Research

The bulk of our work is concerned with both basic and applied research. Among others, we develop new methods to use acoustical and optical properties (both from remote sensing and in-situ sensors) to quantify and characterize oceanic particulate materials.

Our research is most often done in collaboration with researchers from outside UMaine, both from other universities (e.g. OSU, WHOI, Dalhousie) as well as private companies (e.g. Sequoia Scientific and WETLabs).

Projects

Optics, Acoustics and Stress in Situ (OASIS): Effects of Aggregation, Vertical Structure, and Relation to Physical Forcing (with Hill, Dalhousie; Trowbridge, WHOI; and Milligan, BIO). 2007-2009. ONR. $377,640. Proposal | Abstract

Optical Oceanography From the Single Particle to the Ecosystem: A Summer Class and a Web Book (with Mobley, SSI; Roesler, Bigelow Lab; Perry, UMaine, and Rahill, RSC). 2007-2008. NASA. Proposal

Bio-Optical Response and Coupling with Physical Processes in the Lombok Strait Region. 2006-2008. ONR. $175,102. Proposal

Collaborative Research: Centers for Ocean Science Education Excellence - Ocean in the Earth-Sun System (with Karp-Boss and Weller). 2005-2009. NSF. $568,981.

Incorporating Optics into a Coupled Physical-Biological Forecasting System in the Monterey Bay (with Chai). 2005-2006. ONR. $146,442. Year End Report

Ocean Productivity from Satellite-Derived Phytoplankton Physiology (with Behrenfeld NASA). 2005-2007. NASA. $71,616.

The Equatorial Box Project (with Behrenfeld, NASA). 2005-2007. NASA. $106,771. Downloads

Acoustical and Optical System for Characterization of Particles in the Coastal Ocean. 2004. ONR. $193,590. Year End Report

Instrument Development, IPO's, and Implications for Radioactive Transfer (with Agrawal and Mobley, Sequoia Sic.). 2004-2007. ONR. $158,659. Downloads

Optics, Acoustics, and Stress in a Nearshore Bottom Nepheloid Layer (with Hill, Dalhousie and Trowbridge, WHOI). 2004-2007. ONR. $283,510. Downloads

Ocean Optics Classes. 2004. ONR, NSF and NASA. $98,923. Year End Report

Sensors: Aloha Mooring Sensor Network and Adaptive Sampling (with Howe, UW and Lukas, UH) 2003-2006. NSF. $47,237.

Optical Data Processing. 2003-2004. USGS. $7,000.

Primary Production in the Mixed-Layer (with Behrenfeld, NASA). 2002-2004. NASA. $42,352.

Inversion of Hyper Spectral Remote Sensing. 2003. ONR. $35,000. Year End Report

Pilot Study for the Inclusion of Active Optical Sensors into Apex Floats (with Zaneveld, OSU and Riser UW). NASA. 2002-2003. $15,292. Downloads

Sensors and gliders. 2002-2003. NSF (sub-contract to MJ Perry). $51,521.

Measurement of Dissolved and Particulate Matter Using Optical Methods in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (with Bergamaschi, USGS). 2002-2004. USGS. $117,071.