Development and Deployment of Autonomous and Remotely Operated Chemical Sensor System: Integrated Laboratory and Field Studies of Seafloor Hydrothermal Vent Fluids

自主远程操作化学传感器系统的开发和部署：海底热液喷口流体的综合实验室和现场研究

• 批准号: 1434798
• 负责人: Kang Ding
• 金额: $ 48.59万
• 依托单位: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-08-01 至 2019-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1434798&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Development; Deployment; Autonomous; Remotely; Operated

This project involves the continued development, integration, and application of chemical sensor systems that can be used autonomously to monitor key components in hydrothermal vent fluids at mid-ocean ridges. Hydrothermal vent fluids play a key role in the Earth sciences in helping to maintain ocean chemistry, while also providing chemicals essential for the origin and evolution of the spectacular communities of organisms associated with deep sea vents- now and in the ancient geological past. Here the investigators identify an integrated program of technical modifications and laboratory and vent related studies that will enhance the effectiveness of chemical sensor data for interpretation of deep-sea hydrothermal vent systems. The investigation will contribute to the enhancement of research infrastructure that will be available to ocean scientists and engineers involved in research and training in a wide range of disciplinary areas. Collaboration with colleagues in engineering at the University of Michigan and Zhejiang University in China has broadened participation in ocean science research and has allowed the investigators to apply recent advances in nanotechnology, micromachining, and process control software and hardware in developing concepts needed for the next generation of autonomous chemical sensor systems. Development of chemical sensors with autonomous operation capabilities is also important as progress is being made with fiber-optic cabled ocean observatories, which will provide power for instruments on the seafloor and ultimately at deep-sea vents, facilitating longer term measurements and unattended operation. Moreover, the research will benefit from the participation of undergraduate students in connection with the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program - Fluids in the Earth. Graduate students at the University of Minnesota will also participate in the research. Indeed undergraduate and graduate students have worked with the investigators on sensor applications and participated in oceanographic research cruises, while playing a key role in the deployment on the seafloor of chemical sensors and vent fluid sampling systems that they helped to create.Redox and pH represent master variables in all geochemical and biological systems. Thus, this research focuses on enhancing the measurement of these parameters for longer times and over a greater range of temperatures. Accordingly, the objectives are as follows: (1) Extend the autonomous in-situ calibration module to include redox components (e.g., dissolved H2S); (2) Replace conventional ceramic sensor for pH measurement with a functionally similar device composed of nano-ceramic, potentially enhancing measurements at lower temperatures with less frequent need for calibration. Recent advances in nanotechnology and microelectronics now make this possible; (3) Couple electrochemical sensor systems with newly developed hydrothermal fluid samplers for sensor triggered autonomous acquisition of hydrothermal fluid. By coupling the sensor system with a fluid sampling system, the investigators will achieve an instrument that combines event detection with event response; (4) Perform network (internet, LAN) tests of refined automation protocols; (5) Integrate lab and field calibration and verification measurements with deployments at seafloor hydrothermal vents in the Eastern Pacific ocean. The researchers have considerable experience at this vent system, and the data obtained will contribute to both technical and scientific objectives; and, (6) Conduct high-temperature lab experiments using a newly designed flow reactor adapted with ceramic-based pH sensors. These studies permit testing of recent predictions of elevated pH values at near critical conditions based on earlier pH (in-situ) data measured at the seafloor.

该项目涉及化学传感器系统的持续开发、集成和应用，这些系统可用于自主监测大洋中脊热液喷口流体的关键成分。热液喷口流体在地球科学中发挥着关键作用，有助于维持海洋化学，同时还为与深海喷口相关的壮观生物群落的起源和进化提供必需的化学物质——无论是现在还是古代地质。在这里，研究人员确定了一个技术修改以及实验室和喷口相关研究的综合计划，该计划将提高化学传感器数据解释深海热液喷口系统的有效性。这项调查将有助于加强研究基础设施，为参与广泛学科领域的研究和培训的海洋科学家和工程师提供服务。与中国密歇根大学和浙江大学工程同事的合作扩大了海洋科学研究的参与范围，并使研究人员能够应用纳米技术、微机械加工以及过程控制软件和硬件方面的最新进展来开发下一代所需的概念自主化学传感器系统。开发具有自主操作能力的化学传感器也很重要，因为光纤海洋观测站正在取得进展，这将为海底并最终为深海喷口的仪器提供电力，从而促进长期测量和无人值守操作。此外，该研究还将受益于本科生参与 NSF 本科生研究经验 (REU) 项目“地球流体”的参与。明尼苏达大学的研究生也将参与这项研究。事实上，本科生和研究生已经与研究人员一起研究传感器应用，并参加了海洋学研究巡航，同时在他们帮助创建的化学传感器和喷口流体采样系统在海底的部署中发挥了关键作用。氧化还原和 pH 代表大师所有地球化学和生物系统中的变量。因此，这项研究的重点是在更长的时间和更大的温度范围内增强这些参数的测量。因此，目标如下：（1）扩展自主原位校准模块以包括氧化还原成分（例如溶解的H2S）； (2) 用由纳米陶瓷组成的功能相似的装置取代用于 pH 测量的传统陶瓷传感器，有可能增强较低温度下的测量，并且减少校准的频率。纳米技术和微电子学的最新进展使这成为可能。 (3)将电化学传感器系统与新开发的热液采样器耦合，用于传感器触发热液自主采集。通过将传感器系统与流体采样系统耦合，研究人员将获得一种将事件检测与事件响应相结合的仪器； (4) 进行精细化自动化协议的网络（互联网、局域网）测试； (5) 将实验室和现场校准和验证测量与东太平洋海底热液喷口的部署相结合。研究人员在该通风系统方面拥有丰富的经验，获得的数据将有助于实现技术和科学目标； (6) 使用新设计的配备陶瓷 pH 传感器的流动反应器进行高温实验室实验。这些研究允许根据早期在海底测量的 pH（原位）数据来测试最近对接近临界条件下 pH 值升高的预测。