The Air-Sea Interaction Profiler: High-Accuracy CT Measurements in the Near-Surface Ocean

We recently spoke with Dr. Brian Ward from the University of Galway about his work obtaining highly accurate and stable conductivity and temperature (CT) measurements in an air-sea interaction profiler. The discussion followed recent testing of the Air-Sea Interaction Profiler (ASIP) at a dive quarry in South Africa, where the team continued evaluating the platform's performance in a controlled environment.

Sampling the Ocean Surface Boundary Layer

Many of the physical processes that drive momentum transfer, heat transfer, and gas exchange occur within the uppermost layer of the ocean. Understanding these air-sea interaction processes requires a detailed picture of the ocean surface boundary layer (OSBL). One of the key challenges, however, is that this region is frequently undersampled: traditional sampling methods are not well suited to capturing conditions in the highly dynamic upper few metres of the ocean.

To help address this gap, Brian and his team at the Air-Sea Laboratory (National University of Ireland, Galway) developed the Air-Sea Interaction Profiler in 2014. Designed to collect high-quality measurements in the near-surface ocean, the autonomous profiler vertically samples the water column to a maximum depth of 100 m.

The HA CT Sensor

The HA AML CT sensor is one of a large suite of high-accuracy sensors deployed on the ASIP platform, helping researchers capture the detailed measurements needed to better understand air-sea interaction processes. Designed for applications where small changes matter, the HA CT sensor provides the accuracy and stability required for long-term scientific observations.