Remotely deployable water sampler

Episodic events can exert major influences on ecosystems. Paradoxically, it is during these major events when it is least possible to collect samples from ships, thus unreliable extrapolations of system dynamics have been made. In order to collect samples for constituent analyses during these critical times, a remotely deployable water sampler has been designed, built, and is currently being tested by NOAA/GLERL, in Lake Michigan to meet this need. The system can be configured to sample from various depths and has the capacity to collect up to 24 discrete, one-liter samples. Individual samples are collected based on a programmed schedule driven by a real-time clock or will be collected based on external events such as changes in temperature, turbidity, fluorescence or wave height. The system as currently configured includes a 32-bit single board computer for data collection and control functions,;a peristaltic pump for line purging and metered sample collection, and 24 separately actuated valves. The software allows entry of a sample schedule and controls line purging, valve actuation, and bottle fill. A subsequent version of the software, employing a decision theory multiple sensor hypothesis testing approach, is presently in development.