Bioluminescence bathyphotometer
First Claim
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1. A vertical profiling oceanic survey system, including a bioluminescence bathyphotometer which comprises:
- a longitudinal axis;
a tubular detector chamber, extending along the axis, having an inlet at one end, an outlet at an opposite end, and a capacity of at least 11 liters;
pumping means, disposed adjacent the detector chamber outlet, for drawing seawater through the detector chamber at a selected rate of flow, the pumping means having a maximum rate of flow of at least 30 liters per second;
flowmeter means for measuring the flow rate of seawater through the bathyphotometer;
a calibrated hydromechanical stimulus means, disposed adjacent the detector chamber inlet, for generating a defined turbulence field at the detector chamber inlet to stimulate bioluminescent plankton in the seawater flowing therethrough to generate light; and
light sensing means for sensing light emitted by bioluminescent plankton in the seawater flowing through the detector chamber.
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Abstract
A high intake, defined excitation, vertical profiling survey bioluminescence bathyphotometer system designed to measure, from a statistically significant sample with a calibrated hydromechanical stimulus, (1) the bioluminescence of phytoplankton and zooplankton organisms in the oceanic water column to depths of 400 meters in absolute units of photons per second per volume (intensity) or photons per volume (total flux), (2) the concentration of bioluminescent population in flashes per volume, (3) the average light intensity per bioluminescent event, and (4) population flash dynamics.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A vertical profiling oceanic survey system, including a bioluminescence bathyphotometer which comprises:
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a longitudinal axis; a tubular detector chamber, extending along the axis, having an inlet at one end, an outlet at an opposite end, and a capacity of at least 11 liters; pumping means, disposed adjacent the detector chamber outlet, for drawing seawater through the detector chamber at a selected rate of flow, the pumping means having a maximum rate of flow of at least 30 liters per second; flowmeter means for measuring the flow rate of seawater through the bathyphotometer; a calibrated hydromechanical stimulus means, disposed adjacent the detector chamber inlet, for generating a defined turbulence field at the detector chamber inlet to stimulate bioluminescent plankton in the seawater flowing therethrough to generate light; and light sensing means for sensing light emitted by bioluminescent plankton in the seawater flowing through the detector chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 18)
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10. A vertical profiling oceanic survey system, including a bioluminescence bathyphotometer which comprises:
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a longitudinal axis; a tubular detector chamber extending along the axis between an inlet end and an opposite outlet end of the chamber; pumping means, disposed adjacent the detector chamber outlet, for drawing seawater through the detector chamber at a selected rate of flow; a calibrated hydromechanical stimulus means, disposed adjacent the detector chamber inlet, for generating a defined turbulence field at the detector chamber inlet to stimulate bioluminescent plankton in the seawater flowing therethrough to generate light; flowmeter means for measuring the flow rate of seawater through the bathyphotometer; and light sensing means for sensing light emitted by bioluminescent plankton in the seawater flowing through the detector chamber, wherein said light sensing means includes total light measuring means for measuring the total light produced by bioluminescent plankton in the seawater flowing through the detector chamber during the residence time of the plankton within the detector chamber, and light flash counting means for counting the light flashes within the detector chamber produced by bioluminescent plankton excited by said stimulus means. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 16, 17, 19)
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13. A vertical profiling oceanic survey system, including a bioluminescence bathyphotometer which comprises:
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a longitudinal axis; a tubular detector chamber extending along the axis between an inlet end and an opposite outlet end of the chamber; pumping means, disposed adjacent the detector chamber outlet, for drawing seawater through the detector chamber at a selected rate of flow; a calibrated hydromechanical stimulus means, disposed adjacent the detector chamber inlet, for generating a defined turbulence field at the detector chamber inlet to stimulate bioluminescent plankton in the seawater flowing therethrough to generate light; light sensing means for sensing light emitted by bioluminescent plankton in the seawater flowing through the detector chamber; and light blocking means for preventing the entrance of external light into the detector chamber, said light blocking means including a helical light baffle assembly adjacent to and upstream from the hydromechanical stimulus means, said helical light baffle including an open-ended cylindrical side wall affixed to said stimulus means and disposed concentrically about the axis, an axially-extending support spindle affixed at one end to the stimulus means and disposed concentrically within said cylindrical side wall, the free end of said spindle carrying a freely pivotable single ball bearing, and a rotor of lightweight non-reflecting material, including a cylindrical center portion having a rear axial bore into which the free end of said spindle extends, and having a helical flight extending for at least one turn about said center portion, the rear axial bore of the center portion extending to a radially-extending flat surface which is held in contact with said ball bearing whenever seawater is drawn through the detector chamber by the pumping means, as the rotor freely rotates about the axis.
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Specification