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
Plankton imaging at UMaine (linked to Tara and NAAMES). More
The North Atlantic Aerosols and Marine Ecosystems Study (NAAMES) deployed floats. More
Using Landsat-8 to site oyster aquaculture in Maine (funded by Sea Grant). More
In-line systems with optics - a community resource. More
HydroColor: A Water Quality Application. More
The Use of Optical Sensors in Observatories. More
Optical Constituents Along A River Mouth and Inlet: Variability And Signature In Remotely Sensed Reflectance. More
Study of Instrument Design to Measure Backscattering and Absorption with a Flat-Faced Sensor. More
Profiling Floats (NASA). Downloads
Development, Assessment and Commercializaton of a Biogeochemical Profiling Float for Calibration and Validation of Ocean Color and Ocean Carbon Studies. More
Using Technology to Assess the Impacts of the Invasive Sea Squirt Didemnum Vexillum, on Fisheries and Ecosystems. Summary
Tara Oceans 2009-2012. Downloads
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 | Publication
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 | Summary
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.