Periodic Reporting for period 1 - NAUTILOS (New Approach to Underwater Technologies for Innovative, Low-cost Ocean obServation)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2020-10-01 al 2022-03-31
Existing European observation tools and services have the potential to take advantage of cutting-edge technologies to obtain a wide range of data at a much higher spatial resolution and temporal regularity and duration. NAUTILOS is developing a new generation of sensors and samplers for physical, chemical and biological essential ocean variables in addition to micro- and nanoplastics. NAUTILOS is integrating recently advanced marine technologies into different observing platforms and deploying them through innovative and cost-effective methods in a wide range of key environmental settings and EU policy-related applications.
The fundamental aim of the project is to complement and expand current European observation tools and services, to obtain a collection of data at a much higher spatial resolution and temporal regularity and length than currently available at the European scale, and to further enable and democratise the monitoring of the marine environment to both traditional and non-traditional data users, while improving the capacity of understanding and predicting the ocean, through better models. The principles that underlie NAUTILOS are those of the development, integration, validation and demonstration of new cutting-edge technologies with regards to sensors, interoperability and embedding skills. The development is always guided by the objectives of scalability, modularity, cost-effectiveness and open-source availability of software and data products produced. NAUTILOS will provide full and open data feed towards well-established portals and data integrators. Finally, aims to establish synergies and collaborations for the ESPCE and to raise public awareness through a series of citizen science activities.
The fundamental aim of the project is to complement and expand current European observation tools and services, to obtain a collection of data at a much higher spatial resolution and temporal regularity and length than currently available at the European scale, and to further enable and democratise the monitoring of the marine environment to both traditional and non-traditional data users, while improving the capacity of understanding and predicting the ocean, through better models. The principles that underlie NAUTILOS are those of the development, integration, validation and demonstration of new cutting-edge technologies with regards to sensors, interoperability and embedding skills. The development is always guided by the objectives of scalability, modularity, cost-effectiveness and open-source availability of software and data products produced. NAUTILOS will provide full and open data feed towards well-established portals and data integrators. Finally, aims to establish synergies and collaborations for the ESPCE and to raise public awareness through a series of citizen science activities.
Progress for Period one includes the submission of 39 deliverables, with 5 milestones achieved. Additionally, and as expected, NAUTILOS has usefully delivered the work for WP2, WP3 and WP8.
WP2 is the preparatory stage requirements for the development specifications faced by WP3 and WP4 as well as the integration in WP5 and WP7. The activities carried out have examined the needs from a political and societal view, regarding needed enhancements of ocean observation and monitoring programs and provided the basis for ensuring the technical specifications for sensors, samplers and systems, the consequent integration within the platforms, and an in-depth analysis of the drivers.
The overall objective of identifying the needs and requirements for optimal, cost-effective sensing of physical, chemical and biological parameters in the marine environment was achieved by taking into account initiatives such as the IOC Ocean Best Practices or within repositories to establish a base for best practices guidelines for new sensors and devices within NAUTILOS as well as a strong link with Ocean Best Practices community. With the collaboration of all partners involved in developing sensors and samplers within WP3 and WP4, milestone MS2 of the project was achieved.
Regarding WP3, it aims to advance the development of cost-effective sensing technologies in response to the increasing need for marine biological observations and measurements, including current biological and ecosystem EOVs, corresponding deep-ocean EOVs, and DOOS specific EOVs, MSFD descriptors, and other emerging parameters of interest. This goal was achieved by developing a corresponding range of marine instruments - dissolved oxygen and fluorometric sensors, downward-looking hyperspectral and laser-induced fluorescence imagers, passive acoustic sensors, active multi-frequency bio-acoustic water column profiling sensors, and phytoplankton and other suspended matter samplers.
Activities of WP8 fulfilled their goals as foreseen. The validation of the data in terms of accuracy, reliability and specificity of each developing sensor has been integrated into the data management platform. The interoperability aspects of the project have been carried out based on a high-level data embedding and preparation for external transfer. The heterogeneity of the produced data made this interoperability making ready action very intense. Models for the three NAUTILOS study cases to create the Nature Run results have been delivered. The design and development of the Graphical User Interface for data visualisation have been performed.
Furthermore, an APP and other devices suitable for Citizen Science activities have been designed and developed. Finally, the actions have brought a few algorithms and methods designed and developed for various environmental domains.
The remaining WPs are fulfilling their goals as foreseen contractually after M18.
WP4 is working on developing carbonate system/ocean acidification sensors for measuring CO2 and pH parameters, and microplastic sensors for in-situ autonomous measurements. The development of a new generation of sensors for measuring silicate based on electrochemical methods has commenced, and sensors for the study of oceanic plastic pollution and an in-situ low-level marine radioactivity sensor. The prototypes of the microplastic sampler and detector have been built and are currently being tested.
WP5 kicked-off the preparation for the integration activities of sensors and samplers within the selected platforms.
WP6, recently initiated, has performed the preliminary scoping of the necessary planning and commitments required for performing the calibration, validation, and scenario testing.
WP7 kicked-off recently and has moved forward with deploying integrated oxygen sensors in animal-borne tags from SMRU on southern elephant seal females.
