Humans release approximately 10 petagrams of carbon per year into the atmosphere, mainly through combustion of fossil fuels, about half of which is absorbed by the ocean. As CO2 enters the ocean it dissolves to form carbonic acid (H2CO3), a weak acid which readily dissociates to bicarbonate (HCO3-) and carbonate (CO32-) ions, and H+ lowering the pH of seawater. This process, defined as Ocean Acidification, has been documented in several oceanic reservoirs through time series observations and is expected to have adverse consequences on marine life and especially marine calcifiers (crustaceans, shellfish, some plankton species, corals etc.) which form hard structures from CaCO3. Ocean acidification is expected to cost the world economy 1 trillion USD annually by 2100 through negative impacts on ecosystem services. In the UK, four of the ten most valuable marine species are calcifying shellfish or crustaceans with an annual worth around £250m. Furthermore, aquaculture of shellfish is worth annually about £30m. High spatial and temporal resolution measurements of carbonate chemistry parameters are therefore needed to concurrently characterise variability in space and time to better understand biological tolerances and societal responses to ocean acidification. Although efforts have been made to increase the availability of high resolution carbonate chemistry observations in the ocean, the lack of automated high performance low cost carbonate sensors continues to hold back continuous and spatially extensive carbonate chemistry measurements using autonomous vehicles. Developing sensors capable of fulfilling future Marine Autonomous System (MAS) deployment goals, is therefore a matter of urgency for deciphering knowledge gaps and uncertainties in our understanding of the global ocean carbon cycle and optimisation of global models of ocean acidification and its impacts. At the Ocean Technology and Engineering Group (OTEG) of the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) we develop sensors for in situ measurements of biogeochemical, physical and biological parameters in the ocean including Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC), Total Alkalinity (TA) and pH. Currently these sensors are still at a relatively early developmental stage (Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4-6). In this proposal we request funds to advance the TRL of these technologies and integrate them into a small autonomous device we call Carbonate Chemistry Autonomous Sensor System (CarCASS). The CarCASS will also incorporate an award winning fast measuring pH sensor, developed by our partners ANB Sensors, which as part of this work we will advance from TRL 6 to TRL 8. The CarCASS will be small enough for integration on most MAS including the Autosub Long Range (ALR), Kongsberg Seaglider, C-Enduro ASV, Wave Glider and Argo floats. As an integrated system, CarCASS will be the first device capable of autonomous complete characterisation of the seawater carbonate chemistry from surface to full ocean depth. Each sensor component will be fully autonomous and capable of being deployed independently. The DIC and TA sensors will be the first devices capable of autonomous measurements at full ocean depth while the pH sensors will provide for the first time fast (0.1 Hz) self-calibrated measurements autonomously anywhere in the ocean. This project will deliver tools which will enable continuous and spatially extensive carbonate chemistry measurements in the ocean deciphering knowledge gaps and uncertainties in our understanding of the global ocean carbon cycle.

Ocean observations are key to understanding the present climate, and improving future predictions. While satellite observations can estimate ocean surface circulation at broad scales, the smaller scale dispersal and transport in narrow regions (e.g., of freshwater in coastal areas around Greenland) are difficult to observe. These regions, however, can have a remarkably large effect on the global ocean circulation, particularly as Greenland and the Arctic appear to be melting at accelerating rates. Surface drifters are small, autonomous floats which travel with ocean currents and transmit their location to a base station via communications satellites. These drifters give an accurate, local measurement of ocean currents. While drifters themselves are relatively inexpensive, deploying them to remote regions requires the use of global class research vessels. These ships are expensive to operate, and are prohibitively expensive for repeated deployment over longer periods (e.g., an annual cycle). This limits the effectiveness of the mapping, particularly as the currents in many regions of the oceans vary seasonally. This project proposes an alternative: the concept of the balloon-borne drifter. Attaching each drifter to a gas balloon (similar to the commonly used latex weather balloons) means that it can be launched from land, fly to a target area (taking advantage of high-altitude winds), and then make a gentle splashdown at a target location. Using forecasts of high-altitude winds several days in advance, can give us a close approximation of where a simple balloon (and its drifter payload) will splash down. Moreover, adding an altitude control system to a balloon will enable an automated flight planning system to select the altitude to fly at, thus steering the balloon. The on-board altitude control system will also allow a controlled descent for gentle release of the payload (the drifter). The aim of FreshWATERS is to design the on-board altitude control system and the flight simulator/planner for the balloon. To maximize the scientific effectiveness of the FreshWATERS system, we will simulate the release of a fleet of drifters over a target region in the ocean. By testing these deployments in an ocean simulation, we can better prepare for subsequent 'real' deployments. In this case, the Labrador Sea, between Greenland and Canada, is a site of special interest: it is both remote and difficult to access by global class ships, is a region where satellite measurements of ocean currents are insufficient to capture the scales at which the ocean varies, and where climate simulations have predicted that freshwater influx can have an impact on North Atlantic and, indeed, global ocean circulation. With this case study, we will be able to fine tune the FreshWATERS system, putting into place all the ingredients of the next stage: the development of a commercially viable and scientifically powerful new way of understanding the physics of the world ocean.

