ORE Seminar: A Low-Cost, Modular Autonomous Water Sampler (MAWS)

December 5, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Mānoa Campus, Holmes Hall 243

Water sampling is critical for understanding aquatic systems. Compared to human-led collection efforts, the increased temporal coverage associated with automated water sampling technology can help capture short-term fluctuations in seawater chemistry. However, existing autosamplers, while effective in specific contexts, often face limitations that hinder comprehensive data collection (e.g., cost, accessibility, size/weight, modularity, etc.). Here we present the development process, laboratory testing, and field deployment of the Modular Autonomous Water Sampler (MAWS), an open-source, low-cost system that was initially developed by an interdisciplinary team of graduate students in just 16 weeks as part of ORE 653: Ocean Instrumentation and Technology. MAWS employs off-the-shelf, interchangeable components that require minimal technical expertise to assemble and configure. Its flexible design and custom software interface allow users to easily expand sampling capacity and collect up to 8 discrete samples at user-selected times. Following continued development after ORE 653, MAWS Version 2 (MAWS V2) expands its sensing capability, including in situ temperature, conductivity sensors, and a real-time clock (RTC), providing a cost-effective solution for measuring carbonate chemistry parameters, including total alkalinity, dissolved inorganic carbon, and pH. At a base cost of $3000 USD, this 8-channel biogeochemical sensing array is an affordable, adaptable solution for investigators interested in resolving fine-scale marine biogeochemistry. Cameron Richardson M.S. Student in Oceanography Zoom Meeting ID: 890 6867 4318 Passcode: ORE


Event Sponsor
Ocean and Resources Engineering, Mānoa Campus

More Information
(808) 956-7572, https://www.soest.hawaii.edu/ore/event/seminar_251105/

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