Providing the capability to perform autonomous, long-term, reliable, multi-parameter vertical profiles of the coastal oceans has been clearly stated as a high priority need to support the oceanographic research and ocean observatory communities. In partnership between Oregon State University’s (OSU) College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences (COAS) and Western Environmental Technology Laboratories Inc. (WET Labs), we are developing a Coastal Autonomous Profiling and Boundary Layer System (CAPABLE) consisting of a compact, hydrodynamic, multi-instrumented, self-contained profiler termed the Extended Endurance Autonomous Moored Profiler (X10 AMP), and a bottom boundary layer sampling system/docking station termed the Shallow Coastal Upward Looking Profiler Integration Node (SCULPIN).

The X10 AMP will include a robust suite of physical, biological, chemical and optical sensors with integrated anti-fouling devices, a platform control system, a rechargeable power system, and a remote telemetry unit. The SCULPIN will include a large-capacity power supply and recharging system for the profiler, an upward-looking acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP), a CTD, bio-optical instrumentation and an acoustic release mechanism. Combined, this system will provide an unprecedented capacity to sample the physical (pressure, temperature, salinity, currents), biological (chlorophyll fluorescence), chemical (dissolved oxygen, nitrate concentrations, and colored dissolved organic material fluorescence), and optical (spectral downwelling irradiance, backscattering) properties over the entire water column which are critical to assessing the state of the coastal ecosystem and for monitoring changes due to natural and anthropogenic forcing. Data from CAPABLE will be an important input to numerical models of the ocean circulation and ecosystem and form the basis of a system for predicting future change in the coastal ocean environment.

The collaborative research team brings together the scientific and technical expertise of the COAS at OSU with the engineering and manufacturing expertise of WET Labs. Both groups have extensive experience in the development and deployment of oceanographic sensors and sampling systems, including towed profiling systems (SeaSoar, MiniBAT—OSU), moorings (OSU), instrumentation (WET Labs), ORCAS profilers (WET Labs) and the Dolphin towed profiler (WET Labs). This collaborative effort will help ensure the development of the proposed CAPABLE system will be driven by the needs of the ocean research and observatory communities.