The NOC has engaged with the preferred provider patent attorney, Barker Brettel (See Letter of Support). The NOC will work with the attorney to draft the patent. This will require the developers of the MAPS technology (Dr Julie Robidart) and the NOC enterprise (Dr Paul Wilkinson) to provide instructions to Barker Brettel through phone calls as face-to-face meeting, review of the patent draft and finalisation of the filing. The NOC will produce a research brief that details a market assessment. This will focus on the applications of the MAPS system to aquaculture and environmental monitoring markets. It will provide information on: 1. End-users in these markets 2. Providers of microbiology sensing technologies to these markets 3. The size of the market; the monetary value of sensors and services provided into these markets. The NOC will tender three research proposals from expert market research companies. The NOC will evaluate these proposals for their suitability of the proposed research method (e.g. desk based, phone interview), ability to meet the research brief, and value for money. The NOC is in discussions with PWC, DJS and Frazer Nash as potential providers of this market assessment. If successful, this proposed market assessment with will be grouped with other successful applications to leverage economies of scale and secure the best value for money. Once the patent is filed, the NOC will work with the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH), and the Environment Agency (EA), in addition to any stakeholder or end user identified by the market analysis, to further understand their technology requirements and the potential market for MAPS application for routine environmental monitoring.

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) can be loaded with chemical sensors and sent on missions to conduct high-resolution surveys in the deep sea. They are of interest to the oil and gas industry, as, if fitted with the right sensors, they can be used to help monitor subsea pipelines for leaks and also pinpoint new hydrocarbon reserves under the seafloor by measuring the chemical composition (e.g. the dissolved methane concentration) of the waters above. However, AUVs are prohibitively expensive for routine monitoring and exploration, and often require a large and expensive ship to be present on the surface. A new innovation in AUV technology is the microsub. These miniature AUVs can cost about 2% of the price of a traditional large AUV and are small enough to be launched from a small inflatable boat or the shoreline. They can reach complex areas (shallow waters and reefs) that larger AUVs cannot get to, and can operate in large swarms to efficiently survey a large area. The main drawback of microsubs is that they have limited onboard space and power, meaning that many sensor systems cannot be carried. This means the measurements performed by microsubs are very basic. No methane sensors are currently available that can be deployed on microsubs. At the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton, we have developed a new miniaturised methane sensor that could be deployed on microsubs. In this project, we will adapt this sensor to be deployed on ecoSUB, a microsub developed at the NOC in partnership with Planet Ocean. We will work with BP to test the ecoSUB equipped with the methane sensor on demonstration missions, and help BP to change the way in which they perform leak detection and exploration. Detecting leaks early using microsubs will help BP reduce the cost and environmental impact of subsea pipeline leaks. More efficient exploration will reduce the cost environmental impact of searching for new oil and gas reserves.

The NOC has engaged with the preferred provider patent attorney, Barker Brettel (See Letter of Support). The NOC will work with the attorney to draft the patent. This will require the developers of the MAPS technology (Dr Julie Robidart) and the NOC enterprise (Dr Paul Wilkinson) to provide instructions to Barker Brettel through phone calls as face-to-face meeting, review of the patent draft and finalisation of the filing. The NOC will produce a research brief that details a market assessment. This will focus on the applications of the MAPS system to aquaculture and environmental monitoring markets. It will provide information on: 1. End-users in these markets 2. Providers of microbiology sensing technologies to these markets 3. The size of the market; the monetary value of sensors and services provided into these markets. The NOC will tender three research proposals from expert market research companies. The NOC will evaluate these proposals for their suitability of the proposed research method (e.g. desk based, phone interview), ability to meet the research brief, and value for money. The NOC is in discussions with PWC, DJS and Frazer Nash as potential providers of this market assessment. If successful, this proposed market assessment with will be grouped with other successful applications to leverage economies of scale and secure the best value for money. Once the patent is filed, the NOC will work with the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH), and the Environment Agency (EA), in addition to any stakeholder or end user identified by the market analysis, to further understand their technology requirements and the potential market for MAPS application for routine environmental monitoring.