WP9, recently started, aims to evaluate the benefits of new technologies developed in NAUTILOS with regard to the capacity to analyse, simulate and predict the ocean processes. This evaluation will be achieved using Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSE) and remote sensing calibration.
For WP10, the project website was designed and developed. Project brand identity was produced, including a project brochure and an infographic. Two project videos have been delivered. Additionally, two newsletters were also published. Innumerous synergies have been established, and the project has been presented at several events.
In WP11, the project exploitation strategy was developed, and the scoping stage of the Environmental Impact Assessment took place.
WP12 has been very active in establishing several synergies. A series of online lessons and physical events, as well as, seminars and surveys were organised to inform and highlight the dangers of marine litter and plastic for primary and secondary schools, among other activities.
WP2 is the preparatory stage requirements for the development specifications faced by WP3 and WP4 as well as the integration in WP5 and WP7. The activities carried out have examined the needs from a political and societal view, regarding needed enhancements of ocean observation and monitoring programs and provided the basis for ensuring the technical specifications for sensors, samplers and systems, the consequent integration within the platforms, and an in-depth analysis of the drivers.
The overall objective of identifying the needs and requirements for optimal, cost-effective sensing of physical, chemical and biological parameters in the marine environment was achieved by taking into account initiatives such as the IOC Ocean Best Practices or within repositories to establish a base for best practices guidelines for new sensors and devices within NAUTILOS as well as a strong link with Ocean Best Practices community. With the collaboration of all partners involved in developing sensors and samplers within WP3 and WP4, milestone MS2 of the project was achieved.
Regarding WP3, it aims to advance the development of cost-effective sensing technologies in response to the increasing need for marine biological observations and measurements, including current biological and ecosystem EOVs, corresponding deep-ocean EOVs, and DOOS specific EOVs, MSFD descriptors, and other emerging parameters of interest. This goal was achieved by developing a corresponding range of marine instruments - dissolved oxygen and fluorometric sensors, downward-looking hyperspectral and laser-induced fluorescence imagers, passive acoustic sensors, active multi-frequency bio-acoustic water column profiling sensors, and phytoplankton and other suspended matter samplers.
Activities of WP8 fulfilled their goals as foreseen. The validation of the data in terms of accuracy, reliability and specificity of each developing sensor has been integrated into the data management platform. The interoperability aspects of the project have been carried out based on a high-level data embedding and preparation for external transfer. The heterogeneity of the produced data made this interoperability making ready action very intense. Models for the three NAUTILOS study cases to create the Nature Run results have been delivered. The design and development of the Graphical User Interface for data visualisation have been performed.
Furthermore, an APP and other devices suitable for Citizen Science activities have been designed and developed. Finally, the actions have brought a few algorithms and methods designed and developed for various environmental domains.
The remaining WPs are fulfilling their goals as foreseen contractually after M18.
WP4 is working on developing carbonate system/ocean acidification sensors for measuring CO2 and pH parameters, and microplastic sensors for in-situ autonomous measurements. The development of a new generation of sensors for measuring silicate based on electrochemical methods has commenced, and sensors for the study of oceanic plastic pollution and an in-situ low-level marine radioactivity sensor. The prototypes of the microplastic sampler and detector have been built and are currently being tested.
WP5 kicked-off the preparation for the integration activities of sensors and samplers within the selected platforms.
WP6, recently initiated, has performed the preliminary scoping of the necessary planning and commitments required for performing the calibration, validation, and scenario testing.
WP7 kicked-off recently and has moved forward with deploying integrated oxygen sensors in animal-borne tags from SMRU on southern elephant seal females.
WP9, recently started, aims to evaluate the benefits of new technologies developed in NAUTILOS with regard to the capacity to analyse, simulate and predict the ocean processes. This evaluation will be achieved using Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSE) and remote sensing calibration.
For WP10, the project website was designed and developed. Project brand identity was produced, including a project brochure and an infographic. Two project videos have been delivered. Additionally, two newsletters were also published. Innumerous synergies have been established, and the project has been presented at several events.
In WP11, the project exploitation strategy was developed, and the scoping stage of the Environmental Impact Assessment took place.
WP12 has been very active in establishing several synergies. A series of online lessons and physical events, as well as, seminars and surveys were organised to inform and highlight the dangers of marine litter and plastic for primary and secondary schools, among other activities.
NAUTILOS will fill in existing marine observation and modeling gaps through the development of a new generation of cost-effective sensors and samplers for physical and chemical essential ocean variables, in addition to micro-/nano-plastics, to improve our understanding of environmental change and anthropogenic impacts related to aquaculture, fisheries, and marine litter. Newly developed marine technologies are being integrated with different observing platforms and deployed through the use of novel approaches in a broad range of key environmental settings and EU policy-relevant applications:
- Fisheries & Aquaculture Observing Systems,
- Platforms of Opportunity demonstrations,
- Augmented Observing Systems demonstration,
- Demonstrations on ARGO Platform,
- Animal-borne Instruments.
- Fisheries & Aquaculture Observing Systems,
- Platforms of Opportunity demonstrations,
- Augmented Observing Systems demonstration,
- Demonstrations on ARGO Platform,
- Animal-borne Instruments.