OASIS – Optics Acoustics and Stress In Situ

Optics Acoustics and Stress In Situ (OASIS) is a project funded by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to provide a critical evaluation of the dynamics of suspended particles and their effects on the optical and acoustical characteristics of the water column. The measurements will be used to evaluate a state-of-the-art model of particle dynamics and should ultimately improve predictions and interpretations of suspended sediments and the associated acoustical and optical fields.

Instrumentation deployed at the Martha’s Vineyard Coastal Observatory, just south of the Air-Sea Interaction Tower (ASIT), in 15 meters of water includes:

1. AC-9 spectrophotometer (WETLabs)
2. AQUAscat multi-frequency acoustic backscattering sensor (AQUATEC)
3. TAPS multi-frequency acoustic backscattering sensor (BAE)
4. LISST-floc, near-forward scattering sensor (Sequoia, Sci.)
5. (2) EcoVSF, 3-angle, single wave length optical backscattering sensor (WETLabs)
6. (2) LSS, broad-angle, single wave length optical backscattering sensor (WETLabs)
7. WETStar, CDOM fluorometer (WETLabs)
8. Autonomous camera

A second platform was deployed to measure bottom turbulence characteristics and currents and included two 5-MHz ADVs and one 16-MHz ADV