potentially cruise and expedition vessels, c) integrating biological observations into the work flow, d) improving data flows to scientists, e) evaluating the density of observations needed & f) proposing fit for purpose governance structures that allow the RIs to operate within the G3W. These actions will enable us to have a much firmer grip of how and why Ocean Carbon uptake varies and thus a much firmer evidence base on which to make decisions around managing climate change impacts.

It is widely accepted that the activities of mankind are leading to changes in global climate; however, the extent of those changes is far from certain due to the complexity of the climate system and the number of interacting processes involved. A central process in all climate studies is the interaction of radiation / incoming solar (shortwave) radiation, and outgoing infra-red (longwave) radiation / with the atmosphere and in particular with clouds. Clouds present a large source of variability, and uncertainty, in the radiative balance due both to the variation in extent, location, and type of cloud, and to the strong variation in properties such as reflectivity with changes in the concentration and size distribution of cloud droplets or ice crystals. Marine stratocumulus clouds / extensive sheets of low level clouds / play a major role in the global radiation balance. The size and number of their cloud droplets depends strongly on the number of aerosol particles available for droplets to form on. Sea-salt aerosol are a major source of such condensation nuclei. The generation of sea salt aerosol occurs through evaporation of water droplets generated by bubble bursting and spray torn from wave tops by the wind. The size and number of droplets produced, and hence of the aerosol produced, varies greatly with conditions: wind speed, wave state, the presence of surface films produced by plankton, etc. In order to accurately represent marine clouds, and so get the radiation balance correct in climate models, we must first determine how much aerosol and of what size, is generated under any given conditions. There is considerable uncertainty in this, particularly for the smallest aerosol, which are most relevant to climate processes. This project will measure the amount of aerosol at different sizes generated near the surface and transported upwards into the atmosphere, along with the wind speed, wave size, white-capping, and heat and moisture transfers under a wide range of different conditions. Measurements of aerosol very close to the sea surface will enable aerosol generation events to be related directly to individual breaking waves. The results will be used to improve our understanding of aerosol generation, and ultimately the fidelity of cloud representation within climate models. Another major uncertainty in modelling the future climate is the rate at which CO2 is transferred between the atmosphere and the oceans. CO2 absorbs infra-red radiation; an increase in CO2 in the atmosphere due to the burning of fossil fuels means more infra-red radiation is absorbed, causing a warming of the atmosphere. The observed increase in CO2 in the atmosphere is less than might be expected given the amount of fuel burnt. This is due in large part to the absorption of CO2 by the oceans. Although CO2 is absorbed by the oceans as a whole, on regional scales the transfer of CO2 between the atmosphere and ocean can occur in either direction, depending upon the local concentrations of the gas in the air and water. The rate of the transfer depends also on the wind speed, bubble formation, sea-state, and surface films. As with aerosol production, there are large uncertainties in how the rate of transfer varies with conditions / by a factor of two or more under some conditions. Direct measurements of the transfer of CO2 between the atmosphere and ocean, along with those of the meteorological and ocean conditions, will be used to reduce the uncertainty in the parameterization of CO2 transfer. This will in turn allow improvements to long term climate models.

The proposed project “Readiness of ICOS for Necessities of integrated Global Observations” (RINGO) aims to further development of ICOS RI and ICOS ERIC and foster its sustainability. The challenges are to further develop the readiness of ICOS RI along five principal objectives: 1. Scientific readiness. To support the further consolidation of the observational networks and enhance their quality. This objective is mainly science-guided and will increase the readiness of ICOS RI to be the European pillar in a global observation system on greenhouse gases. 2. Geographical readiness. To enhance ICOS membership and sustainability by supporting interested countries to build a national consortium, to promote ICOS towards the national stakeholders, to receive consultancy e.g. on possibilities to use EU structural fund to build the infrastructure for ICOS observations and also to receive training to improve the readiness of the scientists to work inside ICOS. 3. Technological readiness. To further develop and standardize technologies for greenhouse gas observations necessary to foster new knowledge demands and to account for and contribute to technological advances. 4. Data readiness. To improve data streams towards different user groups, adapting to the developing and dynamic (web) standards. 5. Political and administrative readiness. To deepen the global cooperation of observational infrastructures and with that the common societal impact. Impact is expected on the further development and sustainability of ICOS via scientific, technical and managerial progress and by deepening the integration into global observation and data integration systems.

This proposal is aimed at enhancing the international reputation of the NERC Autosub autonomous underwater vehicle programme and building on its science achievements. It will sustain an international presence, and provide a bridge between the Autosub Under Ice directed programme and future opportunities such as International Polar Year. There are four deliverables within this proposal: 1) A Masterclass and a separate Science Workshop that will reinforce the UK position as a world leader in environmental science and technology using autonomous underwater vehicles. 2) Twelve competitive placements, arranged in conjunction with the British Council, to enable young UK and overseas scientists and engineers to develop lasting collaborative links. 3) Sponsorship of sessions and poster receptions at major international conferences (American Geophysical Union, European Geophysical Union) and at workshops co-organised with the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research and International Polar Year. 4) Outreach to young people and their educators worldwide through a web-conference arranged through the College for Exploration.